Hi all,

dumb question (and I think there was a post about this last week but I can't
find it anymore..)

the below article, which class number of trains aer the Juniper's and
which are the Desiro's? can anyone enlighten me?

Geoff.



UNRELIABLE NEW TRAINS HEAD FOR SIDINGS

A fleet of four year old trains is to be shunted into sidings, because it
has proved so unreliable.

South West Trains says it will hand back thirty Juniper trains when the
lease expires next year.

The trains have been criticised for their complex systems, poor structural
quality, leaking drivers' cabs and frequent breakdowns. They were built in
Birmingham by the French group Alstom.

South West Trains says it will replace the Juniper rolling stock with new
Desiro trains, built by Siemens of Germany, which have already proved five
times more reliable. The Junipers broke down at an average rate of once
every 4,300 miles last year. The first Desiros to enter service have gone
more than 21,000 miles between faults.

South West Trains is desperate to improve punctuality. The company has one
of the worst records for delays and is running high profile campaign to
improve timekeeping on its commuter routes between Hampshire, Surrey,
Berkshire and London.

The leasing company Porterbrook, which will have to take back the Juniper
trains, now faces the difficulty of finding another company willing to put
them into passenger service.

the below article, which class number of trains aer the Juniper's and
which are the Desiro's? can anyone enlighten me?

The Junipers are Class 458s. They have a slanted front, about the same slope
size on the Turbostars.
http://www.freewebs.com/railwaysonline/emu.html#458
The Desiros are Class 444 & 450 (SWT) and 360 (FGE). They are newer and will
eventually replace all Mk 1 slam door trains.
--
To reply direct, remove NOSPAM and replace with railwaysonline
For Train Information, The Latest News & Best photos around check out the
Award Winning Railways Online at http://www.railwaysonline.co.uk

A lengthy discussion is found on uk.railway.

Also Yahoogroups. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southwesttrains/,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/desiros/


"Geoff Marshall" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

dumb question (and I think there was a post about this last week but I
can't
find it anymore..)

the below article, which class number of trains aer the Juniper's and
which are the Desiro's? can anyone enlighten me?

Geoff.



UNRELIABLE NEW TRAINS HEAD FOR SIDINGS

A fleet of four year old trains is to be shunted into sidings, because it
has proved so unreliable.

South West Trains says it will hand back thirty Juniper trains when the
lease expires next year.

The trains have been criticised for their complex systems, poor structural
quality, leaking drivers' cabs and frequent breakdowns. They were built in
Birmingham by the French group Alstom.

South West Trains says it will replace the Juniper rolling stock with new
Desiro trains, built by Siemens of Germany, which have already proved five
times more reliable. The Junipers broke down at an average rate of once
every 4,300 miles last year. The first Desiros to enter service have gone
more than 21,000 miles between faults.

South West Trains is desperate to improve punctuality. The company has one
of the worst records for delays and is running high profile campaign to
improve timekeeping on its commuter routes between Hampshire, Surrey,
Berkshire and London.

The leasing company Porterbrook, which will have to take back the Juniper
trains, now faces the difficulty of finding another company willing to put
them into passenger service.





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Thanks guys, nice one.


"Geoff Marshall" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

dumb question (and I think there was a post about this last week but I
can't
find it anymore..)

the below article, which class number of trains aer the Juniper's and
which are the Desiro's? can anyone enlighten me?

Geoff.



UNRELIABLE NEW TRAINS HEAD FOR SIDINGS

A fleet of four year old trains is to be shunted into sidings, because it
has proved so unreliable.

South West Trains says it will hand back thirty Juniper trains when the
lease expires next year.

The trains have been criticised for their complex systems, poor structural
quality, leaking drivers' cabs and frequent breakdowns. They were built in
Birmingham by the French group Alstom.

South West Trains says it will replace the Juniper rolling stock with new
Desiro trains, built by Siemens of Germany, which have already proved five
times more reliable. The Junipers broke down at an average rate of once
every 4,300 miles last year. The first Desiros to enter service have gone
more than 21,000 miles between faults.

South West Trains is desperate to improve punctuality. The company has one
of the worst records for delays and is running high profile campaign to
improve timekeeping on its commuter routes between Hampshire, Surrey,
Berkshire and London.

The leasing company Porterbrook, which will have to take back the Juniper
trains, now faces the difficulty of finding another company willing to put
them into passenger service.

In article ,
(Geoff Marshall) wrote:

dumb question (and I think there was a post about this last week but I
can't find it anymore..)

the below article, which class number of trains aer the Juniper's
and which are the Desiro's? can anyone enlighten me?

Geoff.



UNRELIABLE NEW TRAINS HEAD FOR SIDINGS

A fleet of four year old trains is to be shunted into sidings, because
it has proved so unreliable.

South West Trains says it will hand back thirty Juniper trains when the
lease expires next year.

The SWT class 458s are only one of three batches of Junipers. The others
are the class 460 Gatwick Express units and the class 334s in Glasgow.
Both seem to be much more reliable than the 458s. The official line is
that Alstom are still working on fixing the 458 problems and them
remaining in service with SWT.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

"Colin Rosenstiel" wrote in message
...

The SWT class 458s are only one of three batches of Junipers. The others
are the class 460 Gatwick Express units and the class 334s in Glasgow.
Both seem to be much more reliable than the 458s. The official line is
that Alstom are still working on fixing the 458 problems and them
remaining in service with SWT.

There has also been the suggestion that SWT have/had a vested interest in
not getting the 458s up to the same performance standard as the 334s and
460s because they wanted an excuse to get rid of them, so that they could
operate an all 442, 455 and Desiro (444/450) railway. The growth build of
Desiros has already been cancelled/redirected to Central Trains and
Silverlink for Birmingham - Liverpool, Northampton - Birmingham and Euston -
MKC/Northampton/Rugby services.