379 Saturdays

[03_179]

Morning all,

What's the diagrams for the 379s on a Saturday ... I'm looking at doing it this Saturday (10/01/2026).

Thanks in advance,

 

[bramling]

Morning all,

What's the diagrams for the 379s on a Saturday ... I'm looking at doing it this Saturday (10/01/2026).

Thanks in advance,

I wouldn't entirely rely on the diagrams, as it seems to be the case that diagrams booked for all-day 8/387 can turn out 8/379, and vice versa, which is no doubt because the full fleet of 379s isn't yet available, whereas there's plenty of spare 387s.

I think it's true to say that anything which has an attachment or detachment at Cambridge is 379, and most north of Cambridge will be 379.

 

[MikeWM]

I wouldn't entirely rely on the diagrams, as it seems to be the case that diagrams booked for all-day 8/387 can turn out 8/379, and vice versa, which is no doubt because the full fleet of 379s isn't yet available, whereas there's plenty of spare 387s.

Yes, the 0946 off Ely this morning was a pair of 387s when it is usually a pair of 379s. At least it ran and (almost) on time!

At least in theory, have we now finally got rid of all the 700s north of Cambridge on Saturdays? All the 700s on the Ely terminators on Saturdays have really put me off daytrips to London over the past few years (at least on the rare weekend that the line is actually open all the way), would be nice to see the back of that.

 

[03_179]

Thanks

 

[RailWonderer]

I think it's true to say that anything which has an attachment or detachment at Cambridge is 379, and most north of Cambridge will be 379.

Why is this? I thought 387s detatched and reattached in service all the time to and from Kings Lynn before platforms north of Ely were extended.

 

[Magdalia]

Why is this? I thought 387s detatched and reattached in service all the time to and from Kings Lynn before platforms north of Ely were extended.

Since the December timetable change nearly everything to/from Kings Lynn is class 379s, including all of the trains that split and join.

 

[bramling]

Yes, the 0946 off Ely this morning was a pair of 387s when it is usually a pair of 379s. At least it ran and (almost) on time!

At least in theory, have we now finally got rid of all the 700s north of Cambridge on Saturdays? All the 700s on the Ely terminators on Saturdays have really put me off daytrips to London over the past few years (at least on the rare weekend that the line is actually open all the way), would be nice to see the back of that.

I believe so, yes. I don’t think there’s any booked 700 work north of Cambridge now.

 

[MikeWM]

I believe so, yes. I don’t think there’s any booked 700 work north of Cambridge now.

A rare bit of good news, thanks! Now they just need to work out how to split the 379s in a sensible amount of time at Cambridge in the evening peak...

 

[bramling]

A rare bit of good news, thanks! Now they just need to work out how to split the 379s in a sensible amount of time at Cambridge in the evening peak...

Just need to work out how to empty them out at Letchworth in less than 8 mins!

To recap, my understanding on GN now is that most or all north of Cambridge is 379. The Cambridge/Letchworth stopping service (including peak fasts) is 387/700, with some occasional 379 work in there as well. Peterborough peak extras mainly 700/0, with one 700/1 and IIRC one Electrostar diagram can’t remember if 387 or 379.

Things aren’t entirely holding to diagram though, diagrams which are booked for a pair of Electrostars all day seem to be turning out the other type, and not always the same diagrams from one day to the next.

 

[MikeWM]

Just need to work out how to empty them out at Letchworth in less than 8 mins!

...and that too!

To recap, my understanding on GN now is that most or all north of Cambridge is 379.

A side-effect of which is that there is no longer any wifi on Kings Lynn services, which I'm seeing a number of Kings Lynn commuters moaning about on twitter. No doubt GN will get around to fixing that *eventually* - they finally did for the 'GWR' 387s, but it took a long while. (Probably they'll put those irritating in-carriage screens in at the same time as they have done on most of the 387s, so maybe I'll happily live without wifi for a while...)