Could a Class 345 run from Cardiff to Norwich?

[Bald Rick]

That is assuming you can even get a path through the Core in the first place. With 24 trains per hour per direction, there's very little wiggle room.

More precisely, none.

 

[RailWonderer]

If you had something like a class 730 with the same door widths but with 2+2 seating and fitted them with CBTC and ATP it could run on a Sunday from Bristol Parkway to Ipswich for example. I don't see how it would happen, unless an OA operator wants to run it. It would be like a modern London Crosslink. Heavily speculative here but if West country - East Anglia demand is high enough for recreational use there is a possiblity, albeit a near zero chance of it happening.

 

[Energy]

If you had something like a class 730 with the same door widths but with 2+2 seating and fitted them with CBTC and ATP it could run on a Sunday from Bristol Parkway to Ipswich for example. I don't see how it would happen, unless an OA operator wants to run it. It would be like a modern London Crosslink. Heavily speculative here but if West country - East Anglia demand is high enough for recreational use there is a possiblity, albeit a near zero chance of it happening.

There aren't any paths through crossrail which aren't used. Nice idea though.

 

[Class800]

Mod note - split from:

Class 345 progress

I don’t think there’s any self-contained; no sewer work for them to do anymore - so I expect they’ll be temporarily withdrawn for embiggening Thanks for confirming. I love the word enbiggening

www.railforums.co.uk

Would I be right in thinking that a class 345, passed for three signalling systems, is potentially capable of operating from Cardiff to Norwich via the Crossrail core?
They can clearly run between Reading and Shenfield, and essentially the same electrification and signalling systems extend to Cardiff to the west and Norwich to the east.
No other stock can pass through the Crossrail core, as they lack CBTC compatibility.
345s should also be able to reach Newbury, and any of the GA electrified branches which are reachable by GA's Aventra versions; also the LTS via Barking.
9-car 345s (206m) are shorter than GA's 12-car trains (236m) and GWR's 9-car 800s (226m), so should be able to use the same platforms.
There are no viable connections allowing through running to main lines to the north, not even the Lea Valley line I think, being on the "wrong" side of Stratford station.

I'm not imagining any kind of regular service, but I would have thought an excursion would be an interesting possibility.
It would also demonstrate something like the original BR Crossrail vision (Bristol-Norwich, was it?) before TfL took charge of the project.
I'm not sure Cardiff-Norwich on a longitudinal seat would be popular though, and it's a long way without toilets or refreshments.

Apart from the training issue, are there any technical reasons why a Cardiff-Norwich 345 run is non-viable?
Finding a path in the core might be one.

Lack of toilets for a journey of that length

 

[MattRat]

That is assuming you can even get a path through the Core in the first place. With 24 trains per hour per direction, there's very little wiggle room.

I thought it was only 18 at the moment. Plus, I'm only thinking of 1tph as an fast/intercity service, which is reasonable outside of London.

 

[Basil Jet]

If you had something like a class 730 with the same door widths but with 2+2 seating and fitted them with CBTC and ATP it could run on a Sunday from Bristol Parkway to Ipswich for example. I don't see how it would happen, unless an OA operator wants to run it. It would be like a modern London Crosslink. Heavily speculative here but if West country - East Anglia demand is high enough for recreational use there is a possiblity, albeit a near zero chance of it happening.

IMO Norwich should have trains to Bristol, but via East West Rail and the Didcot West Curve, not via Crossrail or the North London Line.

 

[Bald Rick]

I thought it was only 18 at the moment. Plus, I'm only thinking of 1tph as an fast/intercity service, which is reasonable outside of London.

Its 20 / 22 In the peak

 

[D365]

It does bring up the interesting possibility of new stock being made that can use the core to run long distance services through London.

No, this doesn't.