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Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 21:42
by andel
thought you would:

http://rtranmer.fotopic.net/c1814556.html

no questions allowed.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 22:07
by beeb375
I'd rather get a peek at your reportedly enormous wilkins, but for now, this will suffice. Quite like that livery, nice and simple, does the job.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 22:39
by JamieLei
Oh I _do_ like! Can't wait to see what the Birmingham commuters think when the 150s are replaced with these!

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 23:17
by Ameecher
JamieLei wrote:Oh I _do_ like! Can't wait to see what the Birmingham commuters think when the 150s are replaced with these!
You get corridor connections on your ones don't you?

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 23:23
by Kevo00
Oooh very nice, an operational 172 at last. That'll do nicely for the GoBLin.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 23:24
by Ameecher
Nah, it's a 172 for testing. Got whole new dodgy things like lorry transmissions under the floor.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 23:25
by JamieLei
Only 2 sets I believe have end-of-train gangways. The rest have been muddled around into 2 and 3 car sets with flat ends and no doors, or something of the like.

Plus they're hardly coupled together, unlike the 323s. The only ones I've seen coupled are the two 2-car sets with gangways! - so it won't make a difference.

A question for Dave really - I barely use the Snow Hill lines, and even then, mainly to goto Olton and Shirley.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 23:31
by Ameecher
I was talking about your 172s actually. I know which 150s you've got. Still, there are a lot of people that are sceptical about using mechanical transmissions within the industry, could take a while to iron things out putting a lot of DMU cascades in jeopardy for a bit.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 00:01
by JamieLei
Oops yeah - now I reread the post it's obvious now. I'm half asleep anyway and Plan A of an all-nighter Essay Crisis is rapidly being dismissed in favour of Plan B of handing it in half a day late.

But yep - corridor connections and 100mph top speed. Which'll be odd as there isn't actually much 100mph running for them to use, and if they reach that then they'll hardly be able to sustain it before having to stop again.

I still doubt we'll see many of them coupled together though. I'm also wondering whether they'll displace the current 170s...

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 00:10
by Ameecher
Unlikely. More likely to see them spreading further afield though and replacing 170s on certain routes. You'll keep all your 170s though unless the DfT can't help but start meddling again. certainly the odd combination of 170+153 should disappear.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 03:10
by Dave
They'll be coupled together regularly in/out of Birmingham in the peaks. Probably in a 3+2 car formation, although all platforms as far as Kidderminster are 6-car, so maybe we'll find 3+3 out to play.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 09:10
by JamieLei
I didn't think there would be enough 172s to be able to couple them together, unless some of the 150s are kept. There are 72 coaches of 150, but only 69 coaches of 172. Combined with the inevitable increase in use we'll see when when new lovely stock comes in, the overcrowding is likely to remain.

I suppose that if the 172s are kept exclusively for the Snow Hill Lines, 150s may continue to work the Walsal/Rugely runs as they sometimes do.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 14:40
by audigex
Less overall carriages than the 150's they replace, and less seats per carriage. There's apparently more standing room, but to me that just means you get a bit more elbow room in your overcrowding.

As usual with the DfT, it's a step sideways. Okay it's a bit newer and nicer, but it doesn't solve the actual problem.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 15:10
by Kevo00
Surely the 172 carriages are much longer than the 150s, which suffer from being extremely short, runty trainlets? Also you really can fit in many more people when there is more standing room as seats just get in the way. I assume the LO ones will have the seats parrallel to the windows to allow more people to stand in the middle, like in the 378s. On a full loading gauge train this can make a real difference. Indeed my old PhD supervisor argued that they should have all standing carraiges on London commuter routes and charge people extra to sit! I suspect you'll be able to get at least 150 people in each 172 carraige, probably far more than a 150.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 16:04
by JamieLei
The 150s have an absolutely ridiculous seating arrangement in the West Midlands. 3+2 Airline style for almost the entire train, with about 6 2+2 bays per coach. As a result, noone fills the middle seat, because its just so awkward if the window person wants to get off and 2 people need to get up (picture on a long-distance plane when you need to go toilet - 2 people get pissed off cause they have to get into the aisle). At least it'll be (unless they're ridiculously stupid again), 2+3 bays throughout. Which will actually increase the number of people in seats compared to present (no matter what people say about the centre seat not being filled, it pretty often is on a 323).

150s = 20m
172 = 23.62m

Not that much more room, but more nonetheless :)

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 18:07
by Kevo00
JamieLei wrote:
150s = 20m
172 = 23.62m
Ok I stand corrected - but the seating change will be even more valuable for Goblin passengers.

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 18:54
by orudge
Is it just me who thinks the colour looks a bit nasty? The white at least just looks a bit off. Personally, I prefer the likes of the First ScotRail colours, or Virgin, or similar, a good blue or a purple or whatnot. ;)

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 19:45
by andel
orudge wrote:Is it just me who thinks the colour looks a bit nasty? The white at least just looks a bit off. Personally, I prefer the likes of the First ScotRail colours, or Virgin, or similar, a good blue or a purple or whatnot. ;)
Paint froth alert - throw this ned out!!

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 22:01
by JamieLei
orudge wrote:Is it just me who thinks the colour looks a bit nasty? The white at least just looks a bit off. Personally, I prefer the likes of the First ScotRail colours, or Virgin, or similar, a good blue or a purple or whatnot. ;)
It's probably just the low light. It should be plain white, just like the tube stock.

The livery is actually very good and uniform. I fully like!

Image
Image
Image

Re: Who would like to see new class of trains?

Posted: 17 Feb 2010 22:21
by audigex
Kevo00 wrote:Surely the 172 carriages are much longer than the 150s, which suffer from being extremely short, runty trainlets? Also you really can fit in many more people when there is more standing room as seats just get in the way. I assume the LO ones will have the seats parrallel to the windows to allow more people to stand in the middle, like in the 378s. On a full loading gauge train this can make a real difference. Indeed my old PhD supervisor argued that they should have all standing carraiges on London commuter routes and charge people extra to sit! I suspect you'll be able to get at least 150 people in each 172 carraige, probably far more than a 150.
Oh I'm sure you can fit more people in, but to me that's not the issue. Why the hell aren't they building them as 3+4 car? It costs more, but that's not the point: trains should be for sitting on.

As far as I'm concerned, if you don't get a seat, there should be a 50% refund for that section of the journey. Maybe I'm just a country bumpkin who doesn't understand commuter routes, but I'm a reasonably fit and healthy 20 year old, and I find standing up for an hour on a moving train can be quite uncomfortable. If it's enough for me to notice, what about those who are a little older?

Fair enough if they build them for an expected capacity and then experience a huge amount of growth - TPE as an example? - but they already know these routes are overcrowded, and all they're doing is increasing the standing room? Way to encourage people to use public transport.

I just can't get my head around the decision making process, it really doesn't take a genius to realise we need more seats.