Northern Rail

[childwallblues]

RE: Northern Rail

(16/07/2015 06:04)wirralbus Wrote:  Another Class 319 failed this time at Parkside , they do seem to be very susceptible at the moment , this caused delays for around two hours .

Some TPX / Northern services having to operate via Manchester Piccadilly.

How many failures have there been since they entered service?

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Northern Rail
2 Many as we had the same problem on the Wigan - Liverpool either last week or the Week before

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail
I think there was always going to be some teething troubles , but didn't expect to have so many in such a short length of time.

It doesn't help that the franchise is coming up for renewal , I bet some of the bidders have thought what have we let ourselves in for looking at these units , but hopefully things can only get better.

[childwallblues]

RE: Northern Rail

(16/07/2015 09:21)wirralbus Wrote:  I think there was always going to be some teething troubles , but didn't expect to have so many in such a short length of time.

It doesn't help that the franchise is coming up for renewal , I bet some of the bidders have thought what have we let ourselves in for looking at these units , but hopefully things can only get better.

You speak as if failures are the norm but don't give any statistical evidence.
You state that there was a two hour delay at Parkside. Why wasn't the failed unit rescued by the following 319 whivh would not be two hours behind?

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail

(16/07/2015 10:25)childwallblues Wrote:  You speak as if failures are the norm but don't give any statistical evidence.
You state that there was a two hour delay at Parkside. Why wasn't the failed unit rescued by the following 319 whivh would not be two hours behind?

Yesterday's failure was in two different spots , the unit eventually got moving the first time , but came to grief a second time near to Culcheth Farm , the second time requiring assistance , it may not always be possible to assist straight away due to the units that may be following.

There has been a few failures up towards Bryn and Garswood , but a failure in the location it did fail in is very high profile .

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Northern Rail
It could be worse though, had this electrification had happened 20 years ago, we would probably have ended up with something like the 308 slam door stock which the Leeds/Bradford - Skipton/Ilkley lines in West Yorkshire got lumped with.

Although the 319's have been refurbished internally, I don't think any other parts of the unit have been refreshed and given their tough life down South, problems like these are more likely to happen.

[Sprinterdriver]

RE: Northern Rail
Nothing has been done to the 319's mechanically. They are due a major overhaul in a couple of years, which could include all kinds of things, even a new traction package, if that's what is wanted.

Lets put things in perspective a little, there were always going to be teething troubles, but despite a few failures the 319's are returning a failure rate nearly twice that of the DMU fleet. Don't forget some of the disruptions are due to infrastructure problems, such as the breakers tripping at Huyton a few weeks ago and the tree at Garswood.

SD.

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail
With overhead wires you will get more infrastructure problems , just like Merseyrail do with the third rail.

This last one though on the main route over Chat Moss , had an effect on TPX and ATW not just on NT , which makes it so high profile and in the public eye.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Northern Rail
144012 is heading back to Northern Rail today!

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R4...2/advanced

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Northern Rail
"New" Timetable

http://nw-sparks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/...table.html

Credit: North West Sparks News Blog.

So by this information, it's looking like the Liverpool - Wigan - Preston route won't see an Electric train on a Sunday until Blackpool - Preston is wired.