The accompanying article says the delivery of the first two trains in June will be followed by a 15 week programme of night-time testing on the network, presumably to make sure they don't hit anything. That puts us in October for the first trains to enter passenger service, and Dazz has heard the Watford DC Line will be the first to be converted. The article says the full fleet will be in service by January 2009.
This all only applies to electrified lines. The Gospel Oak to Barking Line will have to wait until the following December for its own fleet of diesel trains to arrive.
I'm pleased the gloomy prognosis of 30th March ('Electrostar train order delayed') has not come to pass.
ReplyDeleteConverting the DC first makes sense. Its unit diagrams are self-contained, and being single-voltage throughout makes it a more benign environment in which the new stock can settle down - in comparison with the multi-voltage NLL/WLL.
I should say I'm not sure whether these dates include the delays alluded to in that other post. I guess we'll find out in a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteBit late to see if an Electrostar will hit anything on the route - perhaps they should have borrowed one from south of the river for a few days before placing the order!!
ReplyDeletePaul
When we get our hands on the new units they will be tested for faults. I've been told that they have to be run in to 2000 miles without a fault. If a fault occurs then it's back to the tmd at Willesden for a fix then back out for a further 2000 miles. Running in will be carried out at night mainly but I was told that some day time runs will happen. Running between Euston\Willesden & Milton Keynes AC power. Southern will be testing them as well but DC power only.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Southern, will their WLL service still terminate at Watford Junction or continue to Milton Keynes Central? Judging by dazz285's comments on the new trains it would be interesting to see LOROL 378s being tested in that territory, although I don't know why Southern would be testing those particular trains in theirs (or anywhere else). Incidentally, the production of Southern 377/5s at Derby hasn't even commenced yet...
ReplyDeleteAll in all, the links are quite intriguing.
I think the Milton Keynes thing is mileage accumulation, the idea being that 2000 miles will show up any problems. Runs to MK are an easier way to do this than within the Overground network.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if being OPO (Driver-only) is a reason why the DC line will receive the new rolling-stock first?
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine how long it would take LOROL drivers to knock up 2000 mile in dc mode between Waford and Euston.. ages.. Southern drivers can do it alot quicker that we can...
ReplyDeleteEdvid's point about Watford Junction Southern services is still current - as I suggested before, one interpretation of the South London RUS is that there will be 2 tph on the WLL but only as far as Shepherds Bush - the MK extension has gone all quiet - and doesn't look good in the context of all the proposed transfers of Dual Voltage stock to FCC/Thameslink...
ReplyDeletePaul
Just tought I'd correct an error that I made the other day. It's NOT 2000 miles it is 2000 HOURS !!
ReplyDeleteSorry about the mistake...