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

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Apparently all Class 800 trains were stood down over the weekend of 16/17 May 2020, due to a special inspection being required following a cracked deflector shield being found on one unit.  This was a nationwide issue affecting all Class 800 users, not just GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

At least it happened during the quietest time in recent railway history, just imagine if this pandemic never happened it would have been quite embarrassing for Hitachi given these trains have only been in service for the maximum of 3 years.

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

There are, infrequent but accepted, things that crop up right through the lives of trains where a fault found on one unit leads to a cry of "yikes - we had better have a look at all the others".    I recall all the HEX trains being pulled for a couple of days; far better that than any resulting accident.

Infrequent - good - we know that the maintenance team is happy to call them all in and even if they're not shouting it from the rooftops, at least they're not trying to hide it!

[TonyK]

Apparently all Class 800 trains were stood down over the weekend of 16/17 May 2020, due to a special inspection being required following a cracked deflector shield being found on one unit.  This was a nationwide issue affecting all Class 800 users, not just GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

At least it happened during the quietest time in recent railway history, just imagine if this pandemic never happened it would have been quite embarrassing for Hitachi given these trains have only been in service for the maximum of 3 years.

Welcome to the forum from me, also!

From S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph)'s description, it does rather sound as though action needed to be taken immediately, rather than over a period of days. If that is the case, then you are right about it being during a time of very little action by usual standards. Every cloud, I suppose.

[southwest]

Thank you both for the warm welcome, it is very similar to what happens across other industries, the Boeing 737 Max pops into my mind.

I'm not the biggest fan of the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train), I find they are often noisy on the bogies, the seats aren't as good nor is the climate control in comparison to a HST^▸ (High Speed Train).   

Back just before Christmas last year I had the joy of travelling on one  from Bristol to Reading.  Half the train came from the depot, the other half from Taunton arrived 5 minutes before departure, it took them 10 minutes to connect everything and get it sorted.

Meaning the 09:01 departure was delayed until 09:05, To add to that there was no working reservations, The trolley service didn't start until after Chippenham (I was in First Class) although the lady did manage to do two rounds before we reached Didcot.  On the approach to Reading trying to use the facilities was a nightmare, with the train rocking around, and on standing by the doorway I almost twisted my ankle. Something that has never happened to me on a HST or even a 159.

[TaplowGreen]

Thank you both for the warm welcome, it is very similar to what happens across other industries, the Boeing 737 Max pops into my mind.

I'm not the biggest fan of the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train), I find they are often noisy on the bogies, the seats aren't as good nor is the climate control in comparison to a HST^▸ (High Speed Train).   

Back just before Christmas last year I had the joy of travelling on one  from Bristol to Reading.  Half the train came from the depot, the other half from Taunton arrived 5 minutes before departure, it took them 10 minutes to connect everything and get it sorted.

Meaning the 09:01 departure was delayed until 09:05, To add to that there was no working reservations, The trolley service didn't start until after Chippenham (I was in First Class) although the lady did manage to do two rounds before we reached Didcot.  On the approach to Reading trying to use the facilities was a nightmare, with the train rocking around, and on standing by the doorway I almost twisted my ankle. Something that has never happened to me on a HST or even a 159.

Welcome.

Have you met Broadgage yet? I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship! 🙂

[broadgage]

Broadgage is well known for his liking of IETS, and particularly appreciates the flexible train length.
The (sometimes) trolley service is such a great improvement over a buffet. A static trolley is better still, and no trolley is the ultimate improvement. The limited range of goods, sometimes nothing at all, is very helpful for those trying to avoid weight gain or intoxication.

The seats might be slightly less comfortable than those in the older and now non compliant trains. They do however conform to the latest fire resistance standards, this should significantly reduce the terrible toll of passengers killed by spontaneous combustion of railway carriage seating.
Any discomfort felt for a small part of a long journey, by a minority of customers, may be totally alleviated by standing up for a while, which is so much healthier.

[IndustryInsider]

The (sometimes) trolley service is such a great improvement over a buffet. A static trolley is better still, and no trolley is the ultimate improvement.

I can see no trolley service being provided for several months.  I believe retraining some of the customer host staff in a ‘guardian angel’ role has begun, so that they will be able to enforce social distancing rules on board.

[rower40]

I can see no trolley service being provided for several months.  I believe retraining some of the customer host staff in a ‘guardian angel’ role has begun, so that they will be able to enforce social distancing rules on board.

If every passenger has to take a trolley with them, then both the lack of trolleys problem and the social distancing problem are solved in one go.

[Celestial]

If every passenger has to take a trolley with them, then both the lack of trolleys problem and the social distancing problem are solved in one go.

Does that mean broadgage will take his own restaurant car with him? Or maybe set up a picnic table in the vestibule?

[nickswift99]

The real issue is that these are multiple units. Consequently, one cannot attach a private carriage to the set.

This would have allowed, subject to a no doubt vast fee, any catering required while also providing the opportunity for comfortable seats and the ability to stop at any intermediate station on an express service by use of a slip coach.

[broadgage]

I can see no trolley service being provided for several months.  I believe retraining some of the customer host staff in a ‘guardian angel’ role has begun, so that they will be able to enforce social distancing rules on board.

"This service has a static guardian angel, found between coaches B and C"
"The guardian angel is in the other portion of this service."
"This service will be cancelled due to guardian angel shortage."
"Guardian angel is self isolating in the kitchen"

[southwest]

Out of interest, I was watching an old FGW^▸ (First Great Western) safety video other night with Paul & Claire (remember them?), I was wondering why has the safety culture at FGW/GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) gone out of the window?  I don't recall seeing any of the emergency glow sticks within the carriage of an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train), there is only limited posters showing how to escape safely.  I hope to god these units never have a serious accident like we experienced 3 times with the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, but I can't help thinking if there is GWR/Hitachi might be in trouble?

I might have just missed the glowlight but I don't remember seeing any, Like most I haven't been on a train in months

[broadgage]

I suspect that the THEORY is that IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and the electrical systems thereof are so wonderfully reliable that glowsticks are not required.
These units have multiple sources of power, several engines and batteries also, so in theory limited electric lighting should always be available, without recourse to glowsticks.

The tamper evident boxes used to hold the glowsticks on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) are no longer manufactured, but an equivalent should be available, they are not complex.

BTW^▸ (by the way), I suggested to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) that the glowsticks should be fitted to the HSTs ! I know not whether the fitment was as a result of my suggestion, or was already in hand.

[broadgage]

As regards evacuation cards, notices or other information, these do appear to be relatively lacking on IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) if compared to HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train).
IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion), FGW^▸ (First Great Western) rather overdid emergency signs and notices. The endless announcements instructing one to study the emergency information cards did IMO^▸ (in my opinion) give the impression that train travel was risky, and especially risky on FGW services.

For reasons given elsewhere on these fora, I don't think much of IETs but I do consider them to be at least as safe as an HST, and probably safer.
Fatal rail accidents are now very rare in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

[IndustryInsider]

Also of course, virtually everyone now has a torch on their smartphone, which provide far more light anyway.

Modern trains are far more structurally sound.  HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Mk III’s aren’t bad but fold like a pack of cards when stressed from the sides (see images of the Ufton Nervet crash).  We don’t have any crash examples of IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) yet (fortunately!), but the way that Pendolino stood up to the Grayrigg crash is a good example of how safety design has improved - imagine if that’d been a rake of Mk I’s...

[TaplowGreen]

Also of course, virtually everyone now has a torch on their smartphone, which provide far more light anyway.

Modern trains are far more structurally sound.  HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Mk III’s aren’t bad but fold like a pack of cards when stressed from the sides (see images of the Ufton Nervet crash).  We don’t have any crash examples of IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) yet (fortunately!), but the way that Pendolino stood up to the Grayrigg crash is a good example of how safety design has improved - imagine if that’d been a rake of Mk I’s...

Fair point, but if you're busy with fillet steak and Port, will you be able to get to your phone quickly enough?