Peter Skuce Reports (6B)

Peter's made some excellent reports, so we couldn't resist using them! Part 6A yesterday highlighted the Chiltern Line Modernisation, and this will lead from that. 

Between 2003 to 2005, Chiltern Railways carried out a major interior refurbishment to the Class 165 Chiltern Turbo DMU trains. The refurbishment featured the following enhancements:
* Application of Chiltern Railways blue and white livery 
* Installation of EAO series 56 ‘easy to see, easy to press’ yellow circular LED Passenger Door Control buttons
* Replacement of rubber floor with new ‘easy to clean’ smooth vinyl flooring
* Repainted grab poles and new seat top hand grips
* New dado side panels and repainted wall ends
* Retrimmed seat moquette into new moquette trim
* The seats in the outer ends of the vehicle were replaced by new high back seats to the 2+2 layout
* Removal of First Class seating from the former First Class cabin
* Installation of wheelchair parking area in the DMSO vehicle, located by the toilet 
* The toilets were refurbished with new flooring, dado panels and ceiling 
* All windows and hoppers replaced by new full length and width windows due to new air cooling equipment 
* Installation of air cooling equipment 
* Replacement of original ceiling mounted Passenger Information Displays with LED Passenger Information Displays 
* All overhead luggage rack tips painted 
* Installation of improved interior saloon lighting diffusers 
* Replacement of ‘warm white’ fluorescent tubes with brighter ‘cool white’ fluorescent tubes 
* Repainted ceilings

At the same time, in order to allow the Class 165 Chiltern Turbo DMU trains to be released for refurbishment, Chiltern Railways decided to buy a Class 121 bubblecar DMU and refurbish it with new flooring, retrimmed seats and passenger information displays as well as the installation of central door locking, due to the doors being of manual slam door type. The train would be put to use on the Aylesbury – Princes Risborough branch line, working Peak Rush Hour shuttle services. Since then, a second Class 121 DMU has had to be obtained as a spare standby unit, in case of failure or if the other unit is receiving maintenance.

From 2012, Chiltern Railways introduced locomotive hauled trains on the prestigious London Marylebone – Banbury – Leamington Spa – Birmingham Moor Street line. These trains are formed of refurbished Mark 3 TSO vehicles and DVT vehicles cascaded from Wrexham & Shropshire, thus seeing a return to the sight of intercity express trains at London Maylebone. The new service is titled Silver Mainline and durring 2012 – 2014. the Class 168 Clubman DMU trains were refurbished with new carpets, seat covers and repainted poles to match the refurbished Mark 3 carriages.

Recently the line beyond Aylesbury has been partially reopened to Aylesbury Parkway, opened in December 2008, serving a large car park and nearby housing estate. In addition to this on both May Day and Late Summer Bank Holiday Mondays, Chiltern Railways operate a shuttle service between Aylesbury and Quainton Road, home of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.

Finally the company ordered four brand new two carriage length Bombardier Class 172 Turbostar DMU trains for London Maylebone – Gerrards Cross service and they were built in 2011.Soon a new link will open between Princes Risborough – Bicester – Oxford thus creating a route that will compete against the existing route between London Paddington – Reading – Didcot – Oxford currently run by First Great Western.

Peter (covering Wednesday). 
Regards:

Our Popular Posts....

07/02/17: Recent Goings On

Image
Harry Here, Summarising Some Of The Interesting Fleet News Between Oct 2016 and Spring 2017...... 10/2016: 142073 heads to  Doncaster for overhaul , as all ArrivaTrainsWales are going into the new livery gradually. 27/01/2017: 37423 and an extra DRS MK2 arrive at Norwich from  Derby, for Short Set usage.  Meanwhile, 68021 and 68016 arrive to take over duty's on the 68 Hauled Anglia Short Set, because 68025 and 68005 both need exams.  01/17: Virgin East coast finish the overhaul of all 45 trains! 
Read More....

Abellio Greater Anglia to Abellio East Anglia

Image
As Many Of You Are Aware, The AGA Franchise Renews This October For Services In East Anglia, Including To Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Abellio Continue The Franchise, But Renamed East Anglia Ltd.  Greater Anglia, as it was at first, began in February 2012 - operating the short term tender which was due to expire in July 2014. However, the Government later extended this franchise, and it then became the rebranded Abellio Greater Anglia.
Read More....

Reminder: Stock + Service Changes, Abellio East Anglia.

IN SUMMARY: - Free Wi-Fi on Many Trains and also an  improved WiFi service at stations .  - Additional seats on trains across the network, by increasing train lengths and capacity.  - CET toilets, so waste isn't flushed onto tracks. This is already on MK3s.  - Increasing train punctuality and performance. - Entire fleet replacement (stated below), so other units are displaced or withdrawn. - Norwich to Cambridge trains extended to Stansted, and Sudbury branch lines running to Colchester. - Lowestoft connections to London Liverpool Street reinstated, using the electro-diesel units, four times per day. - Trains half hourly to Great Yarmouth, plus later connections to Sheringham and Lowestoft.
Read More....

Exclusive ~ VirginTrains ~ Penguilino & Claus 91

Image
To get into the Xmas spirit, Virgin Trains have unveiled East Coast  82209 & 91128  and Virgin West Coast revealed Pendolino 390013 in their Winter-style livery, as designed by Madeleine Deakin (aged 11) and Amber Maxfield (age 9) whom won a competition earlier this season.  The units were unveiled at London Kings Cross this morning and will remain in the livery until January. Claus 91, as it's been named, operates on the East Coast mainline between Kings Cross and Scotland via Penguinborough, whilst the Penguilino can be found on Virgin Trains West Coast services between London Euston and The North (North Pole) via Ho Ho Crewe.
Read More....

SOUTH - Last Day of Class 458/0 Operations

Image
©Liam Jenkins Good Evening, Liam here, offering you a post regarding the last day of South West Trains Class 458/0 service. Enjoy! On Sunday 8th November 2015, South West Trains operated the last day of Class 458/0s on the units' final day of operations. These units are to be sent to Doncaster Works, where they will be refurbished with the Gatwick Express Class 460s into a new Class 458/5 class.
Read More....

Special - Rebuilding the 1960's Class 73's.

Image
It's Friday, and today's post is a special! Not as I'm here (Andy)... Class 73's were built in the 1960's and generally used in the Southern region. In 2013, it was announced that GB Railfreight would initially be re-building 5 Class 73's to make them Class 73/9's. The complete re stripping and rebuilding has taken place at Brush Traction in Loughborough.  The Class 73/9's first started testing in late 2014 (73 961 - 965) as there had been some issues, however they were all resolved pretty soon. The 73/9's are intended to work infrastructure trains (test trains under Network Rail) and also to be used on Rail Head Treatment Trains. As a result of the rebuild, it has given the Class 73/9's up to 25 years more in service, and more 73/9's are to be released over the coming months which should see them introduced on to the Serco Sleeper eventually!
Read More....

Peter Skuce Reports (6A)

Image
Chiltern 168. (C) P Skuce. Peter. Part A is for the Chiltern Line Modernisation. Part B will lead from this. During the 1960s British Railways built forty one, 4 carriage Class 115 DMU trains for the London Marylebone – Aylesbury Chiltern Line. One trailer carriage had entirely Standard Class accommodation with 106 seats, whilst the other trailer carriage was a composite, featuring First Class cabins with seating to the 2+2 layout and Standard Class with two toilets. They were powered by Leyland Albion engines, with mechanical transmission and their maximum speed was 70 mph. A new maintenance depot was built at Aylesbury to accommodate the trains.
Read More....