Analysis
Delays in new train fleets.
ON August 24, TransPennine Express went back to the future by reintroducing locomotivehauled trains between Liverpool and Scarborough. The route had switched to unit operation in 1991, but now the first of TPE’s 44 new trains had entered traffic.
But it was late. More than a year late. And that situation has been replicated across the country.
Government and the Rail Delivery Group like to trumpet the number of new trains being delivered and put into traffic. And rightly so - it is an impressive achievement, representing the biggest change in the UK’s train fleets for at least a generation.
However, they are quiet on the delays, which have come about for a variety of reasons.
In the case of TPE’s new Mk 5As, the vehicles were held up following problems with brakes during testing and commissioning. This reduced the time available to train staff ahead of the introduction of other new TPE fleets. Drivers were required for these other fleets… and delays ensued.
Software issues are affecting the introduction of Bombardier Aventras, and with more than 2,500 vehicles on order, that is an important obstacle to overcome.
Transport for London had advertised that the Class 710 Aventras would enter traffic on the Barking-Gospel Oak route from March 2018, with all services operated by the trains from that May. They finally entered traffic on May 20 this year ( RAIL 880).
This had created major problems, because the Class 172 diesels due to be replaced by the ‘710s’ had been earmarked to move to the West Midlands as part of a franchise agreement.
With the new trains delayed, London Overground ended up having to sub-lease the ‘172s’ back from West Midlands Trains, but this was a short-term measure and LO ended up being forced to halve the number of services.
On the day of the launch, TfL Director of Rail Jon Fox said the new trains were using the 34th variation of the initial Train Control Management System (TCMS).
He added that while this was acceptable for Gospel Oak operations, it would need a further upgrade for operation of the AC-only Class 710/1 fleet serving London Liverpool Street, as well as for the DC route between London Euston and Watford Junction.
At the end of August, the Office of Rail and Road approved their use ( RAIL 887), but still not in pairs.
Bombardier spokesman Will Tanner explains: “In terms of Aventra lessons, it’s really two areas: securing sufficient standardisation and ‘read across’ from one project to another, so that we and our customers reap the benefits of the platform; and working more closely, and earlier, with our customers to determine software-based functionality and then undertake the software development itself, as early as possible.”
There has been a knock-on effect, with Greater Anglia due to be the next recipient of the trains. GA has 111 Class 720 Aventras on order from Bombardier, with 89 five-car and 22 ten-car trains due to have entered traffic from March 2019. The manufacturer showcased vehicles in September 2018, at Derby Litchurch Lane, but they won’t be in traffic this year.
Another factor to consider when putting new trains into traffic is infrastructure.
A Network Rail source tells RAIL: “This is particularly common with gauging, where the train manufacturers take our asset data to analyse whether their train will ‘fit’ on the track. If any issues are found, this information is then used to design and implement modifications, such as changes to the shape of platforms, and slightly moving track.”
Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark Hopwood explains how that can be an issue. The Hendy Review of November 2015 had involved the scaling back of electrification, with Didcot Parkway-Oxford cancelled.
“The disappointing thing is Network Rail and DfT didn’t consider the stabling strategy, but actually in a way it was good because we ended up with a strategy in that area anyway,” recalls Hopwood.
“We had West Ealing initially, and then the original plan after Oxford was Didcot Parkway. But those sidings are landlocked - we wanted access, but it was busy and reversing wasn’t a good idea.
We looked at other options, and while Swindon is further away the timings are not that different to the shunting at Didcot.”
But even cascades of older stock following the introduction of new trains can be problematic. GWR High Speed Trains were due to be withdrawn from spring 2017, to be moved to ScotRail, but this was affected by well-publicised delays to the Great Western Electrification Programme (GWEP).
Says Hopwood: “In terms of the introduction [of Hitachi Intercity Express Train Class 802s], they went in in October 2017, and it was hoped to be May 2017.
“The testing was a factor. Hitachi’s contract entitled it to use the test track that was ReadingDidcot. Because that was not ready, it had to use elsewhere.
“There were also a number of things on the trains that needed testing. And training also had a big impact. We had plans to phase the introduction of new trains. The plan was ‘387s’/‘365s’ a couple of years ahead of the IET. Instead, we ended up doing everything.
“The driver training was difficult, and we recruited extra drivers. We compacted it all to one place and we had no pre-planned cancellations, but there were a few issues here and there. One challenge was around Sundays, as per the terms and conditions of driver contracts, which meant they had to use a rest day.”
HSTs will remain with GWR, albeit in smaller form on different duties. The short-set ‘Castle’ Class features two power cars and four Mk 3 coaches. These vehicles are modified to meet Disability Discrimination Act requirements.
Hopwood says their introduction resulted from delays to GWEP in the Thames Valley area: “None of this is easy. It helped that ‘387s’ [Electrostars, introduced in September 2016] were running before, but nothing had been tested for compatibility with Series 1 overhead line electrification that Network Rail was installing on the Great Western.
“Lord Adonis had originally said he wanted 2016 running for electrics, but we revised that and went for September 2017. We took it as far as Hayes initially, as no new wires had been switched on at that point.”
Hopwood and his team were at the mercy of things completely out of their control: “We spoke to both Porterbrook and Bombardier. Porterbrook had already bought 20 Electrostars speculatively, but we were speaking to them anyway.
“The DfT confirmed that the initial plan would not happen, and there was sufficient uncertainty that we had done some digging. We formally confirmed the plan on the Monday, and the order was made on the Friday.
“If GTR had been on time, then we wouldn’t have made the ‘387’ order. But it was also at the same time as the GWEP descoping, and when that was apparent we reviewed the plans anyway.
“We were always slightly unhappy about having two small fleets. The decision was made by the DfT to keep the ‘387s’ on Great Northern, and they have to sign off rolling stock leases. DfT will never leave a train operating company in a position where it has no trains. But with the plans for the ‘700s’, GN needed to retain the ‘387s’.
“That suited us as we learned that operators’ cascades relied on others. We did the thinking, which the DfT was happy with, and we took the decision to expand the order to 45 Class 387s.”
The new fleets will undoubtedly boost the passenger experience and provide extra capacity, but issues remain surrounding their introduction. This is a problem that won’t go away any time soon.