Cambridge to Liverpool St: which trains are allocated Electrostars?

[tivoli]

Due to travel Cambridge to Liverpool St Sat 5th and back Sun 6th, considering taking advantage of advance tickets. Is there any way of knowing which services will be using 379 Electrostars?

 

[jopsuk]

I've asked for 379 weekend diagrams before, to no avail. Be aware that on the Sunday the stopper service, which usually goes to Stratford instead on Sundays, is running from Liverpool Street.

 

[johnnyp_360]

I've never managed to work this one out either. sometimes its a 379, sometimes its a 317. there does not seem to be a pattern at all to it :/

 

[NSE]

Well, it wont be of much help for your journey. But I too wanted this, and due to my love for Electrostars, have taken note with my phone on 379 diagrams.
Now these are weekdays, but nonetheless, they may be of help to someone

From Cambridge:
07:48
10:04
10:21
13:04
13:21*
16:21
16:40- Only calls at Audley End and Tottenham Hale
18:51

From Liverpool Street:
11:28
11:58
14:28
14:58

*this one is a guess as I was leaving in a rush. I could see the 379 approaching and no 317 to form the next service, so two and two together etc.

There are also two departures to Cambridge in the morning leaving Liverpool St in 12 car formation, one calls at Audley End and Tottenham Hale, the other just at Tottenham Hale. These are both 379. There is also (or at least was) one or two Kings Lynn fasts, which I wanna say are on an xx:09 or xx:07 path out of Liverpool Street in the evening rush, which are 12 car and formed of Electrostars.

Hope these are of help to someone, they seem to be pretty reliable as I often plan to travel on them and they're normally correct.

 

[47421]

Working timetable on network rail site indicates :

from Camb to LivSt M-F: 0647, 0717, 0747, 0918, 1004, 1021, 1221, 1304, 1321, 1640, 1851 & 2251

from LivSt to Camb M-F 0558, 0803, 0833, 1058, 1128, 1158, 1358, 1428, 1458, 1707, 1737, 1807 and 2028

Sats most services 379s.
317s exLivSt 1158,1258,1358,1528,1628,1728,1828
317s exCamb 1021,1121,1221,1404,1504,1604,1704

Haven't got round to picking through Sunday TT yet

 

[NSE]

You sir, are a god amongst mere mortals. That's pretty much permanently switched to me to GA over FCC

 

[berneyarms]

OP - from the WTT, on Sundays the following trains are 379:

From Cambridge:
07:32, 08:32, 09:32, 10:32, 11:32, 12:32, 13:32, 14:32, 15:32, 16:32, 17:32, 18:32, 19:32 and 20:32

From Liverpool Street:
08:28, 09:28, 10:28, 11:28, 12:28, 13:28, 14:28, 15:28, 16:28, 17:28, 18:28, 19:28, 20:28, 21:28, and 22:28.

 

[tivoli]

Thanks for those replies, wasn't sure if there was a plan or not or if use of vehicles was random. Will go ahead with that information.

 

[jon0844]

If you get a 379 can you walk through and tell me how many buttons are still intact on the internal gangway doors?

Been on three now and every single one had ALL of the button 'covers' missing. A fair few toilet door ones missing, and some external door buttons gone!

It's not easy having to press a little black button that's 3-4mm wide!

 

[user15681]

If you get a 379 can you walk through and tell me how many buttons are still intact on the internal gangway doors?

Been on three now and every single one had ALL of the button 'covers' missing. A fair few toilet door ones missing, and some external door buttons gone!

It's not easy having to press a little black button that's 3-4mm wide!

This is a well known fault with the 379s. It's common on some 172s as well, which happen to use the same buttons. I think it's put down to a design or manufacture fault.

 

[jon0844]

I started a thread a while back on here, but it's now closed or I'd have added to it. I didn't wish to hijack this thread.

I've since reported it to AGA as I believe it's a pretty serious issue for the visually impaired, given not all of the buttons have text above/below. When AGA replied to my Tweet, it was as if they'd never heard of this problem before. Hmm, yeah right!

I never thought any trains should be taken out of service, but for the buttons to have not been fixed or replaced, and in fact be allowed to get worse, is a really poor show.

AGA should be on at Bombardier, who in turn gets on to the company that makes the buttons (Nym has given this information before) to get them repaired/replaced - and at their cost. I don't know how the concept of a warranty might work on a train, but these trains are clearly going out every day with possibly as much as 50% of the internal buttons broken!

 

[cle]

Well, it wont be of much help for your journey. But I too wanted this, and due to my love for Electrostars, have taken note with my phone on 379 diagrams.
Now these are weekdays, but nonetheless, they may be of help to someone

From Cambridge:
07:48
10:04
10:21
13:04
13:21*
16:21
16:40- Only calls at Audley End and Tottenham Hale
18:51

From Liverpool Street:
11:28
11:58
14:28
14:58

*this one is a guess as I was leaving in a rush. I could see the 379 approaching and no 317 to form the next service, so two and two together etc.

There are also two departures to Cambridge in the morning leaving Liverpool St in 12 car formation, one calls at Audley End and Tottenham Hale, the other just at Tottenham Hale. These are both 379. There is also (or at least was) one or two Kings Lynn fasts, which I wanna say are on an xx:09 or xx:07 path out of Liverpool Street in the evening rush, which are 12 car and formed of Electrostars.

Hope these are of help to someone, they seem to be pretty reliable as I often plan to travel on them and they're normally correct.

Is that train the only one which doesn't stop at Audley End?
Seems to be quite an odd station to have everything stop there, I'd expect an actually fast service to Cambridge...

 

[NSE]

I believe it is the only one to not stop at Audley End. I agree it seems odd to have all trains stop there, but I can vouch for it being well used so the people come from somewhere! I think it also might help having the Birmingham Train stopping there so pax can get to Stansted, otherwise it's down to Stortford or up to Cambridge. I still maintain there should be 1tph all stops Cambridge to Stansted Airport. But that's for another thread.

 

[cle]

I believe it is the only one to not stop at Audley End. I agree it seems odd to have all trains stop there, but I can vouch for it being well used so the people come from somewhere! I think it also might help having the Birmingham Train stopping there so pax can get to Stansted, otherwise it's down to Stortford or up to Cambridge. I still maintain there should be 1tph all stops Cambridge to Stansted Airport. But that's for another thread.

Yes then they could quicken up the London trains. I always thought the Norwich could go to Stansted too.

At least 1tph should be Liverpool Street - Tottenham Hale (Harlow Town/Bishops Stortford) - Cambridge.
Bracketed stops optional, but could replace/alternate with the Stansted 'Express' stops. Should be competing against the Kings Cross Cruisers!

 

[SprinterMan]

Working timetable on network rail site indicates :

from Camb to LivSt M-F: 0647, 0717, 0747, 0918, 1004, 1021, 1221, 1304, 1321, 1640, 1851 & 2251

from LivSt to Camb M-F 0558, 0803, 0833, 1058, 1128, 1158, 1358, 1428, 1458, 1707, 1737, 1807 and 2028

Sats most services 379s.
317s exLivSt 1158,1258,1358,1528,1628,1728,1828
317s exCamb 1021,1121,1221,1404,1504,1604,1704

Haven't got round to picking through Sunday TT yet

This is very good

On real time trains, if a train is timed for a 317 (and therefore operated by one) it will say "Class 317", and 379-operated services are shown as being timed for a generic "Electric Multiple Unit".

Adam

 

[NSE]

Sadly nothing will happen till any degree of four tracking. Personally, I'd like a third Cambridge train an hour from Liverpool Street calling at Tottenham Hale Cambridge, Ely, Thetford and Norwich, formed of class 90/Mk3 but that's a lot of four tracking and electrifying. Aiming to compete with Kings Cross and provide a much more ready alternative in times of disruption for the GEML to Norwich. Or it could alternate Ely-Thetford-Norwich, Ely-Downham Market-Kings Lynn. Who knows, pipe dreams eh

 

[cle]

I agree, but aren't there difficulties in increasing line speed and adding wires across the Fens?

Where I disagree is the 90/MK3s - afraid I think the era of locos is long gone in that part of the world and something similar to a 350 or Javelin would work absolutely fine. A journey of sub 2 hours doesn't need it.

The more stops, the more beneficial an EMU in terms of acceleration too. Some of the current Norwich trains stop about 6 times and the dwells/slowing must penalise the service (and the double line) a lot.

 

[NSE]

Oh now that I agree with too. I didn't mean class 90's specifically, just whatever is running the Norwich service on the GEML. Personally, I like the AC 444 version. I see no difference between Weymouth and Norwich service requirement wise

 

[cle]

Oh now that I agree with too. I didn't mean class 90's specifically, just whatever is running the Norwich service on the GEML. Personally, I like the AC 444 version. I see no difference between Weymouth and Norwich service requirement wise

The Weymouth arguably is more 'inter city' - with Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole as significant long distance destinations (in addition to some Basingstoke/Woking stops - but they're equivalent to the Essex stops on a Norwich service). It just ends somewhere less well-known than Norwich - and also becomes a bit of a 'coastway' service at its extremities.

 

[306024]

Thanks for those replies, wasn't sure if there was a plan or not or if use of vehicles was random. Will go ahead with that information.

There is always a plan, to calculate mileages and therefore maintenance frequency for example. Just be aware that plan can be altered, especially when Spurs are playing at home and trains are strengthened. You'll see more 317s kicking around then.