Maintenance stepped up as mileage builds

Maintenance of the Class 387/1s is now being carried out at Reading depot, with the mileage exams starting to increase.

So far, the four-car trains have largely been limited to visual exams and off-plan maintenance, due to their relative low mileage. However, extension of the electric services to Didcot Parkway means that the ‘387s’ are now covering more miles, and so the first sets (387130-387137) are visiting Reading depot for bigger exams.

The first T504 exams have been carried out. These are done after 504 days in traffic, with 387136 the first to be treated, followed by 387131. This involves a more intrusive exam compared with the lighter T45 exam (carried out after 45 days), and involves work on electrical equipment as well as visual checks.

When the ‘387s’ achieve 16,000 miles in traffic they will undergo an M1 exam, Depot Manager Mark Smith told RAIL on January 9. He explained that while the ‘387s’ do not cover major distances between London and Didcot, the intensive nature of the Thames Valley operations means they will soon achieve 16,000 miles.

Smith also told RAIL that while a handful of ‘387s’ had suffered from damaged pantographs, there had been no major failures. He also said that no ‘387’ had yet visited the wheel lathe at Reading, or anywhere else, despite having operated throughout the autumn.