Greater Anglia nationalisation updates

[Clarence Yard]

It did to start with but it is now subject to the same regime as all the others, whether they are private or DfT run.

 

[387star]

It's strange Greater Anglia is now doing so well given between 2004-2012 the service was a shambles with many trains falling apart and even blogs set up showing pictures of the squalid interiors... there were three branding changes in a row which didn't help... even the then newest 360s had completely worn seat covers. It was a total transformation when Abellio took over.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It was a total transformation when Abellio took over.

It wasn't. The 317s and 321s were a jumbled up mess, the 315s in a wretched internal state, and the 156 and 170s were absolutely god awful and remained that way until the left. Only when the new fleet started coming into service did it begin to improve.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It wasn't. The 317s and 321s were a jumbled up mess, the 315s in a wretched internal state, and the 156 and 170s were absolutely god awful and remained that way until the left. Only when the new fleet started coming into service did it begin to improve.

And it's not hard to be a good TOC with a well specified* brand new fleet and tons of capacity. Recall how Virgin Trains went from sick joke to popular? People might even not hate XC if it was running round with brand new 9 car IETs.

* I know, I hate the seats on the 720s too...

 

[dk1]

It wasn't. The 317s and 321s were a jumbled up mess, the 315s in a wretched internal state, and the 156 and 170s were absolutely god awful and remained that way until the left. Only when the new fleet started coming into service did it begin to improve.

And that's without mentioning the 153s. Chatting with a duty manager the other day we find it hard to believe that every day started off with what are we cancelling today and what's going to be a late start. Failures where commonplace too. All consigned to history now thankfully. And we even have a surplus of drivers each day.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Birmingham to Cambridge isn’t really in the southern half of England.

Oh, they are!

Birmingham and Cambridge are much near the English Channel than the Tweed. The South Trans Pennine route (Liverpool- Grimsby) is about the mid point

 

[cambsy]

Before the Greater Anglia Stadler Flirt 755’s came into service, I rarely ventured into East Anglia, apart from Liverpool Street to Norwich, as the 156’s etc were to me shabby old rattly, slow units, with no interest to me, when the 755’s started, there was now units which were quick and pleasant to run around on, and now i quite often go for day out to East anglia to run around,. I would say the 755’s are best units to ride on in the UK, as they are fast and comfortable, and on electric they have amazing performance. I imagine that they have increased ridership too by quite a margin, due to being superior quality product, compared to before. Think in someways its shame to take back a succeeding franchise in to government hands, as this could lead to retrograde steps In innovation etc.

I will be interested to see how Greater Anglia or whatever its called in the future, does under government ownership, and hope they don’t undo all the work done so far, by cutting back on various things to save money etc.

 

[anthony1972]

In regards to Greater Anglia do you think we will get free travel nationally in October

 

[OneOfThe48]

In regards to Greater Anglia do you think we will get free travel nationally in October

If you mean free travel for GA staff, no.

If (I don't know!) you have free travel on EMR or West Midlands Trains services as a benefit of their ownership by TransportUK , this may be removed like the benefit of travel for SWR employees on other FirstGroup operators was on Sunday.

 

[Sleepy]

If you mean free travel for GA staff, no.

If (I don't know!) you have free travel on EMR or West Midlands Trains services as a benefit of their ownership by TransportUK , this may be removed like the benefit of travel for SWR employees on other FirstGroup operators was on Sunday.

That's a good way to bring SWR staff on side ?? DfT instruction or First Group sour grapes?

 

[Zomboid]

Probably neither

 

[Adrian1980uk]

And that's without mentioning the 153s. Chatting with a duty manager the other day we find it hard to believe that every day started off with what are we cancelling today and what's going to be a late start. Failures where commonplace too. All consigned to history now thankfully. And we even have a surplus of drivers each day.

New trains are a bonus but it's more to do with having the right numbers of trains and crews to support the timetable to get the reliable service. Too many of the poor performing operations are not down to unreliability of rolling stock but not enough or not enough crews.

From a passenger point of view, refurbished, properly maintained or new stock makes very little difference.

 

[Zomboid]

From a passenger point of view, refurbished, properly maintained or new stock makes very little difference.

So long as it's in decent condition.

As an infrequent traveller, Chiltern's 165s and 168s don't really feel their age yet, but they're far from new.

 

[William3000]

Oh, they are!

Birmingham and Cambridge are much near the English Channel than the Tweed. The South Trans Pennine route (Liverpool- Grimsby) is about the mid point

That’s because the south between Penzance and Dover is 650km wide while Manchester to Hull is only about 150km wide, but if you live in Birmingham, Leicester Melton Mowbray, Peterborough, Ely, or Cambridge, you geographically have more land mass and more population to the south of you than to the north. It’s the middle of the county.

 

[finnztrains]

BBC News - Greater Anglia to be nationalised, says rail operator - BBC News

Greater Anglia to be nationalised in October, says rail operator

The rail firm says it will be brought under public ownership later this year.

www.bbc.co.uk

When?

 

[Leyland Bus]

When?

October 12th '25

 

[CyrusWuff]

That's a good way to bring SWR staff on side ?? DfT instruction or First Group sour grapes?

It's standard practice to lose reciprocal travel with your former owning group when a franchise changes hands. Though that doesn't mean an agreement can't be reached to retain it, of course.

 

[Sleepy]

It's standard practice to lose reciprocal travel with your former owning group when a franchise changes hands. Though that doesn't mean an agreement can't be reached to retain it, of course.

Correct - other TOCs have kept the same arrangements in place.

 

[dk1]

One of the bimodes has had ‘Great British Railways | coming soon’ added to the side similar to that of the previous operators transferring.

 

[saismee]

One of the bimodes has had ‘Great British Railways | coming soon’ added to the side similar to that of the previous operators transferring.

I wonder if they'll try to keep it off the Felixstowe branch as it isn't exactly the epitome of punctuality right now

It seems like they try to keep 755421 on triple traction. Not sure if it's just a coincidence but maybe the GBR one will be kept on triple traction too.

 

[dk1]

I wonder if they'll try to keep it off the Felixstowe branch as it isn't exactly the epitome of punctuality right now

It seems like they try to keep 755421 on triple traction. Not sure if it's just a coincidence but maybe the GBR one will be kept on triple traction too.

Looks like 422 that’s been adorned.

Yes signalling/level crossing issues on the FW line for days now.

 

[Numbskull100]

Looks like 422 that’s been adorned.

Yes signalling/level crossing issues on the FW line for days now.

All fixed today.

 

[dk1]

All fixed today.

Nice one. Cheers.

 

[XCTurbostar]

The transformation has begun.

The attached images show a four car class 755 with GBR coming soon branding applied.

 

[swt_passenger]

The transformation has begun.

The attached images show a four car class 755 with GBR coming soon branding applied.

It won’t be much of a ‘transformation’ if the previous routines are followed. They’ve typically only done one or two units for the PR photos… then everything goes back to normal…

 

[StephenHunter]

Greater Anglia introduces catering trolley on Norwich to Stansted route

www.greateranglia.co.uk

In other news...

Customers travelling between Norwich and Stansted Airport can now enjoy drinks and snacks at their seats after Greater Anglia launched a 3-month trial of a trolley service on the route.

The idea was suggested by conductor Martin Neal via the organisation’s ideas portal, Hares’ Lair, which encourages colleagues to pitch ideas to leaders in a Dragons’ Den style format.

 

[dk1]

Greater Anglia introduces catering trolley on Norwich to Stansted route

www.greateranglia.co.uk

In other news...

Yes that’s been reported on this forum a couple of times including by me.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

The transformation has begun.

The attached images show a four car class 755 with GBR coming soon branding applied.

I think it looks worse. They look good with the Greater Anglia logo

 

[saismee]

I think it looks worse. They look good with the Greater Anglia logo

Ooh I didn't spot the debranding. The front looks so strange now...

 

[dk1]

Ooh I didn't spot the debranding. The front looks so strange now...

It can soon be filled with something else.