IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues

[whole diary]

[Oxonhutch]

Introduced today is a crazy scheme to tell everyone how the train is assembled before it arrives in the station. Didcot 06:25 this [2-8-18] morning and the Platform 2 display announces 'First Class in Coaches D, E, K, and L'. Well like that is useful - those are the first class coaches on a 10 car set.

I enquire of platform staff. Their puzzlement matches mine.

Finally, over the tannoy, 'Sonya' (as opposed to her father) announces that First Class is in coaches 1,2, 6 and 7.  I get that (front and middle) - and agree with the platform staff that, at last, we have some tangible information.

Train [1A02] arrives in reverse formation!  Much running ensues...

Who thought of this latest wonderful idea?

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/Hitachi:- Please think again. Can I say that more slowly please:- 'P l e a s e   t h i n k   a g a i n'

[CMRail]

I get your point well and truely, but for future reference the information board shows the atcuall formation. Platform staff don’t use it even though it is accurate, it showed a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in reverse formation with: L K K F D C B A correctly shown. The man with the bike was annoyed at platform staff for not knowing.

But yes, bad idea by Hitachi however the information at Didcot is good, especially with the carriage numbers shown on the ground now.

[martyjon]

22 short 5 instead of 10 IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) at 04:40 this am AND its Friday too, well at least there is no short formed Penzance / Plymouths - Paddington and vicky-versy 3 instead of 8 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) YET.

[grahame]

22 short 5 instead of 10 IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) at 04:40 this am AND its Friday too, well at least there is no short formed Penzance / Plymouths - Paddington and vicky-versy 3 instead of 8 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) YET.

Less bad (at 05:18) - still 22 changed formations but some not so badly changed.   How many seats do you loose going down from a ten car to a nine, bearing in mind removal of the two driving ends in the middle?

07:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45
Facilities on the 07:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.

11:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 14:30
Facilities on the 11:29 Swansea to London Paddington due 14:30.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:03/08/2018 05:18

15:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 16:40
Facilities on the 15:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 16:40.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:03/08/2018 05:18

17:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 18:44
Facilities on the 17:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 18:44.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:03/08/2018 05:18

19:12 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:59
Facilities on the 19:12 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 20:59.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 9 coaches instead of 10.
Last Updated:03/08/2018 05:18

[broadgage]

The seating capacity of a 5+5 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and a 9 car are virtually identical, so the substitution of a 9 car for a 5+5 is of almost no direct significance to the passenger.

It does however perhaps suggest a worrying level of non availability of 5 car units.
A pair of 5 car units are broken, so send a 9 car.
9 car unit therefore not available for planned working.
Send an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) instead of the 9 car.
All well and good whilst HSTs are still available, but when they are gone ?

[grahame]

It does however perhaps suggest a worrying level of non availability of 5 car units.

A number of the 5 car units have now been in service for 9 months ... and running prior to that for testing.  Routine maintenance programs were laid down with the introduction, with (this bit not exact) monthly, quarterly and annual elements.  It has turned out that one particular time-consuming task that was supposed to be annual is actually needed quarterly at present, and (?) pending potential engineering changes and additional availability of more trained maintenance staff, Hitachi have a challenge.  Problem noted, reasons known, actions in place to fix the issue.

[TaplowGreen]

It does however perhaps suggest a worrying level of non availability of 5 car units.

A number of the 5 car units have now been in service for 9 months ... and running prior to that for testing.  Routine maintenance programs were laid down with the introduction, with (this bit not exact) monthly, quarterly and annual elements.  It has turned out that one particular time-consuming task that was supposed to be annual is actually needed quarterly at present, and (?) pending potential engineering changes and additional availability of more trained maintenance staff, Hitachi have a challenge.  Problem noted, reasons known, actions in place to fix the issue.

No, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have a challenge.

The title of this thread illustrates that these trains are now almost a year into service, and much of this is still basic snagging that should be been evident/resolved much earlier. Dozens of trains running at half their intended/promised length on a daily basis. It's just a further example of the Alice in Wonderland nature of our railways.

[broadgage]

A number of the 5 car units have now been in service for 9 months ... and running prior to that for testing.  Routine maintenance programs were laid down with the introduction, with (this bit not exact) monthly, quarterly and annual elements.  It has turned out that one particular time-consuming task that was supposed to be annual is actually needed quarterly at present, and (?) pending potential engineering changes and additional availability of more trained maintenance staff, Hitachi have a challenge.  Problem noted, reasons known, actions in place to fix the issue.

This gives rise to at least two questions.
Firstly, do we know what the problem is ? Is it the not very accessible radiator that becomes debris clogged and is a challenge to clean ? or something else.

Secondly, whatever the problem is, will it also affect the mechanically VERY similar 9 car units ?

Are Hitachi paying the price in money for all this non availability of the new trains, or is there some wiggle room whereby they can claim that it is a customer problem and not a supplier problem.

[bradshaw]

Roger Ford in the current Modern Railways looks at the new trains, including the Cl 800 (p36). The moving annual average MTIN (minutes per technical incident) is 4693, well below the Cl 700.& 707. Even Northern pacer fleet has a better figure (8933).

This low level is common for new fleets but they do not seem to be showing the so called ‘Bath tub’ profile where reliability suddenly takes off. This seems to apply to all the above fleets.

The following page looks at the effect of the summer’s heat on the Class 800. Apparently on one day half the diagrammed units were out of action due to overheating.

P71 onwards has a feature on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[eXPassenger]

The 9-car units were due for earlier delivery but they were all-electric 801s and only Cardiff will be fully electrified, so they had to be modified to 800s with diesel engines.  If only Network Rail had electrified the whole line to the original timetable.

I have no idea where this bit of reverse engineered history came from, but it's not true. The order with all the 5-car trains (800s) first and then 9-car (originally electric 801) trains was in the original agreements with Hitachi/Agility and the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) franchise. They are just all turning up about 3 months late, that's all.

My understanding (and I am probably wrong) was that when the 801s were converted to 800s this caused the delivery schedule to slip for the 9-cars.

[broadgage]

The usual selection of half length IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) today.
Two things that I noticed, firstly at least two short formations are listed as being 5 car instead of 9 car. rather than the usual 5 car instead of 10 car. This suggests that the very recently introduced 9 car units are starting to fail.

Also as the IETS spread, more destinations are suffering downgrading to DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit). Weston Super Mare and Hereford are now affected, which will no doubt upset the tourist authorities in those places.

[IndustryInsider]

One 9-car diagram currently being covered by a 5-car set today.  Currently at Hereford where as we've discussed 9-car operation is currently very problematic due to platform and signalling conflicts.

Four more journeys as a passenger for me on 800s this week.  Plenty of seating available, air-con working, on time.  Trolley seen on three out of the four (though two of my journeys were very short ones) - on one occasion it looked like a hot food order had been placed, prepared in the kitchen, and delivered to the passengers seat in standard class at 11pm.  Perhaps I was hallucinating though?

[broadgage]

Presuming that you were NOT hallucinating, then I am impressed if the promised hot food service in standard class is actually appearing.
I remain un impressed by the lack of a buffet, the hard seats, the frequent short formations and the absence of a through gangway on allegedly intercity trains.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Roger Ford in the current Modern Railways looks at the new trains, including the Cl 800 (p36). The moving annual average MTIN (minutes per technical incident) is 4693, well below the Cl 700.& 707. Even Northern pacer fleet has a better figure (8933).

This low level is common for new fleets but they do not seem to be showing the so called ‘Bath tub’ profile where reliability suddenly takes off. This seems to apply to all the above fleets.

The following page looks at the effect of the summer’s heat on the Class 800. Apparently on one day half the diagrammed units were out of action due to overheating.

P71 onwards has a feature on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

A small point... the 'M' in MTIN is 'miles' not 'minutes'...

(I'll crawl back under my stone now  )

[bradshaw]

Apologies, I should have checked first.