ROLLING STOCK
bays and the call-for-aid systems, the accessible toilet, seat realignments to accommodate priority seating arrangements, hinged tables in first class, and new external door push buttons meeting the PRM regulations on the force that needs to be applied.
Some of the universal toilet control systems will be retrofitted into the existing standard unit, to make maintenance easier, rather than having two completely different generation toilets on the same train.
There are plans for a new passenger information system, but those plans haven’t been sealed yet. “That won’t go in until later until all of the supply chain and engineering changes have been finalised and tested and implemented,” Kay said.
Payne said fitting a new system will be complex – “not a five-minute job” – and said the team did not want to repeat the mistakes made on some other rolling stock where the passenger information system clearly “isn’t right”. “We want to make sure this one’s good,” he said.
Project management
Discussing the relationship with the ROSCO and Bombardier, Kay told us: “We’ve worked closely with Eversholt to get the project management right. Obviously there was a bit of a challenge with bringing a new supplier on board, but with Bombardier, we’ve taken an inclusive and proactive approach. We’ve had guys on the ground helping them get up to speed, and to iron out some of the problems – it is quite a significant piece of work. Our guys have helped them through the first sets of changes and given feedback, and aided with snags.
“It hasn’t been without ups and downs, but we’ve had a good relationship with Bombardier and Eversholt – and a few late nights!”
Payne said that he and his counterparts at the other two companies have been determined to “leave the contracts in the drawer” and to work together to resolve issues, not “chuck rocks at each other”. “The main thing is for us to get them back out in traffic for our passengers,” he said.
Improving door reliability is an important aspect, Kay said – one which the operator has
“extensive experience” with. There are plenty of pitfalls that could have tripped Bombardier up, Kay said, so the team passed along their ‘inside knowledge’ about the doors to ensure their reliability can be improved, both in factory testing and once in service with up to 300 people and a slightly flexing train.
‘Sense of pride’
Passenger feedback on the aesthetic aspects of the refresh has been very positive. FCC spokesman Chris Penn told us that some passenger had been tweeting about the ‘new train’, assuming it was one of Siemens’ new Class 700s for Thameslink, when in fact it is 20 years old. Penn said: “We send that sort of feedback back to Eversholt and Bombardier, and it gives a real sense of pride in the job.”
Payne added: “It’s good for everyone involved to see how the work they’ve done has been received out there on the network. We’ve had good internal feedback too.
“One member of the management team walked on and said it was much bigger than they realised, because it’s now so light, airy and clean.”
Deep clean
FCC has long been one of the lower performers in the national passenger survey, and the most recent figures for overall satisfaction (autumn 2013) put it on 79%, third from bottom – though with some improvements on the previous year. The proportion of people satisfied or happy with their train overall stood at 73%, with their train’s upkeep and repair at 62%, toilet facilities at just 32%, seating comfort at 62%, internal cleanliness at 67% and external cleanliness at 63%.
The TOC listened to this feedback and spent £350,000 on a ‘deep clean’ process for its
whole fleet from September 2013, with the Class 365s and other Great Northern fleets now on a 36-day heavy cleaning cycle ever since to keep standards up.
Kay told us: “This gives customers confidence that we’re cleaning trains, improving the fleet, and it’s positive all round. Hopefully people will notice the difference, not just on these trains, but also the ongoing efforts we’re putting in elsewhere.”
It will be interesting to see if the Class 365 improvements are reflected in future survey results – though it will be early 2016 by the time the whole fleet has been through the programme.
Fleet availability and franchise change
In February, FCC was awarded a franchise extension until 14 September 2014, the anticipated start date for the new combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise.
Kay said: “We are going to go through a significant period of change, especially because of the cascades into and out of FCC. They are part of the wider strategy to cascade trains to the likes of Northern for their newly electrified routes. But some people aren’t so aware that many of the FCC fleets are going through their scheduled overhauls, the Class 365s being one of them, and some of the cascades in and out are supporting fleet availability during the ongoing heavy maintenance programme, and the changes in the franchise. It’s going to be an interesting time.”
The cascades include 14 four-car Class 319s leaving to operate Northern services between Liverpool and Manchester on the newly electrified line via Newton le Willows, while a further six Class 377/2s are coming FCC’s way, released from Southern.
Kay said: “The [Class 365] fleet being away impacts on availability, but using the relationships we’ve established ensures we can maintain availability and throughput at as high a level as possible.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk
rail technology magazine Apr/May 14 | 73
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