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I don’t particularly disagree, but is such a timetable that delivers more winners than losers actually possible? The infrastructure hasn’t changed much, apart from an additional station to slow things down. All the connecting branch lines still have single track sections, which limits the...

Then try to fit the rest in without destroying connections, freight paths, or increasing costs on the branch lines! Yes if demand for travel between Ipswich and Norwich could justify 3tph, the A140 would be a dual carriageway throughout.

The theory for the Norwich service was 100 minute journey times with 20 min turnarounds each end, equals 8 sets. Such a timetable on the congested GEML soon proved impossible, and even tweaking it to be done with 9 sets proved undeliverable too. NR said as much, and the TOC planners were not...

At the risk of increasing forum members blood pressure: https://railstaffawards.com/RSA/en/page/2024-winners They look a friendly bunch to me. Link shows picture of Blackpool barrier staff, winners of station team of the year at the recent rail staff awards.

And that’s before you work out how to crew it, which would be an interesting academic exercise in itself. A complete non starter!

Yep, that was a common substitution, as Liverpool St and Ipswich drivers signed 321s anyway, and of course you Norwich chaps didn’t.

As far as East Anglia is concerned we've never had it so good. Reliable service (even if I got stuck behind a late running tamper this morning) means you can plan with some confidence. My only concern is what happens in 35 years time when the whole fleet needs replacing again, but I'll be past...

Gypsy Lane foot crossing ‘temporary’ speed restriction, just north of Needham Market on the GEML has had an A board on the down line for some time, possibly the first location trialled? As the TSR is for sighting, (foot crossing users sighting the approaching train), then once the train is on...

The Man in Seat 61 guide to Interrail seat reservations may help for future: https://www.seat61.com/how-to-use-an-interrail-pass.htm#how-to-make-reservations

Good time to look out for discounts on Interrail passes.

I would recommend reading ‘The Man in Seat 61‘ website, particularly the section on Interrail reservations. Some of your trains are compulsory reservation, you don’t want to be fined. If you are using the Interrail app (rather than a paper ticket), don't rely on that for journey planning, as it...

Given one of the publicity photos was at Manningtree, I’d agree it looks like Manningtree should be in the list of stations instead of Ipswich.

The fact they never saw the light of day probably answers your question, regardless of Covid.

The spare 720s are mostly due to less commuting after covid, plus the never implemented third train to Norwich. Add in the increased capacity of a five car unit, however cramped that may be, and there's your spare units. Looking at it long term the GA franchise did have some provision for...

Me too, quite agree. I did once press the toilet door button to get off the train, but it hasn't ruined my life. These trains generated a huge amount of positivity when they were introduced, but you can't please all the people all the time.

Hate to upset a good conspiracy theory but there has been no change in policy. It's in everyone's interest to keep the concourse as clear as possible by using the train as the waiting room. Now of course there are many reasons why a train may not be advertised, but to get people to spend more...

In deciding whether to run the freight or not, there were 5 other trains between Ipswich and Derby Road alone that were in the mix. All on bits of single line. Get that bit of railway wrong and the delays could easily be far greater than that to the Norwich train.

More information here, including reference to the Iron Lung, aka the staff canteen. https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3797

Slightly ironically Thurso. You can't go quite as far north as you may wish to. Platform height seems to be the reason.

More precisely they got their timetabling assumptions wrong in ordering the fleet they did. Running the Norwich service in 100 minute timings with 20 minute turnrounds would have only needed 8 diagrams. Unfortunately they failed to consider there were other trains on the same track. But yes I’d...