Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[dk1]

I remember a few occasions where the loco-hauled trains were stopped in P1 - usually because they caught up wat is now the Ipswich stopper but in those days went to Harwich. i wondered why the Harwich couldn't have been put into P1 but it was explained the overlap at the end of P2 was too short to the crossover from P1 and that no train would be allowed in P2 where a P1 service is booked to go back on to the down main. But not seen that lately. So not sure if that was ever resolved.

For a few timetables Norwich Intercity services were routed through platform 10A at Stratford and platform 1 at Colchester. Most annoying.

 

[Railperf]

This is the issue. P10a at Stratford needs the entry and exit speeds improving - probably longer turnouts and a rejig of signalling.
And it looks like they could do with a rejig at Ipswich where a lack of additional platforms combined with the need to move freight out of the way seems to cause delays. Is Freightliner vacating it's sidings on the south side of the station?

 

[dk1]

This is the issue. P10a at Stratford needs the entry and exit speeds improving - probably longer turnouts and a rejig of signalling.
And it looks like they could do with a rejig at Ipswich where a lack of additional platforms combined with the need to move freight out of the way seems to cause delays. Is Freightliner vacating it's sidings on the south side of the station?

Freightliner rarely use any sidings beside platform 4 since the opening of the maintenance facility opposite.

Improving access into platform 10a wouldn’t really be possible. There are 40mph turnouts but the speed through it is only 30mph and cannot be improved.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Greater Anglia are about to use Freightliners VMF for tyre turning.

 

[Railperf]

Freightliner rarely use any sidings beside platform 4 since the opening of the maintenance facility opposite.

Improving access into platform 10a wouldn’t really be possible. There are 40mph turnouts but the speed through it is only 30mph and cannot be improved.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Greater Anglia are about to use Freightliners VMF for tyre turning.

You mean speed through P10a cannot be improved without investment in new turnouts from Bow Jn to allow 50/60mph through it and then a 40/50mph turnout back onto the down main? I suppose could be looked at closer to renewal time?

 

[dk1]

You mean speed through P10a cannot be improved without investment in new turnouts from Bow Jn to allow 50/60mph through it and then a 40/50mph turnout back onto the down main? I suppose could be looked at closer to renewal time?

Higher speed not possible at the Maryland end. When the loop was extended it went right up to the overbridge before the station to accommodate 775m freight. The turnout is too tight for any more than 30mph.

 

[Railperf]

Higher speed not possible at the Maryland end. When the loop was extended it went right up to the overbridge before the station to accommodate 775m freight. The turnout is too tight for any more than 30mph.

I see. Well thanks for the info. How was the approach to Colchester P1 quicker before resignalling?

 

[dk1]

I see. Well thanks for the info. How was the approach to Colchester P1 quicker before resignalling?

It seemed to clear sooner so maintaining 40mph was possible. Now I seem to be doing around 30mph as CO1027 is still showing red until then.

 

[Class 170101]

I think the user means that freight traffic should not run in peak hours. There is now a Trafford Park - Felixstowe that runs right in the early part of the PM peak, which probably is a problem for reliability.

And its right ahead of the 16:42 / 17:00 Down through Colchester so that won't help performance either, How Freightliner got away with that one I shall never know.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

It does not help that Class 66 diesels are used on some freight services- which clearly does not help performance. To be honest i've never found the slower stopping services ever held up by freight unless the freight is crossing to/from the North London Line at Stratford, or crossing on/off the GEML at Ipswich station to/from Felixstowe, plus the odd late freight being looped at Colchester on the down.

Hopefully once GBRf's Class 99s are in service that problem can be addressed. If Freightliner use Class 90s and GBRf their 99s then pretty much all the traffic out of Felixstowe towards London can be electrically hauled.

Some of the freights are in excess of booked payload too. It’s more lucrative for freight operators to pay delay fines to NR and take the additional revenue.

And I don't expect this to change with the Class 99s. FOCs are commercial businesses and if its cheaper to pay fines with overloads against timing loads rather than run an extra train that is what they will do.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

It does not help that Class 66 diesels are used on some freight services- which clearly does not help performance. To be honest i've never found the slower stopping services ever held up by freight unless the freight is crossing to/from the North London Line at Stratford, or crossing on/off the GEML at Ipswich station to/from Felixstowe, plus the odd late freight being looped at Colchester on the down.

Hopefully once GBRf's Class 99s are in service that problem can be addressed. If Freightliner use Class 90s and GBRf their 99s then pretty much all the traffic out of Felixstowe towards London can be electrically hauled.

Some of the freights are in excess of booked payload too. It’s more lucrative for freight operators to pay delay fines to NR and take the additional revenue.

And I don't expect this to change with the Class 99s. FOCs are commercial businesses and if its cheaper to pay fines with overloads against timing loads rather than run an extra train that is what they will do.

 

[Class15]

And its right ahead of the 16:42 / 17:00 Down through Colchester so that won't help performance either, How Freightliner got away with that one I shall never know.

Was wondering the same thing! It also is constantly delaying the 16:30 Down at Witham.

 

[dk1]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==






And I don't expect this to change with the Class 99s. FOCs are commercial businesses and if its cheaper to pay fines with overloads against timing loads rather than run an extra train that is what they will do.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==






And I don't expect this to change with the Class 99s. FOCs are commercial businesses and if its cheaper to pay fines with overloads against timing loads rather than run an extra train that is what they will do.

I concur.

I concur.

 

[Railperf]

It seemed to clear sooner so maintaining 40mph was possible. Now I seem to be doing around 30mph as CO1027 is still showing red until then.

Oh yes, dreaded CO1027. Always seems slow to clear - even for P2 when there is nothing remotely in the way.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Freightliner rarely use any sidings beside platform 4 since the opening of the maintenance facility opposite.

Improving access into platform 10a wouldn’t really be possible. There are 40mph turnouts but the speed through it is only 30mph and cannot be improved.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Greater Anglia are about to use Freightliners VMF for tyre turning.

Why are there so many places for tyre turning? I know they often go to Clacton for it but I hear sometimes they have to go to Wembley

 

[dk1]

Why are there so many places for tyre turning? I know they often go to Clacton for it but I hear sometimes they have to go to Wembley

I don’t think Clacton does tyre turning. We use Wembley, Hornsey and Derby Etches Park normally.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

I don’t think Clacton does tyre turning. We use Wembley, Hornsey and Derby Etches Park normally.

I thought it had a wheel lathe. What do the trains do at Clacton as 2 in multiple go every day

 

[Railperf]

Freightliner rarely use any sidings beside platform 4 since the opening of the maintenance facility opposite.

Improving access into platform 10a wouldn’t really be possible. There are 40mph turnouts but the speed through it is only 30mph and cannot be improved.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Greater Anglia are about to use Freightliners VMF for tyre turning.

It feels like a new platform 5 or an island platform 5 and 6 situated in the south siding area would be helpful for peterboro and cambridge terminators - and if space allowed - the LST -IPS terminator. That would at least provide option to use P4 when a freight is sitting in P3 waiting a path. Otherwise you have an Ipswich terminator from either direction occupying P4 and when the freight is stuck in P3 - nothing else can seemingly get through Northbound.
At least the area seems to be used to stable some 755's - is that strategic to aid service recovery?

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

It feels like a new platform 5 or an island platform 5 and 6 situated in the south siding area would be helpful for peterboro and cambridge terminators - and if space allowed - the LST -IPS terminator. That would at least provide option to use P4 when a freight is sitting in P3 waiting a path. Otherwise you have an Ipswich terminator from either direction occupying P4 and when the freight is stuck in P3 - nothing else can seemingly get through Northbound.
At least the area seems to be used to stable some 755's - is that strategic to aid service recovery?

They stable them there overnight. It's just a stabling point

 

[dk1]

I thought it had a wheel lathe. What do the trains do at Clacton as 2 in multiple go every day

They do modifications and engine replacement as not room at Crown Point. There was a plan to build a lathe there or at Harwich but nothing has come of it yet.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

They do modifications and engine replacement as not room at Crown Point. There was a plan to build a lathe there or at Harwich but nothing has come of it yet.

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...ot-sees-biggest-investment-in-years-new-train there's quite a cool picture of a train being lifted here. Also if they get a wheel lathe at Ipswich, does this mean they won't have to go to Hornsey or Wembley?

 

[dk1]

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/abo...ot-sees-biggest-investment-in-years-new-train there's quite a cool picture of a train being lifted here. Also if they get a wheel lathe at Ipswich, does this mean they won't have to go to Hornsey or Wembley?

Probably will still need to use other depots as will only be 755s that are treated at Ipswich but may mean less or no long treks to Etches Park.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Probably will still need to use other depots as will only be 755s that are treated at Ipswich but may mean less or no long treks to Etches Park.

Why did you go to Derby when you could go to Wembley or Hornsey?

 

[dk1]

Why did you go to Derby when you could go to Wembley or Hornsey?

They are fully booked.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

We used to send scuds to Derby too many moons ago.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Back in the day Central Trains would attach them to a 158 and detach at Nottingham. Seems unbelievable now.

 

[LowLevel]

They are fully booked.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

We used to send scuds to Derby too many moons ago.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Back in the day Central Trains would attach them to a 158 and detach at Nottingham. Seems unbelievable now.

Even in the days of EMT an Anglia driver would ferry them to Peterborough or Ely and an EMT bod would go and collect them and bring them back as part of the contract, even if they weren't coupled to a service train.

Quite sensible really, same as EMT used to work with Northern around Sheffield and Lincoln if need be.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

They are fully booked.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

We used to send scuds to Derby too many moons ago.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Back in the day Central Trains would attach them to a 158 and detach at Nottingham. Seems unbelievable now.

Scuds?
Yeah there don't seem to be many wheel lathes so that makes sense

 

[43096]

Scuds?

Class 153s.

Also known as dogboxes... and probably other names as well.

 

[dk1]

Scuds?
Yeah there don't seem to be many wheel lathes so that makes sense

153s

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2024 ==

Even in the days of EMT an Anglia driver would ferry them to Peterborough or Ely and an EMT bod would go and collect them and bring them back as part of the contract, even if they weren't coupled to a service train.

Quite sensible really, same as EMT used to work with Northern around Sheffield and Lincoln if need be.

Mixture of Norwich & Ipswich drivers.

 

[720144]

Why did you go to Derby when you could go to Wembley or Hornsey?

Sometime ago they did run 745s to Hornsey for maintenance.

 

[dk1]

Sometime ago they did run 745s to Hornsey for maintenance.

It’s for tyre turning only and still do occasionally.

 

[Railperf]

Today the 10.00 formed of 3 x 755 held up A late running freight let out of Colchester in front of 1P18. And looks like the crossing at Stowmarket was slow to close too on that run. There seems no sense in sending out the freight first. That made 2 trains late!. The Norwich woukd have kept time if it had been let through first. Lost lots of time following all the way to Ipswich.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Aug 2024 ==

The 12:32 Norwich to Liverpool Street is 11-car but incorrcectly shown on RTT as a 4-car.

 

[720144]

Today the 10.00 formed of 3 x 755 held up A late running freight let out of Colchester in front of 1P18. And looks like the crossing at Stowmarket was slow to close too on that run. There seems no sense in sending out the freight first. That made 2 trains late!. The Norwich woukd have kept time if it had been let through first. Lost lots of time following all the way to Ipswich.

Normally the freight sits at Witham P1 for pathing time to let the 1P18 10:00 pass first. Caused a bit of congestion at Colchester they might aswell run freight between long waiting gaps before intercity. etc xx:45/xx54 move xx:57/xx:02 to the xx:09/xx22 as Southend vic now depart Stratford at xx:58 instead of xx:02

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Real-time train running information for 4L66 0805 departure from Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Felixstowe North Gbrf on 05/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Real-time train running information for 1P18 1000 departure from London Liverpool Street to Norwich on 05/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[87015]

Freight stuck behind 2F36 in Colchester P1 which was early with its slack schedule of excessive SRTs and engineering allowance...