BGORUG Update

After much speculation during the week and one false start, yesterday afternoon (22/05/2019) TfL confirmed (attached) that the first two Class 710 EMUs would enter passenger service today on the Barking - Gospel Oak route.

This follows a successful test of a software drop (No. 33) at Network Rail's Asfordby test centre two weeks ago and further sucessful testing of a tweaked version (33.1?) on units at Bombardier's Willesden depot last week. It is understood that a further authorisation has been received from the ORR but details are not known.

It is planned that the first two units will start from Gospel Oak station at 11:36 and 12:05 and continue in service until the 21:20 and 21:48 from Barking.

The three 'borrowed' 4-car Class 378 EMUs will continue to operate the temporary half hourly timetable with the Class 710s operating in some of the paths cancelled in mid March when the last Class 172 DMUs transferred to West Midlands Trains.

From Friday 24 May the two Class 710s will enter service from Upper Holloway working the 07:09 and 07:39 departures from there to Barking and finishing at the same times as today.

Once the Class 710s at Willesden have all received the updated software and demonstrated sufficient reliability additional units will be put into public service, restoring the 15-minute interval service and then allowing the three 'borrowed' Class 378s to be restored to 5-car formation and allowing the Euston - Watford Junction service to move to a 15-minute service from its current irregular three trains per hour 'Interim timetable'.

So far around a third of the drivers have been trained on the Class 710, those trained before the latest software drop will have to have a further day training before being 'passed out' to drive the units.

Secretary of the Barking - Gospel Oak Rail User Group, Glenn Wallis, said, "Passengers have waited 14 months for this belated entry into public service of the Class 710 and endured a deteriorating service in the meantime. It is to be hoped that all the software issues have been finally resolved and that the units prove reliable in service so that the full 15-minute interval timetable can be restored as soon as possible."

"BGORUG looks forward to an early meeting with TfL to discuss the month's free travel to be provided by Bombardier as compensation to regular travellers for the inconvenience they have suffered."

Glenn Wallis

Secretary

Barking - Gospel Oak Rail User Group

barking-gospeloak.org.uk

@RidingtheGoblin