Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[trebor79]

99% of Passengers could not give a hoot about variety, they are only interested in getting from A to B without the train being cancelled and on a clean comfortable modern train. None of the previous GA stock (and I include the 170's , even they look tired) really meet that criteria, the sooner all the 15x stock has gone the better.

A fair proportion btw might be upset that the bi modes use diesel, Internal Combustion Engines have the future of the Dodo and we need a carbon free Transport Network asap. I am sure the 755s have much lower NOX, PM and CO2 emissions than the trains they replace, but the sooner they can replace the diesel power plant with batteries and some form of charging when at terminii the better. perhaps the imminent advent of high density solid state batteries will mean the diesel power plants are a stop gap.

The 170s are a pleasant train to travel on once you've worked out where to sit to avoid the worst of the engine noise and vibration.

I can see that in the future it would be relatively easy to replace the 755 power unit with "something else" - be that batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, CNG engine etc. If the "something else" needs more room you just build a slightly longer power unit.

Agree that most punters (me included even as a rail enthusiast) want a clean train, on time and with sufficient seats and catering.on the intercity route.

 

[ashkeba]

The 170s are a pleasant train to travel on once you've worked out where to sit to avoid the worst of the engine noise and vibration.

Often no choice where to sit on them (nowhere!) and they are very very tired. Roll on the flirts!

 

[rdlover777]

The 170s are a pleasant train to travel on once you've worked out where to sit to avoid the worst of the engine noise and vibration.

I can see that in the future it would be relatively easy to replace the 755 power unit with "something else" - be that batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, CNG engine etc. If the "something else" needs more room you just build a slightly longer power unit.

Agree that most punters (me included even as a rail enthusiast) want a clean train, on time and with sufficient seats and catering.on the intercity route.

A video either GA or Stadler posted on youtube talked about the idea of removing the power pack and either shutting the train back up or putting in another coach

 

[43096]

The 170s are a pleasant train to travel on once you've worked out where to sit to avoid the worst of the engine noise and vibration.

I can see that in the future it would be relatively easy to replace the 755 power unit with "something else" - be that batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, CNG engine etc. If the "something else" needs more room you just build a slightly longer power unit.

Agree that most punters (me included even as a rail enthusiast) want a clean train, on time and with sufficient seats and catering.on the intercity route.

The power pack in the 755s is designed for conversion to other propulsion types such as batteries or bionic duckweed, as required.

 

[306024]

99% of Passengers could not give a hoot about variety, they are only interested in getting from A to B without the train being cancelled and on a clean comfortable modern train. None of the previous GA stock (and I include the 170's , even they look tired) really meet that criteria, the sooner all the 15x stock has gone the better.

Oh many spotters will absolutely wail about it, but hopefully for passengers it'll bring more reliable services, as, for example, Crown Point will be able to specialise in two very similar classes rather than the mixed bag of microfleets.

It was the enthusiasts I was referring to about the lack of interest once the novelty wears off. Yes the DMU fleet has been under pressure for a few years now and the strain is showing so of course the sooner the new units are introduced the better, although there will undoubtedly be teething issues to resolve.

 

[rdlover777]

The power pack in the 755s is designed for conversion to other propulsion types such as batteries or bionic duckweed, as required.

Whats bionic duckweed?

 

[squizzler]

It was the enthusiasts I was referring to about the lack of interest once the novelty wears off. Yes the DMU fleet has been under pressure for a few years now and the strain is showing so of course the sooner the new units are introduced the better, although there will undoubtedly be teething issues to resolve.

The DMU's are going to be around for a few years yet, just not in Anglia. I invite 170 fans who are missing them to come and experience new routes in them in Wales, Northern and wherever else!

 

[43096]

Whats bionic duckweed?

A term coined by Roger Ford to cover whatever new power sources are dreamt up (mostly by the DfT) as an alternative to the real solution, which is electrification.

 

[Grumbler]

A term coined by Roger Ford to cover whatever new power sources are dreamt up (mostly by the DfT) as an alternative to the real solution, which is electrification.

But electrification requires a power source. Intermittent sources won't cut it - "We regret the cancellation of train services this morning, owing to the wrong sort of wind" - so that means coal, oil or gas. Nuclear is expensive at the moment but new technologies currently under development will kill off the inefficient and costly PWRs in a few decades.

 

[samuelmorris]

But electrification requires a power source. Intermittent sources won't cut it - "We regret the cancellation of train services this morning, owing to the wrong sort of wind" - so that means coal, oil or gas. Nuclear is expensive at the moment but new technologies currently under development will kill off the inefficient and costly PWRs in a few decades.

Straying off-topic here but it's very rarely coal. It's mostly gas with the rest split between nuclear, imports from Europe and an ever increasing proportion of renewable energy. The argument 'electric trains aren't environmentally friendly because they use electricity made from burning coal' just isn't true any more. I would of course like to see gas usage for power generation brought down, but even as it stands, CCGT plants on an industrial scale represent a far more efficient use of greenhouse emissions than locally producing power in small combustion engines.

 

[43096]

But electrification requires a power source. Intermittent sources won't cut it - "We regret the cancellation of train services this morning, owing to the wrong sort of wind" - so that means coal, oil or gas. Nuclear is expensive at the moment but new technologies currently under development will kill off the inefficient and costly PWRs in a few decades.

Where do you think power for batteries comes from? How do you think hydrogen is produced? It all needs electricity, and it’s all more expensive and/or less efficient than electrification of the railway. You’re also carting around more weight on the train with whatever sort of bionic duckweed takes your fancy, which requires even more energy to move it.

 

[Grumbler]

Where do you think power for batteries comes from? How do you think hydrogen is produced? It all needs electricity, and it’s all more expensive and/or less efficient than electrification of the railway. You’re also carting around more weight on the train with whatever sort of bionic duckweed takes your fancy, which requires even more energy to move it.

Exactly - it comes mostly from fossil fuels and nuclear, as I said earlier.

 

[73001]

Exactly - it comes mostly from fossil fuels and nuclear, as I said earlier.

Actually, most (just) of it comes from renewable and nuclear. Together they produced 53% of the U.K. energy required last year - this is from the govts. own figures. Renewable energy production is only just a few % below gas now. Electrification is still the way forward as more and more clean energy supplies are provided.

 

[Grumbler]

Straying off-topic here but it's very rarely coal. It's mostly gas with the rest split between nuclear, imports from Europe and an ever increasing proportion of renewable energy. The argument 'electric trains aren't environmentally friendly because they use electricity made from burning coal' just isn't true any more. I would of course like to see gas usage for power generation brought down, but even as it stands, CCGT plants on an industrial scale represent a far more efficient use of greenhouse emissions than locally producing power in small combustion engines.

The techniques demonstrated at Oak Ridge in the 1970s by Weinberg are being developed in many countries and promise to deliver cheap and safe electrical generation - there is sufficient thorium for the whole world for many millennia so fossil and bio fuels will no longer be needed. The power packs in the FLIRTS can either be removed or have battery packs installed.

 

[Tim Regester]

Oh many spotters will absolutely wail about it, but hopefully for passengers it'll bring more reliable services, as, for example, Crown Point will be able to specialise in two very similar classes rather than the mixed bag of microfleets.

Which must be more efficient, the commonality of parts between 745 and 755 must reduce maintenance costs, parts stock control, training etc. plus with the Flirt being well established I co

Actually, most (just) of it comes from renewable and nuclear. Together they produced 53% of the U.K. energy required last year - this is from the govts. own figures. Renewable energy production is only just a few % below gas now. Electrification is still the way forward as more and more clean energy supplies are provided.

Coal accounted for a very small percentage of electricity generation in UK in 2018 far less than wind or solar. We are sooo backward though, banning new onshore wind is a stupidity that has put us back. We should be self-sufficient in renewables by now and just need a storage system for that power to cover the peak power provided by Coal and gas. We should be massively investing in tidal turbine technology.

 

[Class 170101]

Is on onshore wind banned or is just sunsidising it that is banned? Also NIMBYism?

Tidal turbine technology is all well and good (and I supprt it) but unfortunately there are environmental issues with that as well sccording to some, better qualified than me.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Is on onshore wind banned or is just sunsidising it that is banned? Also NIMBYism?

Tidal turbine technology is all well and good (and I supprt it) but unfortunately there are environmental issues with that as well sccording to some, better qualified than me.

No such thing as a free lunch in this world.. all methods have pluses and minuses.

 

[Tim Regester]

Is on onshore wind banned or is just sunsidising it that is banned? Also NIMBYism?

Tidal turbine technology is all well and good (and I supprt it) but unfortunately there are environmental issues with that as well sccording to some, better qualified than me.

The Government has pronounced that no onshore wind farms will be allowed planning permission. This is Nimbyism of course. Noone would ban windmills would they. Just appealling to the blue rinse brigade.

As for Tidal Turbine technology check out EMEC https://www.emec.org.uk which have some very promising technology but bugger all investment from UK Govt (£12m in 2018/19) the environmental concerns were about the Severn Barrage and Lagoon. This is much cheaper and more sensible technology.

 

[hooverboy]

Is on onshore wind banned or is just sunsidising it that is banned? Also NIMBYism?

Tidal turbine technology is all well and good (and I supprt it) but unfortunately there are environmental issues with that as well sccording to some, better qualified than me.

sure, but which angle of the environment are you looking at.

the east coast of this country has a problem with coastal erosion(meaning the waves are a bit brutal and have more energy than we would like)
you can cure two problems here by putting barrages around this area.they will take some of the power out of the waves and generate electricity!
free energy+ reduced erosion job's a goodun!

doesn't necessarily have to be turbines either(i get the bit about them chopping up marine life into little bits), but other means of generation are available....the barrages have electric floats with magnets in which bob up and down, works the same way as the old record player needles/arms do.

 

[Grumbler]

sure, but which angle of the environment are you looking at.

the east coast of this country has a problem with coastal erosion(meaning the waves are a bit brutal and have more energy than we would like)
you can cure two problems here by putting barrages around this area.they will take some of the power out of the waves and generate electricity!
free energy+ reduced erosion job's a goodun!

doesn't necessarily have to be turbines either(i get the bit about them chopping up marine life into little bits), but other means of generation are available....the barrages have electric floats with magnets in which bob up and down, works the same way as the old record player needles/arms do.

There was an interesting study on the practicalities of switching the UK to renewable energy by the late David MacKay FRS http://www.withouthotair.com/

 

[Class 466]

Two units out today.

755418 on 2P12 08:36 Norwich - Great Yarmouth
755410 on 2P50 09:06 Norwich - Great Yarmouth

 

[bspahh]

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ctrified-lines-have-another-fuel-type.168280/ might be a better thread for discussion of alternatives to diesels that isn't specific to these FLIRTS.

 

[Railperf]

Morning all. Any 755's out today?

 

[Class 466]

Morning all. Any 755's out today?

See my posting above...

 

[Railperf]

ahhh sorry...must still be dozing not to have noticed that lol

 

[EE Andy b1]

"Stadler builds trains which are tailored to meet the needs of customers. Our trains are reliable and safe, with optimum comfort for the passengers' travels. We are constantly improving the performance and efficiency of our trains using state-of-the-art technologies."

So I've not seen or obviously been on any of these Class 755/745 Flirts yet, but do like the look of them and the idea behind the removable/changeable power car and was expecting plenty from the Swiss firm Stadler.

So from those that have experienced any of these new sets, what do you think?
Is the noise from the power cars quiet from the interior?
Are they a comfortable/pleasurable riding experience?
Are they showing reliability from day one?

I know it's early days but just wondered what peoples thought were.

 

[bspahh]

This is from Great Yarmouth station

 

[700007]

This is from Great Yarmouth station

That is impressive, what is it made of?

 

[EE Andy b1]

This is from Great Yarmouth station

Great effort from someone there! Is it fullsize or a little bit smaller?

 

[EE Andy b1]

That is impressive, what is it made of?

silicon dioxide, or SiO2 (quartz)!!