Multi feed electric multiple units.

[pre65]

I went out this afternoon on the motorbike, did a 70 mile round trip and stopped at Royston station for a break.

I noticed one (looked fairly new) EMU twin set that looked like it also had collector shoes for SR type 3rd rail use.

Is that likely ?

[tonyharker]

Yes Brighton/Bedford Thameslink trains have both, switch over is a Faringdon I believe.

[boilersuit]

Dual-voltage EMUs have been a feature of Thameslink services for many years now. But I'm not sure about twin sets – I thought they were all 4-car units.

[pre65]

By twin sets I mean two 4 car units coupled together.

Royston is on the Kings Cross - Cambridge line.

[Beeyar Wunby]

Yup they're class 387s. I spend much of my time driving them.

These units are only used on the Great Northern route: ie Kings Cross to Cambridge/Kings Lynn or Peterborough.

They do not go through Canal tunnel onto the Thameslink network, only class 700s do that.

Although they're Dual voltage they only currently operate on OHLE, but the pick up shoes for third rail are air operated so they tuck up nicely when they're not in use.

Cheers, BW

[pre65]

Originally Posted by Beeyar Wunby

Although they're Dual voltage they only currently operate on OHLE, but the pick up shoes for third rail are air operated so they tuck up nicely when they're not in use.

Cheers, BW

The one I saw looked like the pick up shoes were in the use position.

[Beeyar Wunby]

Originally Posted by pre65

The one I saw looked like the pick up shoes were in the use position.

Definitely not.

There's a very high chance that they will be ripped off by the ballast in the down position whilst operaing in the Anglia region where the ballast is not kept to regulated height, plus if the pantograph is raised the shoes must be raised, and if the pan is down the shoes are down. A dual mode train can't have them both operating simultaneously.

Royston to Kings Cross is overhead lines only. The only 3rd rail on the GN is on the Northern City Line down into Moorgate, but 387s are too big to fit. 313s cover that route.

You will have been able to see the shoe gear sitting up under the shoe beam, but there's DEFINITELY no 3rd rail in Hertfordshire. There's only a few inches difference between the raised and lowered shoe position, but I can assure you that the pantographs will have been doing the traction current collection.

Hope this helps, BW.