Buffet Update

[whole diary]

[Karl]

Afternoon

Well as you have mentioned the weight devasite,
could I ask a QS, something which I have been
pondering over is whether there is any play in
sightly uprating the MTU^▸ (Motor Traction Unit) engine?  This beween the
two power cars would surely be enough to overcome
any weight issues.

Regards

Karl.

[devon_metro]

Would require a total re-wire of the powercars and associated electical systems.

[Btline]

They said that time gains would be minimal.

GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways), when they refurbed their HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train), swapped the buffets around and put in second class seats.

39 tonnes (or is that tons, i've always been confused by that!)

I have also been confused why the HSTs travel at 125 mph, over the X miles and Y chains of track, but each carriage is 23 metres long!

Why mix measuring systems? Why not 25 yards long?

[willc]

Why mix measuring systems? Why not 25 yards long?

Because manufacturing industry switched to metric measurements aeons ago, to match what pretty much the whole world - apart from the US - does. I have seen suggestions that Boeing's new 787 airliner is late partly because overseas sub-contractors have to convert all the design documents from Boeing into metric so they can produce the parts.

But our railways were built in miles and chains, so there are still lots of old distance markers out there. We could change it if there was the will - for example, the Irish have recently completed conversion of all their road signs to metric.

The original BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) designation of the Class 91 and Mk4 coaches was InterCity 225 - for 225kmh, or 140mph.

[Btline]

No point in switching. Waste of money/time when you look at the problems that need cash and willpower in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)...

[r james]

Off topic, is it a Mark 3 Buffet which sits as a cafe on the West Somerset Railway?  I noticed it the other day!

DO FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have sufficient buffet cars now for every train set to have one?  Or will theyhave to source more?

[The SprinterMeister]

Afternoon

Well as you have mentioned the weight devasite,
could I ask a QS, something which I have been
pondering over is whether there is any play in
sightly uprating the MTU^▸ (Motor Traction Unit) engine?  This beween the
two power cars would surely be enough to overcome
any weight issues.

Regards

Karl.

The HST^▸ (High Speed Train) electrical system is about at it's limit with the engine set to 2250bhp @ 1500 rpm. On certain power cars the rectifier is the limiting factor. It was this component which failed (and caught fire) during the trails with the Mirrlees MB190 which initially was set to 2400bhp @ 1500 rpm.

The MTU engine is set to deliver the maximum output it can deliver at 1500rpm in any case. It is not possible to increase the engine RPM due to the properties of the alternator and the effects of raising the frequency of the 415 volt three phase supply to the auxilaries on the power cars and trailers.

[The SprinterMeister]

Off topic, is it a Mark 3 Buffet which sits as a cafe on the West Somerset Railway?  I noticed it the other day!

DO FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have sufficient buffet cars now for every train set to have one?  Or will theyhave to source more?

There are 7 off lease buffet cars at Long Marston which are capable of being used. 3 of them have been off lease for less than a year.

[dog box]

The one at the WSR is ex Loco Hauled not HST^▸ (High Speed Train)

[Karl]

Afternoon

Some of the very early railways (I think "The Bodmin
and Wadebrige Railway" was one of them), used furlongs
instead of chains!

Regards

Karl.

why the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) travel at 125 mph, over the X miles
and Y chains of track, but each carriage is 23
metres long! Why mix measuring systems? Why not
25 yards long?

[r james]

Off topic, is it a Mark 3 Buffet which sits as a cafe on the West Somerset Railway?  I noticed it the other day!

DO FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have sufficient buffet cars now for every train set to have one?  Or will theyhave to source more?

There are 7 off lease buffet cars at Long Marston which are capable of being used. 3 of them have been off lease for less than a year.

Who did those 3 buffets belong to then before going off lease?  Are they LH MK3 or HST^▸ (High Speed Train) buffets?

How many more do FGW require to enable every train set to have one?

[Ollie]

3 bufffets required from what was told

[r james]

Are the buffets available HST^▸ (High Speed Train) though or MK3 LH?  WOuld there be a huge cost to convert the remaining MK3 buffets to HST ?

[willc]

Are the buffets available HST^▸ (High Speed Train) though or MK3 LH?  WOuld there be a huge cost to convert the remaining MK3 buffets to HST ?

Pretty sure they are all former CrossCountry HST buffet seconds. I dread to think what rewiring a loco-hauled MK3 buffet to HST spec would cost.

[r james]

I was going to say, there should surely be a HSt buffet carriage available for each pair of HST^▸ (High Speed Train) power cars, as weren't they all built with them as standard? 

I sitll think cross country should jump on them and snap them up before they are all gone.  A perfect chance to add even more standard class seating into their formations?  Though can platforms on the relevant journeys take a 9 car train?  Eve if the buffet counter isnt used, its still a lot of extra seating.