Class 802s

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

I understand that a three car unit is the largest combo that can run on Falmouth in public service, providing it DOESN'T stop at Falmouth Town. FMT is only able to handle two cars.

Fixable with selective door opening and some signage?  More of a concern would be increased station dwells if it were to fit in (or fail to fit) with the half hourly clockface. Delays could cause chaos for hours ....

Fitting it in the half hourly service would be be the biggest issue, particularly with the knock-on effect of delays.   

[LiskeardRich]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.

The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

[devonexpress]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.

The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

They where shipped in via Southampton.   802004 & 802005 are stuck in Europe as the French,are well being a pain in the bum.

[devonexpress]

For anyone wondering I understand, from another forum, that the first two diagrams to be operated by the Hitachi-built Class 802s have been penciled in to be as follows:

1A72 0553 Plymouth - London Paddington
1D20 0950 London Paddington - Oxford
1P26 1201 Oxford - London Paddington
1C89 1633 London Paddington - Exeter St. Davids
1A98 1955 Exeter St. Davids - London Paddington

1C04 0730 London Paddington - Penzance, via. Bristol Temple Meads
1A98 1400 Penzance - London Paddington
1C96 2003 London Paddington - Plymouth

In some ways I see this as a benefit as they are not on the busiest services, so if thing's go wrong like on the 800's then nobody will notice.  But on the other hand, given that it will be during the summer break, why not put them on the Cornish Riviera & Royal Dutchy, the busiest services to the Devon/Cornwall? Given that these trains are meant to be adding capacity benefits, I would of thought GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) would want to utilize that asap, rather than putting on services where they won't earn their money.

[old original]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.

The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

[devonexpress]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.

The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

802s have been tested and approved to work during bad conditions at Dawlish, they have an automatic reset on the resistor braking unit, something the voyagers don't have.

[Andy]

Is there really enough traffic on the Falmouth branch for a 5car 802? hmmmm

Is there really enough traffic west of St Erth for a 5 car 802?

In all seriousness, I don't know the answer ChrisB.   However, I wonder whether there would be sufficient interest / extra traffic generated by through London trains from Cornish branches a couple of times each day - say late morning from each appropriate branch to London, and late morning / early afternoon from London to each appropriate branch.

Immediate issue one "what about stock efficiency / how would we get that in place".  Perhaps divert something that would head to Penzance to [Falmouth/other] with a connection into a branch unit at [Truro/other] for Penzance - is there some sort of model in the way the unit for the Newquay branch is provided post-peak?

Immediate issue two "would it be robust if the main line service was not running to time".

Potentially attractive if it were to bring more people to rail - on longer journeys too - off peak.

As with through services to Newquay, through services to Falmouth is really 'only' a summer timetable question and then maybe only at weekends. I wonder if overcrowding levels during summer months/festival times suggest either (a) there may be a case for longer trains/platforms or (b) there may be a market for a summer weekend through service.

The Falmouth line has been a real success story and, as was the case with St Ives (platform "re-"lengthened at St Ives following the opening of the Park & Ride at Lelant Saltings), it may be that rationalisation back in the day went a bit too far.

[Umberleigh]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.

The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

802s have been tested and approved to work during bad conditions at Dawlish, they have an automatic reset on the resistor braking unit, something the voyagers don't have.

In theory.

Paddington to Bristol is seemingly a bit of a challenge for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) right now, well according to Mark Hopwood that is

[devonexpress]

In theory.

Paddington to Bristol is seemingly a bit of a challenge for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) right now, well according to Mark Hopwood that is

Probably because they aren't on full power output like the 802s will be.

[martyjon]

rumour has it that the prototyp 802 is marroned on teh franco/Germn border.
The French are saying "Non" to it being hauled to Calais. no safety case.

802001/802002 ran on Thursday in test to Penzance so must be in uk.

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

802s have been tested and approved to work during bad conditions at Dawlish, they have an automatic reset on the resistor braking unit, something the voyagers don't have.

In theory.
Paddington to Bristol is seemingly a bit of a challenge for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) right now, well according to Mark Hopwood that is

Bristol TM^‡(resolve) to Parkway is also a struggle too 1L01 regularly loses time after Narroways Junction, those that are unfamiliar with the area is up Filton Bank.

[PhilWakely]

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

802s have been tested and approved to work during bad conditions at Dawlish, they have an automatic reset on the resistor braking unit, something the voyagers don't have.

It would be interesting to find out exactly how 'Dawlish conditions' were simulated. I doubt if hundreds of tons of sea water containing pebbles, sand and other detritus has been thrown at a unit under high wind conditions. I can understand why the conspiracy theories abound. It would be good PR^▸ (Public Relations) from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/Hitachi to deliberately run an 802 through Dawlish under such conditions.

[martyjon]

Apparently it should have ran on three days last week but only did so one . Worryingly the two days it didn't run were days when Dawlish was closed to CrossCountry Voyagers.........  Conspiracy theories abound.....

802s have been tested and approved to work during bad conditions at Dawlish, they have an automatic reset on the resistor braking unit, something the voyagers don't have.

It would be interesting to find out exactly how 'Dawlish conditions' were simulated. I doubt if hundreds of tons of sea water containing pebbles, sand and other detritus has been thrown at a unit under high wind conditions. I can understand why the conspiracy theories abound. It would be good PR^▸ (Public Relations) from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/Hitachi to deliberately run an 802 through Dawlish under such conditions.

Oos gonna pay for the standby assisting diesel locomotives stationed at Exeter and / or Newton Abbot ' just in case '.

[grahame]

Oos gonna pay for the standby assisting diesel locomotives stationed at Exeter and / or Newton Abbot ' just in case '.

Better to test it out and make sure all's OK on a single early unit than risk having the service fall apart as IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) start making routine journeys in passenger service along the seawall on 16th July.   BUT the test plan may be there, and we passengers on this forum simply be uninformed and needlessly worried.

[martyjon]

BUT the test plan may be there ....

Yes, emergency waterproof roof covers to be deployed and roped down at Exeter and Newton Abbot as instructed.

[DaveHarries]

[.....] as IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) start making routine journeys in passenger service along the seawall on 16th July.

I am not now sure it will be 16th July. Although that is the date which has been touted I was looking on RealTimeTrains this evening and there is no 5C04 (the ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) working from North Pole depot) for 1C04 (0730 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ via. BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)) to be a Class 802 before Monday 30th July so it looks like there may be a delay of about 2 weeks. Unless they start it 16th July as previously touted and work the 0730 PAD-PNZ off another train in the meantime.

Dave