| After several weeks of trials at the Old Dalby test track the first class 180 unit was delivered to First Great Western's Old Oak Common Depot, west London during July 2000. Known as the Adelante's, the first of fourteen 125 mile/h units was built by Alstom (formerly Metro Cammell) at their Washwood Heath, Birmingham works and consisted of 5 cars, each with an underslung 750HP Cummins engine with Voith hydraulic gearbox and final drives. The gearbox also incorporated an hydraulic retarder to assist with braking. The trials commenced in May 2000 at the Old Dalby test track when the first unit 180101 was delivered by road to the test track. This was because the operational Railway Safety Case to enable Serco Railtest to run the train under test conditions was not yet accepted and therefore the unit could not run under its own power on Railtrack. After the completion of preliminary testing at the test track the unit was loco-hauled to Old Oak Common depot but, due to further delays in obtaining the Testing Safety Case, running did not commence until December 2000. It continued into the summer of 2001 mainly on the GW main line between OOC and Bristol Parkway via the Badminton route. Serco Railtest also undertook to operate the train for the public launch of the Adelante unit at Paddington although as it turned out the launch was rather premature as the introduction of the units was severely delayed due to numerous problems. Further testing included bridge resonance tests -
Bridge Resonance
Underbridge resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when the frequency of loading from rail vehicles matches the natural frequency of a structure or particular elements of a structure - namely a rail underbridge. Incidents of ballast moving on underbridges when being traversed by TGVs on SNCF lead Railtrack to instigate a test series on several new built DMU's (including class 180 and class 221) although realistically the design of underbridges in UK was different from SNCF and the fact that TGV's were articulated seemed to have passed Railtrack by.
Unacceptable accelerations and displacements of the bridge deck can occur under these conditions leading to ballast instability and consequential deterioration of track quality. Some testing was carried out over certain instrumented underbridges around Maidenhead but as far as I know it showed there was very little effect from a five car DMU.
Domestic arrangements
We stayed near Great Portland Street tube station at the Forte Posthouse which was very convenient for the city's attractions, food and drink etc. Having numerous 24 hr convenience stores in the locality was also very useful for picking up sandwiches etc for the night shifts we often undertook. We used to drive to and from OOC along the A40 - we were leaving Town when everybody else was arriving and vice versa - so no real traffic problems except Friday afternoons trying to get home.
Thanks to the combined initial efforts of the Serco and Alstom teams all the class 180's eventually entered service on the GW main line.
Future use of the units
Unfortunately most of the units have been dispensed with by FGW - a short sighted policy I think as they knock the Voyagers into a cocked hat. Until recently t 3 were operating with Northern Rail (not much 125 mile/h running on the route between Manchester and Blackpool methinks!), First Group with Hull Trains' services and Grand Central have a couple each too. The first GC example 180112 was delivered to Heaton depot on 25th July in a distinctive livery of black with orange bodyside stripe, and named 'James Herriot'In July 2011 one was spotted at OOC and in November FGW will soon take the three back from Northern Rail plus two from storage giving them 180102, 103, 104, 106 and 108 in time for the December timetable changes. Let's hope they soon re-paint them from the hideous Northern livery into the not quite so hideous FGW livery. |
Here are a selection of photos of the class 180 units on test.............
