Greater Anglia Good and Bad Discussion

[sheepy1991]

The 321 Demonstrator is currently on its way to Derby having been picked up this morning. Not sure if that is because of the failure of the air con or just a coincidence.

Its going back for re-tractioning... Wont be seeing it again untill next year now

The motors would never be covered to prevent snow ingress. They are force ventilated, so covering the would be counter productive. What will have been fitted are snow curtains to prevent snow ingress.

Unfortunatly i can tell you first hand that they were fully sealed up initially when NXEA tried to stop snow ingress... It was obvious what the result would be but took a while before the people that made the decisions noticed.. By which point half the fleet had been dessimated :roll: however they now have a different setup with ducting from the vents and a brillo pad filter at the inlet to trap the snow. This filter gets removed during summer months to help the motors breathe

 

[captainbigun]

Well, FFS....

This re-tractioning is a Wabtec/Vossloh effort so it will be interesting to see how this goes. I am expecting a fair chunk of pain.

 

[Dave1987]

Ginger- after the amount of personal abuse I got on Twitter from your group I gave up. You do not have 85k followers by the way.

You said to me that every single service on GEML should be a class 1 head code merely because it serves the city and as such should always have the newest stock. The hauled sets are going in the next franchise, that's almost guaranteed. What happens with the outer suburban stock remains to be seen. We are all well aware that nothing apart from a brand new fleet is acceptable to you.

You say that you are going to continue the Twitter campaign until you are listened to, virtually every TOC has a similar person to you on Twitter demanding they are listened to as well.

 

[Richard1960]

Nightmare journey yesterday grrrr the 11.12 Cambridge to Norwich was 20 mins late leaving Cambridge understandably because of signalling problems so we missed our sheringham connection, the next train come in for sheringham platform 6 at Norwich 1.45 at North walsham they decided to terminate at Cromer! So the Lowestoft train would not be late the driver said he would have been happy to carry on. But not to worry sanders bus would take our tickets the first bus x44 refused and after phoning GA they said we could only use sanders it was quicker to get the next train .nice start to the first day of my holiday not. The conductor on the 1.45 was about as much use as the proverbial chocolate tea pot he could not even give me GAs Norwich customer services phone number he said look on the station

 

[Z12XE]

Before we start hearing about cynics, thieves, filth and corporate dirt lets put today's distruption into context

A piece of railway infrastructure which carries the railway over a road has become damaged. Those who want proof, check the Twitter for photos.

It's nothing to do with dirty trains, seat covers or even air con so let's leave all that out.

Let's also consider that it's Sunday, hundreds of buses aren't available at a drop of a hat now or any day, and that due to planned engineering works a lot of bus drivers will be pre booked for tonight which will restrict availability for this morning.

 

[TheEdge]

Before we start hearing about cynics, thieves, filth and corporate dirt lets put today's distruption into context

A piece of railway infrastructure which carries the railway over a road has become damaged. Those who want proof, check the Twitter for photos.

It's nothing to do with dirty trains, seat covers or even air con so let's leave all that out.

Let's also consider that it's Sunday, hundreds of buses aren't available at a drop of a hat now or any day, and that due to planned engineering works a lot of bus drivers will be pre booked for tonight which will restrict availability for this morning.

What annoys me is we are already seeing Delayed_Again wading in and people already coming in with the "ready for a debacle" on Monday posts... :roll:

 

[Dave1987]

What annoys me is we are already seeing Delayed_Again wading in and people already coming in with the "ready for a debacle" on Monday posts... :roll:

Indeed its apparently "diabolical" that they have only managed to source 9 coaches on a Sunday when most of the drivers will be off etc etc all AGA's fault of course. I mean how could they not of foreseen this and had 30 odd buses on standby. Surprised the Greek economic problems haven't been blamed on AGA!

 

[jon0844]

Given the need to tweet almost every 20 seconds and re-tweet absolutely everything, it does seem that anything - however trivial - has to be mentioned and then compounds until it supposedly justifies the outlandish claims/rants made.

If you filtered out the nonsense then, sure, there would be many justified moans, but nothing like on the same scale. And if that ever happened, these people would suddenly find AGA and others would start to take them more seriously.

 

[devon_metro]

On the subject of air-con (or lack of), do AGA have a policy of closing the windows on 321s after the morning peak before they go and sit roasting in the sun all day at Leyton?

All of the trains I see travelling ECS from Stratford to Liverpool Street in the evening all have the hopper windows closed which makes me think it must be an official policy. If so, it seems ridiculous as those trains become absolutely roasting without any ventilation. It's rather unpleasant to board the trains at Liverpool St!

 

[Hadders]

On the subject of air-con (or lack of), do AGA have a policy of closing the windows on 321s after the morning peak before they go and sit roasting in the sun all day at Leyton?

All of the trains I see travelling ECS from Stratford to Liverpool Street in the evening all have the hopper windows closed which makes me think it must be an official policy. If so, it seems ridiculous as those trains become absolutely roasting without any ventilation. It's rather unpleasant to board the trains at Liverpool St!

It might be that they've gone through the carriage wash so it might be wise to keep the windows shut!

 

[SPADTrap]

On the subject of air-con (or lack of), do AGA have a policy of closing the windows on 321s after the morning peak before they go and sit roasting in the sun all day at Leyton?

All of the trains I see travelling ECS from Stratford to Liverpool Street in the evening all have the hopper windows closed which makes me think it must be an official policy. If so, it seems ridiculous as those trains become absolutely roasting without any ventilation. It's rather unpleasant to board the trains at Liverpool St!

Most of the time upon departure from Orient Way Carriage Sidings the units are washed hence the need for the windows to be closed but it could also happen on entry. If I ever stable a unit (317) I use the 'door test' button to open all of the bodyside doors to help keep the saloon cool but it isn't always practical or possible, or safe.

 

[devon_metro]

Most of the time upon departure from Orient Way Carriage Sidings the units are washed hence the need for the windows to be closed but it could also happen on entry. If I ever stable a unit (317) I use the 'door test' button to open all of the bodyside doors to help keep the saloon cool but it isn't always practical or possible, or safe.

Fair enough. I can see why they do it then, however it does make the saloons extremely unpleasant!

 

[GB]

What annoys me is we are already seeing Delayed_Again wading in and people already coming in with the "ready for a debacle" on Monday posts... :roll:

Services will be disrupted tomorrow, AGA working on their train plan at the moment. Freight is banned over the bridge also, so will have to go cross country.

Nearly a miles worth of 20mph ESR on the up line.

 

[Dave1987]

Blunt Hall Rd bridge is the bridge in question London side of Witham just London side of the neutral section.

 

[HH]

Blunt Hall Rd bridge is the bridge in question London side of Witham just London side of the neutral section.

Disruption is expected until 02:00 06/07/2015

 

[w0033944]

BBC regional news insinuating that the bridge has just randomly crumbled - is it confirmed as a bridge strike?

 

[Richard1960]

Indeed its apparently "diabolical" that they have only managed to source 9 coaches on a Sunday when most of the drivers will be off etc etc all AGA's fault of course. I mean how could they not of foreseen this and had 30 odd buses on standby. Surprised the Greek economic problems haven't been blamed on AGA!

They would be if GA ran the Greek economy see post 1144 for details of how it took 2 hours from Norwich to Sheringham due to GA changing a route short at Cromer.instead off taking it through to sheringham as per the departure boards at Norwich G rrrrr

 

[dk1]

On the subject of EMUs in hot weather, many stabled at Cambridge through the day (both AGA & GN) had all doors opened. This was also the case at Colchester & years ago at Thornton Fields. I assumed Orient Way followed the same sensible solution.

I don't think i can stomach looking at the regular whinning commuters blaming AGA in the morning. Must find something more fulfilling to do with my time.

 

[Alfie1014]

There is a suggestion on other forums that the bridge problem might be connected with the HOBC (High Output Ballast Cleaner) working in the area of late. Freights to be diverted via Ely where practical. Also resulted in the unsuual sight (as reported in another thread) of a class 156 working the Braintree branch.

 

[dk1]

There is a suggestion on other forums that the bridge problem might be connected with the HOBC (High Output Ballast Cleaner) working in the area of late. Freights to be diverted via Ely where practical. Also resulted in the unsuual sight (as reported in another thread) of a class 156 working the Braintree branch.

Ive been told all day at work that the HOBC is to blame. Why they are not making this official suprises me unless they know something else.

 

[jopsuk]

not a great day for the Witham disruption- GA had made special arrangements so that up to 50 cycles could be accommodated, with booking, on each IC train from Ipswich south, for the Dunwich Dynamo. I've seen pictures of very accommodating buses with lots of bikes on board! Just what very tired riders, having done 120 miles from London overniight and another 30 miles from Dunwich, want!

 

[306024]

Ive been told all day at work that the HOBC is to blame. Why they are not making this official suprises me unless they know something else.

Perhaps because the HOBC was meant to cause less weekend disruption Lots of fresh ballast on the up main so that is where the HOBC must have been working fairly recently.

Ballast has been removed to create a hole about 6 yards long by about a foot wide and deep over the bridge as we crept past tonight. Lots of workers on site, and an outfit called Shannon Rail (never heard of them before) with a van parked in Witham football club car park.

Tomorrows morning peak alterations now on AGA website.

 

[dk1]

not a great day for the Witham disruption- GA had made special arrangements so that up to 50 cycles could be accommodated, with booking, on each IC train from Ipswich south, for the Dunwich Dynamo. I've seen pictures of very accommodating buses with lots of bikes on board! Just what very tired riders, having done 120 miles from London overniight and another 30 miles from Dunwich, want!

That did make me chuckle a little. The thought of all these knackered cyclists at the start There was a total ban on cycles on Anglia locals yesterday due to the trouble they caused last year across the East Suffolk line.

 

[jopsuk]

It was a little less strict than that... it was a ban on the East Suffolk, a ban on the Lowestoft-Norwich and a ban on Ipswich-London stoppers. No ban on Ipswich-Cambridge, though I was the only Dun run rider on the 0902!

Post on facebook from a GA driver, who's done the ride in the past, saying there were minor problems on the East Suffolk this year from locals with bikes, but from what he saw none from tired riders trying to defy the ban.

Seemed well organised for riders headed for London at Ipswich, funnily enough a lot of moaning due to the problems further down the line.

To be able to run what many of the moaners want, there would need to be a crossover at Darsham (££££££) and GA would have to hire in two locos to run a shuttle service to Ipswich using a DVT (for the bikes) and a couple of mark 3s. Isn't going to happen!

 

[TheEdge]

To be able to run what many of the moaners want, there would need to be a crossover at Darsham (££££££) and GA would have to hire in two locos to run a shuttle service to Ipswich using a DVT (for the bikes) and a couple of mark 3s. Isn't going to happen!

You wouldn't need a crossover. There is bidirectional signalling on the down between Saxmundham and Halesworth so in theory a crossover would not be needed.

Not so sure about Mk3s, have a feeling they might be banned/not cleared on the East Suffolk.

 

[jopsuk]

Mark 2s then- but ideally with an old GUV to carry bikes- are there any of those still in mainline condition?

 

[306024]

BBC regional news insinuating that the bridge has just randomly crumbled - is it confirmed as a bridge strike?

On BBC Look East NR have confirmed the damage was caused by the HOBC.

 

[Dave1987]

On BBC Look East NR have confirmed the damage was caused by the HOBC.

Been nicknamed the High Output Bridge Collider now

 

[jon0844]

I haven't looked at Twitter today but assume that whatever AGA did to cope with the problems would have been considered inadequate by the usual suspects?

I assume that if Twitter had been around in 2000, we'd have had never-ending moans about all the delays/diversions/speed restrictions after Hatfield and how the train companies haven't got a clue.

 

[Dave1987]

The usual rubbish, all from the same people, as per normal.