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

[whole diary]

[Sixty3Closure]

Somewhat belatedly I had my first journey on an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) where I got a seat.

Not quite what I was expecting for an 'inter-city' but I can understand why everyone else has mentioned the seats. On the plus they improved my posture and weren't too bad for the 20 min journey I made but I wouldn't want to go for a longer journey sat in one.

The decor also seemed to make everything very gloomy but that's more of a personal preference (or not).

[SandTEngineer]

IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train)?

05:53 Plymouth to London Paddington due 09:04
05:53 Plymouth to London Paddington due 09:04 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Apparently, yes. And this was posted on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum earlier today (23/08/2018):

The 800 diagrams not faring well either, 6 whole diagrams of 5 vice 10 (34 trains), and one 5 vice 9 (3 trains so far), all listed as "fault on this train"

So much for Japanese technology, eh?

[Jason]

I was due to get on a 2x5 IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) the other day and before arrival it was announced that first class was in coaches 1,2, 6 & 7

I've not seen that kind of announcement yet.
I have noticed that on HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and both 9 and 5 car IET first class is now advertised as being in the front/rear two coaches rather than before when it was simply at the front/rear.
This is technically correct but somewhat misleading as it's 1.5 coaches on a 9 car IET or HST and 2 * 0.5 coaches separated by a slalom corridor on 5 car sets. I've overhead mutterings about the 'amount' of first class based upon the signage.

[Timmer]

I've overhead mutterings about the 'amount' of first class based upon the signage.

What that there's too much or not enough First class?

[broadgage]

I've overhead mutterings about the 'amount' of first class based upon the signage.

What that there's too much or not enough First class?

I have heard many mutterings that there is too much first class, on a 5 car or on a 5+5. Such remarks are not IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) based upon inspection of the actual number of seats, but are derived from listening to the announcements.
"First class is in coaches one, two, six, and seven" does imply to the average passenger that there are four coaches of first class on a 10 car train. That does sound excessive if compared to the reality of 36 seats per 5 car unit.

This is in contrast to the announcement for a 9 car train which would be "First class is in coaches one and two" that sounds a lot less to the average customer, despite the actual numbers of first class seats on a 9 car train being virtually the same as on a 5+5.

Indeed elsewhere on these forums there is a posting from a new member complaining about the "bizarre" situation of a short formed IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) with "2 first class coaches" and suggesting that this might have been because "they ran out of standard class coaches"

[Timmer]

I have heard many mutterings that there is too much first class, on a 5 car or on a 5+5. Such remarks are not IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) based upon inspection of the actual number of seats, but are derived from listening to the announcements.
"First class is in coaches one, two, six, and seven" does imply to the average passenger that there are four coaches of first class on a 10 car train. That does sound excessive if compared to the reality of 36 seats per 5 car unit.

This is in contrast to the announcement for a 9 car train which would be "First class is in coaches one and two" that sounds a lot less to the average customer, despite the actual numbers of first class seats on a 9 car train being virtually the same as on a 5+5.

Exactly, when on a five coach train these 'two coaches' of First class don't even make a full coach of First class. For a five coach train the kitchen area seems awfully long where more seats would be better, just my humble opinion.

[CMRail]

Looking at JourneyCheck it looks like all of the 9 cars are not out today?

[Adelante_CCT]

. For a five coach train the kitchen area seems awfully long where more seats would be better, just my humble opinion.

Are you really suggesting that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should reduce kitchen facilities further than they already have?? I can see broadgage having a heart attack on reading such a comment!

[IndustryInsider]

Six 9-Cars have allocations today.

[CMRail]

Six 9-Cars have allocations today.

My mistake.

[SandTEngineer]

An explanation by an insider on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum (23/08/2018):

With reference to the lack of units this week, Hitachi are doing software modifications to the fleet. Due to the way they are done they can't be done at the same time which means booking each unit in twice - one of the modifications can take up to an hour per vehicle, so getting them back in service for the following day has proven a challenge.

Hitachi have aim to have all units done by this Monday.

I assume by one hour per vehicle they literally mean per coach?

[broadgage]

And is this "software modification" a one of event to correct some original deficiency in the software ?

Or are short formations to be a regular event due to software updates ?

[a-driver]

And is this "software modification" a one of event to correct some original deficiency in the software ?

Or are short formations to be a regular event due to software updates ?

This is something like update number 60 since entering traffic!   More updates to come.

[Timmer]

This is something like update number 60 since entering traffic!   More updates to come.

Gosh, worse than Microsoft!

[CMRail]

This is something like update number 60 since entering traffic!   More updates to come.

Gosh, worse than Microsoft!

Exactly like it.. it (Hitatchi) claims its 100% complete yet in reality it is not!