London to Norwich - 90 min timings

[Essexman]

I have just booked advance tickets for the 20th May, on the 11.00 London-Norwich and 17.00 Norwich-London, to see what the service is like and how it runs? I know it risky and could well go wonky on the day but for 20 return its worth the punt, i noticed one thing and worth noting if anyone else going for this train, there are no allocated reserved seats on these trains, so looks like free for all, the inside looks nice and smart from YouTube videos I’ve seen, i wouldn’t be surprised if there bit of fanfare and maybe some top bods on the service, could be fun.

I've done the same.
No seat reservations. No normal first class fares but there is a business ticket that I assume will be first class.

 

[dk1]

I've done the same.
No seat reservations. No normal first class fares but there is a business ticket that I assume will be first class.

There will be no 1st class. If all goes to plan it will be a pair of 755s.

 

[Trainfan344]

Presume local news will be all over the 09:00 service out of Norwich. IF all goes to plan.

 

[dk1]

Presume local news will be all over the 09:00 service out of Norwich. IF all goes to plan.

Rewind to May 1987 & the launch of Intercity Anglia Electrics 100min 'East Anglian' even then the 17:00 off the Street with BBC Look East up front on the 86 & nobody could have predicted the bird strike at Manningtree bringing the train to a stand after beak on hitting an air pipe

 

[cambsy]

Dk1 are you trained on the 755’s yet and if you are will you be looking to do the 90 min services on Monday 20th May? If the 755’s do the 90 minute services on may 20th, will it be just driver on own as usual or will there be extra people in cab with them, as its new units and new service? And can any driver whose trained on them do first services or is it specially picked drivers, or ones involved with the testing them etc? Will it be a more stressful run for the driver as its got more eyes and attention on it than usual?

 

[Alfie1014]

I have just booked advance tickets for the 20th May, on the 11.00 London-Norwich and 17.00 Norwich-London, to see what the service is like and how it runs? I know it risky and could well go wonky on the day but for 20 return its worth the punt, i noticed one thing and worth noting if anyone else going for this train, there are no allocated reserved seats on these trains, so looks like free for all, the inside looks nice and smart from YouTube videos I’ve seen, i wouldn’t be surprised if there bit of fanfare and maybe some top bods on the service, could be fun.

Interesting to see that even on Friday 24th May there are heavily discounted tickets available on the 19:00 £10.00 or £6.60 with an appropriate railcard. Which is £4.25 cheaper than the cheapest ticket (again with railcard) at a similar time on any train to Chelmsford!

 

[dk1]

Dk1 are you trained on the 755’s yet and if you are will you be looking to do the 90 min services on Monday 20th May? If the 755’s do the 90 minute services on may 20th, will it be just driver on own as usual or will there be extra people in cab with them, as its new units and new service? And can any driver whose trained on them do first services or is it specially picked drivers, or ones involved with the testing them etc? Will it be a more stressful run for the driver as its got more eyes and attention on it than usual?

Hi, not had any training yet but several have. It can be any driver as will just be a normal diagram. Whether anyone else is in the cab will be completely up to him/her.

 

[306024]

It's not all about the first day and all the flag waiving that comes with it. It is the continuous reliability that this will judged by. No doubt everyone will be doing their utmost to ensure it kicks off OK.

Sometimes you get a 'strawberry' on these special runs (a hand picked driver), other times it will just be where the diagram happens to fall in the roster. Of course putting the job in the right place in the roster to start with should ensure a decent chap on the first day.

 

[dk1]

It's not all about the first day and all the flag waiving that comes with it. It is the continuous reliability that this will judged by. No doubt everyone will be doing their utmost to ensure it kicks off OK.

Sometimes you get a 'strawberry' on these special runs (a hand picked driver), other times it will just be where the diagram happens to fall in the roster. Of course putting the job in the right place in the roster to start with should ensure a decent chap on the first day.

If I was taken off to be replaced I would not be best pleased unless of course I was then given the rest of the day off. If taken off rostered diagram we would stand spare as would not be permitted to be booked on a different job.

 

[700007]

I must have been out of the loop today but why were a number of GEML services retimed around 1700 from London Liverpool Street?

1700 and 1702 to Norwich left at 1702 and 1704, 1704 Southend Victoria left at 1706.

 

[dk1]

I must have been out of the loop today but why were a number of GEML services retimed around 1700 from London Liverpool Street?

1700 and 1702 to Norwich left at 1702 and 1704, 1704 Southend Victoria left at 1706.

Same internal mod with the 07:40up. It was some sort of Norwich in 90 trial but nobody told Crown Point hence the use of a 90 with an M3 restriction

 

[Alfie1014]

Seems to be in the schedules for the rest of the week.

 

[Railperf]

Same internal mod with the 07:40up. It was some sort of Norwich in 90 trial but nobody told Crown Point hence the use of a 90 with an M3 restriction

What is an M3 restriction?

 

[dk1]

What is an M3 restriction?

Oh sorry, it's on only 3 traction motors as opposed to the full 4. Normal practice for such locos is to allocate them to 9 rather than 10 coach sets.

 

[Railperf]

Oh sorry, it's on only 3 traction motors as opposed to the full 4. Normal practice for such locos is to allocate them to 9 rather than 10 coach sets.

Oh yes, the dreaded 90 with a traction motor isolated. Are there many of those out at the moment - and if so - which ones?

 

[dk1]

Oh yes, the dreaded 90 with a traction motor isolated. Are there many of those out at the moment - and if so - which ones?

Always a few but don't know till I climb in the cab sorry.

 

[306024]

I must have been out of the loop today but why were a number of GEML services retimed around 1700 from London Liverpool Street?

1700 and 1702 to Norwich left at 1702 and 1704, 1704 Southend Victoria left at 1706.

Timing trials all week. 17.00 (retimed to 17.02) Liverpool St to Norwich made Ipswich in 53 minutes tonight, courtesy of the 16.47 Liverpool St to Witham being looped at Chelmsford.

 

[dk1]

Timing trials all week. 17.00 (retimed to 17.02) Liverpool St to Norwich made Ipswich in 53 minutes tonight, courtesy of the 16.47 Liverpool St to Witham being looped at Chelmsford.

That's my PB in the up direction. GSMR fault on the 07:40 a couple of years back & departed Ipswich 08:28 with a portable. Had four other trains put out of my way or held back & had to wait the 09:18 to clear platform 13 so I could get in. Absolute thrash!!

 

[306024]

Good effort that. Get the new diagrams put in the right link and on the right line in the roster (or pick it up off spare) and you may get a chance to beat it with a 90, assuming the new trains aren’t ready by May.

 

[delticdave]

That's my PB in the up direction. GSMR fault on the 07:40 a couple of years back & departed Ipswich 08:28 with a portable. Had four other trains put out of my way or held back & had to wait the 09:18 to clear platform 13 so I could get in. Absolute thrash!!

Sorry, what's a PB ?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Sorry, what's a PB ?

Personal best perhaps?

 

[Trainfan344]

Yeah, that'll be his Person Best... Where's the loop at Chelmsford?

 

[Bevan Price]

What is the contingency - a Class 90 pulling a shortened rake of 5 or 6 mk 3s? Or better still top and tail 90s?

321s ??

 

[Trainfan344]

I doubt 321's would be used, using a 90 set on the 90 timing and then the 321 on the next service to make use of the acceleration advantage would make more sense?

 

[dk1]

321s ??

Why would you have top & tail 90s? I'm baffled by that one.

 

[dk1]

Yeah, that'll be his Person Best... Where's the loop at Chelmsford?

Yep, my personal best. Bi-Di passenger loop on the down side at Chelmsford.

 

[Railperf]

Why would you have top & tail 90s? I'm baffled by that one.

Maybe the ability to use 10,000hp instead of only 5,000 giving the train better acceleration...

 

[Railperf]

I doubt 321's would be used, using a 90 set on the 90 timing and then the 321 on the next service to make use of the acceleration advantage would make more sense?

The 'Renatus' 321s only because they can reach 100mph quicker than the originals. The 321s in general reach 60mph in about a minute - and 100mph in 4 to 5 mins. A Class 90 hauled set seems to average 0 to 60mph in 1 min 40 secs. And the 'ton' in 3.5 to 4 mins. Though i did experience a Class 90 propelled set achieve 0 to 60mph in 70 secs, and 100mph in just over 3 min on an up service leaving Stowmarket.

 

[Railperf]

Actually if a 755 is not available - a 360 should be substituted to take its place instead as the 360s are the only trains with the performance spec to do the job reliably. 100mph from rest in 2.5 mins!!

 

[Class 170101]

They lose too much through neutral sections. Also not exactly reliable north of Ipswich dependant upon NR infrastructure and 3rd no drivers or conductors have both route and traction knowledge for the whole route.