GBR Anglia

[wls1]

Today with the press reveal of GBR Anglia units 357008/020 and 720144/501 and an outline of plans for GBR Anglia and the following press release produces some clarity on proceedings

First Great British Railways trains for Anglia unveiled as integrated railway delivers early benefits | c2c Trains to/from London, Southend & Essex | c2c Rail

Read First Great British Railways trains for Anglia unveiled as integrated railway delivers early benefits at c2c-online.co.uk. Book c2c trains to/from London, Southend & Essex for safe, easy travel. Find live train times, cheap tickets & more, as easy as c2c.

www.c2c-online.co.uk

720/1/5s operating on the c2c network:

Early progress includes securing approval for Greater Anglia Class 720 trains to operate on the c2c network, providing greater resilience and flexibility across the two train fleets and helping the railway respond more effectively when trains are unavailable or services are disrupted.

GBR Stansted Express:

Across the wider fleet, existing c2c and Greater Anglia logos will gradually be replaced by GBR Anglia branding. The internationally recognised Stansted Express identity will be retained and will transition to GBR Stansted Express.

Other details are highlighted in the press release linked

 

[jack31439]

Very different to the 387. Interesting to see how different operators are taking it.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

In the 745s case the transition to the new identity will be very gradually as they have no spares to take out of service for a pain job

 

[gabrielhj07]

I like the longer application of dark blue from the front, looks much smarter than 701006.

 

[wagnaga]

Given the planned sharing of the 720 fleet are there any differences? Are they all 5 car units? Do c2c still have quiet carriages on them?

 

[wls1]

Given the planned sharing of the 720 fleet are there any differences? Are they all 5 car units? Do c2c still have quiet carriages on them?

c2c ones have the quiet zone and slight interior differences, as they only have 3+2 seating in the middle of the carriages between the doors rather than throughout

 

[JonathanH]

Given the planned sharing of the 720 fleet are there any differences? Are they all 5 car units? Do c2c still have quiet carriages on them?

All 5-car units but the c2c ones have more standing space and therefore slightly fewer seats.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Given the planned sharing of the 720 fleet are there any differences? Are they all 5 car units? Do c2c still have quiet carriages on them?

All 5-car units but the c2c ones have more standing space and therefore slightly fewer seats.

Not really a huge deal though, or much different from the mixed pool of 357s with different layouts to each subclass. Or indeed, the mixed bag of 377s in Southern land, and 375s in Southeastern land.

 

[wagnaga]

c2c ones have the quiet zone and slight interior differences, as they only have 3+2 seating in the middle of the carriages between the doors rather than throughout

Thanks the quiet zone is something that doesn't exist for GA in the 729 fleet.

 

[chubs]

In the 745s case the transition to the new identity will be very gradually as they have no spares to take out of service for a pain job

It seems somewhat pointless to keep the Stansted Express livery too, considering the constant mixing of the two 745 subfleets and that a 720 can also sub in to Stansted (or 3 755's to Norwich).

 

[saismee]

a pain job

With how people describe the livery, this is quite an accurate typo!

The Anglia region are also all getting new lanyards and name badges soon to match (soon probably means 2027), and new uniform. No designs have been confirmed or shown.

 

[evergreenadam]

So is GBR Anglia is effectively a region? If so what are the others called? Are they intending to match the existing Network Rail regions?

 

[StephenHunter]

All 5-car units but the c2c ones have more standing space and therefore slightly fewer seats.

The 720/1s were intended to be 10-car but that changed because of the pandemic.

 

[RUK]

The 720/1s were intended to be 10-car but that changed because of the pandemic.

I think it was because Ilford Depot, or Greater Anglia’s other facilities for them, can’t deal with servicing single sets as long as 10 cars.

 

[saismee]

5-car sets are just more versatile. I think most people would prefer a short-formed service when there's a fault on one of the units than a cancelled service.

 

[RailWonderer]

In the 745s case the transition to the new identity will be very gradually as they have no spares to take out of service for a pain job

They can always put more 720s on Stansted.

 

[dk1]

I did wonder whether the Stadler fleet has warranty issues with altering the livery but haven’t been able to get that confirmed.

 

[Bald Rick]

So is GBR Anglia is effectively a region? If so what are the others called? Are they intending to match the existing Network Rail regions?

No, it’s an integrated business unit, within Eastern Region.

 

[vuzzeho]

So is GBR Anglia is effectively a region? If so what are the others called? Are they intending to match the existing Network Rail regions?

As mentioned by Bald Rick, it's an IBU. The others are to be called:

Spoiler: GBR IBUs

Great British Railways | Southern	Southern Railway
Great British Railways | South East	Southeastern
Great British Railways | Thameslink	Thameslink
Great British Railways | Great Northern	Great Northern
Great British Railways | Great Western	GWR
Great British Railways | South Western	South Western Railway
Great British Railways | Island Line	Island Line
Great British Railways | Chiltern	Chiltern Railway
Great British Railways | Anglia	Greater Anglia/C2C
Great British Railways | East Coast	LNER
Great British Railways | West Coast	Avanti West Coast
Great British Railways | West Midlands	West Midlands Railway
Great British Railways | North Western	LNWR
Great British Railways | North	Northern
Great British Railways | TransPennine	TransPennine Express
Great British Railways | East Midlands	East Midlands Railway
Great British Railways | CrossCountry	CrossCountry Trains
Great British Railways | High Speed	Southeastern High Speed/HS2
Great British Railways | Sleeper	GWR Sleeper Service

Thanks to @Steddenm for that list.

On top of this, since it seems like there'll be a separate Stansted Express sub-brand within the Anglia region, so you can expect Heathrow Express to stay. Maybe the Luton Airport Express brand but I'm less confident about that.

 

[Bald Rick]

As mentioned by Bald Rick, it's an IBU. The others are to be called:

That’s not a correct list.

 

[Farigiraf]

GTR currently attempts to restrict 'Southern/Thameslink only' ticket holders from taking Gatwick Express. This isn't technically allowed but you'd have trouble explaining that to the revenue protection officer intent on issuing a penalty fare. I'm guessing that one thing on GBR's priority list is closing this loophole and actually finding a way to restrict non-premium fare payers from taking GX. It's one of the biggest money spinners in the South East, so naturally GBR, which has the #1 goal of reducing subsidy, will want to focus on it.

So if the Stansted Express service is going to be rebranded to be more distinct from other GA/Anglia train services, might GBR try to pull a Gatwick Express and attempt to restrict people on London-Harlow, London-Bishop's Stortford or London-Cambridge tickets from taking the Stansted Express unless they pay a premium? I'm aware that fares to Stansted Airport are already artificially inflated but you can still use standard walk-up fares on the Express if travelling to other WAML stations.

 

[Crithylum]

GTR currently attempts to restrict 'Southern/Thameslink only' ticket holders from taking Gatwick Express. This isn't technically allowed but you'd have trouble explaining that to the revenue protection officer intent on issuing a penalty fare. I'm guessing that one thing on GBR's priority list is closing this loophole and actually finding a way to restrict non-premium fare payers from taking GX. It's one of the biggest money spinners in the South East, so naturally GBR, which has the #1 goal of reducing subsidy, will want to focus on it.

So if the Stansted Express service is going to be rebranded to be more distinct from other GA/Anglia train services, might GBR try to pull a Gatwick Express and attempt to restrict people on London-Harlow, London-Bishop's Stortford or London-Cambridge tickets from taking the Stansted Express unless they pay a premium? I'm aware that fares to Stansted Airport are already artificially inflated but you can still use standard walk-up fares on the Express if travelling to other WAML stations.

Doubt it. Stansted Express is the main fast train from these stations. Also, they tend to be alot quieter (at the front part) than the Cambridge trains.

 

[vuzzeho]

That’s not a correct list.

Oh, thanks for letting me know. Do you have an updated list?

 

[StephenHunter]

GTR currently attempts to restrict 'Southern/Thameslink only' ticket holders from taking Gatwick Express. This isn't technically allowed but you'd have trouble explaining that to the revenue protection officer intent on issuing a penalty fare. I'm guessing that one thing on GBR's priority list is closing this loophole and actually finding a way to restrict non-premium fare payers from taking GX. It's one of the biggest money spinners in the South East, so naturally GBR, which has the #1 goal of reducing subsidy, will want to focus on it.

So if the Stansted Express service is going to be rebranded to be more distinct from other GA/Anglia train services, might GBR try to pull a Gatwick Express and attempt to restrict people on London-Harlow, London-Bishop's Stortford or London-Cambridge tickets from taking the Stansted Express unless they pay a premium? I'm aware that fares to Stansted Airport are already artificially inflated but you can still use standard walk-up fares on the Express if travelling to other WAML stations.

How did BR do it?

 

[JamesT]

How did BR do it?

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gatwick-fares-pre-privatisation.271376/ is a thread on the Gatwick fares under BR. Notable that GX was part of InterCity rather than Network Southeast, which then led into it being a separate TOC on privatisation.

 

[dk1]

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gatwick-fares-pre-privatisation.271376/ is a thread on the Gatwick fares under BR. Notable that GX was part of InterCity rather than Network Southeast, which then led into it being a separate TOC on privatisation.

Yes, it ended up being paired with its GEML counterpart to become Intercity Anglia & Gatwick.

 

[LAX54]

Yes, it ended up being paired with its GEML counterpart to become Intercity Anglia & Gatwick.

As a Signalman we all had Inter City Uniforms too.

 

[dk1]

As a Signalman we all had Inter City Uniforms too.

I didn’t know that mate. I was working in Regional Railways rostering at the time and we where asked to take on the IC Snr Conductors for overtime each day which of course we took but did it all within our day. Used to get given Intercity merch too as a way of thanking us.

 

[LAX54]

I didn’t know that mate. I was working in Regional Railways rostering at the time and we where asked to take on the IC Snr Conductors for overtime each day which of course we took but did it all within our day. Used to get given Intercity merch too as a way of thanking us.

we looked quite smart for a short while ! lol

 

[fgwrich]

On a fleet related note then, with the confirmed sharing of the Aventra fleet and the fact is is known Greater Anglia ended up with more than it needed, could this result in a gradual reduction of the 26 year old 357 fleet and replacement with 720s?