Paul Corfield wrote:
On Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:10:50 -0700 (PDT), Mr Thant
wrote:

On 29 July, 13:32, Paul Corfield wrote:
Yep there is one out and about - 378 005 - on the North London Line
although its first run started at Clapham Junction this morning. It
was on the 1157 from Richmond and should be the 1307 ex Stratford back
to Richmond. I saw it at Highbury & Islington but couldn't spare the
time for a ride on it. Looked very shiny and it certainly moves
quickly enough. Photos later although there are already shots by
others on Flickr.
I've managed to squeeze a one-stop ride into my lunch hour. The
gangway is much wider than I expected but the ceiling seems rather
low. The destination panels on the sides are too small and far apart
(and unreadble from an angle), and the motors seem a bit noisier than
on 377s. On the plus side, non-garbled next stop announcements.

I managed to catch it again between Gunnersbury and Kew Gardens. Instant
reaction from two ladies who got on in front of me was "new train, lots
of extra seats (not)!". Seemed very quiet to me although I agree the
ceiling feels low compared to a 313 and no luggage racks overhead. Odd
to see the return of strap hangers given the blitz to remove them from
LUL. The aisle is very wide and I can see that will be genuinely useful
in cramming people in and also allowing people to head for the exit more
effectively when the service is busy. The internal displays and
announcements were fine and obviously a big step up from the 313s.
Interesting that the guard has to travel in the train carriage, DLR
style, as the door release and door close buttons are by the doors
themselves.

Having travelled back on a 313 all the way back to Highbury and just
catching the really bad overcrowding I can see that the extra space will
be welcomed. However given the door apertures are about the same size as
a 313 in broadly the same pattern I would have to wonder about dwell
times. They can already be pretty bad with the 313s and I can see it
being worse with the 378s in the short term until people and the staff
get used to them. The fact one pair of doors is open while the guard
shuts the others just means people dash and plead with the guard to be
allowed on - this certainly happened with the lunchtime trip I saw at
Highbury where there is a constant stream of passengers.

Photos at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2475974...7615618429889/


Very nice, indeed.

What happened to the side track at Highbury & Islington?

wrote

What happened to the side track at Highbury & Islington?

The AC lines between Dalston Kingsland and Camden Road are currently OOU and
under engineers' possession, with some sections lifted. Eventually the
existing DC pair will be used by the ELLX between Dalston Junction and
Highbury & Islington, while the NLL service and freight will use the
reinstated northern pair, using 25 kV AC OHLE. Between Highbury & Islington
and Camden Road (exclusive) there will be 4 tracks, effectively a pair for
the NLL passenger service and long up and down goods loops. Canonbury and
Highbury & Islington will each have 4 platforms (2 for ELLX and 2 for NLL),
while Caledonian Road will have 3 (the existing eastbound platform
reinstated as an island).

Peter

On Jul 31, 10:02 pm, "
wrote:
What happened to the side track at Highbury & Islington?

Highbury & Islington Overground is going to have a rebuild. The
existing platforms 1 and 2 will become the platforms for the East
London Line, with the North London Line taking the place of the side
track : platform 7 (the "special use" platform) is cordoned off, and
the other side has undergone some severe defoliating recently in
preparation for a new (or reinstatement?) of a platform there.

--
Abi

Peter Masson wrote:


wrote

What happened to the side track at Highbury & Islington?

The AC lines between Dalston Kingsland and Camden Road are currently OOU
and under engineers' possession, with some sections lifted. Eventually
the existing DC pair will be used by the ELLX between Dalston Junction
and Highbury & Islington, while the NLL service and freight will use the
reinstated northern pair, using 25 kV AC OHLE. Between Highbury &
Islington and Camden Road (exclusive) there will be 4 tracks,
effectively a pair for the NLL passenger service and long up and down
goods loops. Canonbury and Highbury & Islington will each have 4
platforms (2 for ELLX and 2 for NLL), while Caledonian Road will have 3
(the existing eastbound platform reinstated as an island).


Cool. I've heard that this part of the NLL will be out of service for a
while in early 2010. Can anybody shed light on this?

Also, does anybody have an idea when and where an operating 378 can be
found at this stage?

wrote

Cool. I've heard that this part of the NLL will be out of service for a
while in early 2010. Can anybody shed light on this?

According to July MR, Gospel Oak to Stratford will be closed Christmas
2009 - April 2010.

Peter

Peter Masson wrote:


wrote

What happened to the side track at Highbury & Islington?

The AC lines between Dalston Kingsland and Camden Road are currently OOU
and under engineers' possession, with some sections lifted. Eventually
the existing DC pair will be used by the ELLX between Dalston Junction
and Highbury & Islington, while the NLL service and freight will use the
reinstated northern pair, using 25 kV AC OHLE. Between Highbury &
Islington and Camden Road (exclusive) there will be 4 tracks,
effectively a pair for the NLL passenger service and long up and down
goods loops. Canonbury and Highbury & Islington will each have 4
platforms (2 for ELLX and 2 for NLL), while Caledonian Road will have 3
(the existing eastbound platform reinstated as an island).

Peter

What is going to be the fate of the GOBLin? considering all the work
that they plan to do?

Will that line, for example, be electrified?

asdf wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:39:37 +0100, Gavin Hamilton wrote:

Was impressed by the quick door release on the 365
at Kings Cross - unlike the usual long wait on a London Midland 321 or
350.

Surely this left you cowering in fear at how unsafe 365s are, compared
to 321s/350s with their important and worthwhile safety features?

No, the 365's left me feeling that dual standards are enforced for
little or no reason, especially as I'm fed up with shoulder charging the
mob attempting to join the train before the doors open just to get off.

G

In article ,
wrote:
What is going to be the fate of the GOBLin? considering all the work
that they plan to do?

Will that line, for example, be electrified?

There are no current plans to electrify the GOBLin. A mistake, IMO.

--
:wq

wrote

What is going to be the fate of the GOBLin? considering all the work
that they plan to do?

Will that line, for example, be electrified?

There are repeated rumours, but no announcement.

Peter

On Aug 1, 9:06*pm, Mike Bristow wrote:
In article ,
* * * * wrote:

What is going to be the fate of the GOBLin? considering all the work
that they plan to do?

Will that line, for example, be electrified?

There are no current plans to electrify the GOBLin. *A mistake, IMO.


There are plans and they are costed, what is lacking is the agreement
between TfL, DfT and Network Rail as to who pays for it.