Class 317 withdrawals.

[Jturner98]

More likely a hot spare at Cambridge. Monday morning is worth keeping an eye on. They often seem to end up short of 720s for some reason.

I was on 317507 and 317508 today. Probably covering for a 720 that was smothered in graffiti at Bishops Stortford.

 

[prod_pep]

317507 + 317508 have stayed out and I've caught up with them on the 2100 Stratford - Bishop's Stortford.

Thank you to earlier posters for advising these were out as it has allowed me one last 317 bash.

 

[3973EXL]

STP 05/07 5G46 1411 Cambridge TRSMD - Ely
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03738/2022-07-05/detailed

STP 07/07 5G46 1411 Cambridge TRSMD - Ely
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03738/2022-07-07/detailed

 

[warwickshire]

More likely a hot spare at Cambridge. Monday morning is worth keeping an eye on. They often seem to end up short of 720s for some reason.

Sadly maybe not. Maybe going one day next week. Unless they do a final run Start and end Cambridge.

 

[317 forever]

The Class 90s and 360s were withdrawn from GA service during the pandemic which ruled out any tours, special workings etc. Hopefully we'll see some specials over the GA network for the 317 or 321 (and parts of it for the 315s when they are retired from TFL)

Maybe a joint farewell tour could be arranged for class 315, 317 & 321? The final withdrawals will all be within a few months of eachother.

 

[Wivenswold]

Just realised that the race is on between the 315s and 317s. Shame the 317s didn't quite make 40 years of service. That they're both still running is a testament to the BR engineers and builders who brought these units to life back before many on here were born.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Just realised that the race is on between the 315s and 317s. Shame the 317s didn't quite make 40 years of service. That they're both still running is a testament to the BR engineers and builders who brought these units to life back before many on here were born.

In terms of running in service, the 315s have beaten the 317s in that they have booked work whereas the 317s are evidently just for spare use - as were the 379s in the last days of their lease, sitting unused for several weeks and only achieving one pair in service in that time, on one single day.

 

[LiftFan]

Maybe a joint farewell tour could be arranged for class 315, 317 & 321? The final withdrawals will all be within a few months of eachother.

You'd hope so! The 455 got a good farewell tour so really the 317s ought to get one as well.

 

[Wivenswold]

In terms of running in service, the 315s have beaten the 317s in that they have booked work whereas the 317s are evidently just for spare use - as were the 379s in the last days of their lease, sitting unused for several weeks and only achieving one pair in service in that time, on one single day.

Plus, the 315s beat the 317s into service by about 2 years. The "Bed-Pan" units sat collecting dust for a year before the crews accepted them in 1983

 

[Fat Gaz]

317 343 is out working today if anyone wants to enjoy some heritage traction. Possibly SRA to HFE shuttles.

 

[Jturner98]

There’s a class 317 operating on the Stansted Express today 09:40 off Liverpool Street

 

[86246]

There’s a class 317 operating on the Stansted Express today 09:40 off Liverpool Street

Journey check has been updated a short while ago to say that this service now has the usual number of coaches.

 

[Fat Gaz]

There’s a class 317 operating on the Stansted Express today 09:40 off Liverpool Street

That's the one, my bad. It looks like a 317 up until 1400.

 

[Travellin’man]

Whatever journey check says, Tiger is your reliable friend. Can confirm now on the 12.10 ex LST

 

[Bikeman78]

Whatever journey check says, Tiger is your reliable friend. Can confirm now on the 12.10 ex LST

You'll get mega thrash if you sit in the motor coach of 317343 on a fast run. 317338 isn't bad either to be honest. I never thought that 343 would make it to the end.

 

[DanNCL]

That's the one, my bad. It looks like a 317 up until 1400.

The 317s appear to still be out, 17:10 Liverpool St - Stansted showing 8 cars on Tiger.

 

[banjo125]

The 317s appear to still be out, 17:10 Liverpool St - Stansted showing 8 cars on Tiger.

Seen at Liverpool Street, 317338 & 317343

 

[Railperf]

Tiger reporting 8 coaches on the 1641 Liverpool St to Hertford East service. 317s not dead yet.

 

[delt1c]

Maybe a joint farewell tour could be arranged for class 315, 317 & 321? The final withdrawals will all be within a few months of eachother.

Now there would be a farewell to remember a 315, 317 and 321

 

[kingston_toon]

Tiger reporting 8 coaches on the 1641 Liverpool St to Hertford East service. 317s not dead yet.

Should be 317507 and 317510. Looks like they are going on to Cambridge on the 18:43 from LST.

It appears that 317338 and 317343 were booked to work the 17:30 Stansted - Liverpool Street too, though I don't know if they actually did.

 

[Class360/1]

Hello, are the 317’s likely to still be running in mid August?

Ps: it’s great to see the trains still running after just under 40 years of service.

 

[JonathanH]

Hello, are the 317’s likely to still be running in mid August?

Ps: it’s great to see the trains still running after just under 40 years of service.

If they are now down to the last four, and none of them have diagrammed work, it seems very unlikely they will get very far into July.

 

[Class360/1]

If they are now down to the last four, and none of them have diagrammed work, it seems very unlikely they will get very far into July.

Thank you for the advice

 

[DanNCL]

This seems to be turning into a repeat of the last 91 to Edinburgh!

I wonder when the actual last 317s in service will be in the end, and if we’ll know before it happens that it actually is the last.

 

[JonathanH]

This seems to be turning into a repeat of the last 91 to Edinburgh!

I wonder when the actual last 317s in service will be in the end, and if we’ll know before it happens that it actually is the last.

I think the answer that we don't have is what the ongoing need for 317s is.

Greater Anglia seem happy that they don't need more than a single 720 on Hertford trains. Some Cambridge services run with a pair of 720s. 317s don't appear to be needed for either the Hertford or Cambridge routes.

Given they seem to most regularly go out on Stansted services, it appears that their remaining purpose is filling in for missing 745s, perhaps where Greater Anglia don't have enough spare 720s to run a pair as cover, but don't want to run single 720s, and 317s provide the capacity needed.

But for how long is that necessary?

 

[F Great Eastern]

The shortage of 745s is for sure at play with the Stansteds, there still should be slack in that fleet, goodness knows how they would cope with the timetables as planned pre Covid. The 745 availability is nowhere near good enough.

When I was taking the Stansted Express recently, one diagram was cancelled at one point, one was a pair of 317s filling in for a 745, and another two were single 720s. I actually didn't see any reference to any 12 car trains on departure boards at that time.

 

[Bikeman78]

This seems to be turning into a repeat of the last 91 to Edinburgh!

I wonder when the actual last 317s in service will be in the end, and if we’ll know before it happens that it actually is the last.

I think they'll just fizzle out. The last two pairs could linger on until the end of July or they could go to Ely next week. The paths normally go in the system a few days in advance.

 

[warwickshire]

I think the answer that we don't have is what the ongoing need for 317s is.

Greater Anglia seem happy that they don't need more than a single 720 on Hertford trains. Some Cambridge services run with a pair of 720s. 317s don't appear to be needed for either the Hertford or Cambridge routes.

Given they seem to most regularly go out on Stansted services, it appears that their remaining purpose is filling in for missing 745s, perhaps where Greater Anglia don't have enough spare 720s to run a pair as cover, but don't want to run single 720s, and 317s provide the capacity needed.

But for how long is that necessary?

745 availability. Plus the loss of the 745 which got a nice bump from a 37.
Ever since that incident this has been the case. Especially as 745 is down each day. 317s should have gone mid June to end June final ones. However whilst speaking to a few staff recently and a few sources have said a few 317s will stay on longer early July to early August dependent on enough 720 to sort out 745 replacement temporary or the pranged 745 in incident returns.
However what is strange is on the East side 321901 and 322481 have been withdrawn by 720s. When in reality the 720s should have gone east temporary which would have helped to have a 10 car Stansted which most likely at a push would have ended 317 for withdrawal end of June 2022.

 

[warwickshire]

745 availability. Plus the loss of the 745 which got a nice bump from a 37.
Ever since that incident this has been the case. Especially as 745 is down each day. 317s should have gone mid June to end June final ones. However whilst speaking to a few staff recently and a few sources have said a few 317s will stay on longer early July to early August dependent on enough 720 to sort out 745 replacement temporary or the pranged 745 in incident returns.
However what is strange is on the East side 321901 and 322481 have been withdrawn by 720s. When in reality the 720s should have gone east temporary which would have helped to have a 10 car Stansted which most likely at a push would have ended 317 for withdrawal end of June 2022.

Ie 317s gone West side temporary to sort out 317 Replacement not the east side first.

 

[3973EXL]

STP 05/07 5G46 37884 1411 Cambridge TRSMD - Ely
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03738/2022-07-05/detailed

STP 05/07 5L46 37884 0635 Derby RTC - Ely
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K03754/2022-07-05/detailed

STP 05/07 0G47 37884 1144 Ely - Cambridge TRSMD
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R00036/2022-07-05/detailed