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Great Northern Fleet - 379s introduction

Fincra5

Fincra5

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The AM Peak today was always going to be a 700 as the Stock wasn't planned to be moved from Hornsey.

The set that operate the evening Peak to Letchworth G.C today, should form the AM Peak one tomorrow.
 
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MikeWM

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The 'new' Letchworth terminators at 1724, 1754 and 1824 off Kings Cross have really not helped the punctuality of the Kings Cross->Kings Lynn trains that run immediately behind them, which have gone from 'often late' to 'usually late' since they were (re-)introduced in December:

1739198197546.png

I wonder if we should expect that to get even worse once 379s are being tested on the Letchworth services? As someone who frequently gets the 1739 (1840 at Cambridge North) I'm hoping for an improvement rather than even more delays... :-/
 
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Failed Unit

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MikeWM said:
The 'new' Letchworth terminators at 1724, 1754 and 1824 off Kings Cross have really not helped the punctuality of the Kings Cross->Kings Lynn trains that run immediately behind them, which have gone from 'often late' to 'usually late' since they were (re-)introduced in December:

View attachment 174359

I wonder if we should expect that to get even worse once 379s are being tested on the Letchworth services? As someone who frequently gets the 1739 (1840 at Cambridge North) I'm hoping for an improvement rather than even more delays... :-/
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Why is that, can't the get they train out of the way at Letchworth quickly enough?

Going the other way some of the Cambridge - London stoppers are turning up on time at WGC (I expect that is probably more to do with the Cambridge South remodeling then the terminators)

I expect even more delays as they get used to the trains. Yes they are not that much different to the 387s but I am sure train crews will be slower on them while they get used to them.
 
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MikeWM

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Failed Unit said:
Why is that, can't the get they train out of the way at Letchworth quickly enough?
Click to expand...

I've only just started looking into it, as I'm getting increasingly fed up with standing in the cold at Cambridge North for a delayed train night after night! While these services were often delayed a bit in the past, there seems to have been a step change for the worse since December, so my first guess is that the new services running immedaitely ahead are at least partially to blame.

Eg. the 1724. From RTT - should arrive Letchworth 1759, moves off to the sidings 1803. Kings Lynn train then arrives at 1806. Seems a bit tight but doable.

Last Monday arrived 1801, moved off 1804 - the Lynn train was cancelled anyway.
Tuesday actually arrived 1802, moved off 1806 - delayed the Lynn train by 4 minutes.
Similar on Wednesday - but the Lynn was already 3 down at Hitchin, so not a massive delay.
Thursday arrived 1804, moved off 1807 - but the Lynn train was already 8 minutes late.
Very late Friday - looks like the Lynn went around it at Hitchin, already itself 4 minutes down.

So it seems it caused a delay 1 day out of 5 last week, but would have caused delays on 2 others if the Lynn train hasn't already been late for whatever reason.
 
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jon0844

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1L48 is shown as 2 x 379 so couldn't two units be heading off to KGX and the single being left behind?
 
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Yoboys45

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Something has arrived in Platform 4 KGX. This is the movement which forms the 17:24 up to Letchworth, anyone on the ground got updates?
 
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ZJ517

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jon0844 said:
1L48 is shown as 2 x 379 so couldn't two units be heading off to KGX and the single being left behind?
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It is indeed 2x379 on the service, currently aboard. The rear unit is 379022. Have not gone around the check which one is at the front.
 
PointA Rail

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RUK said:
What state is it like inside (and outside)?
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Was there at King's Cross to see it. It's still in the ex-Greater Anglia interior but with some modifications. They've done a brilliant job at cleaning it up, looked like it was fresh off the production line.
 
PointA Rail

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For those wondering about the interior, here's some screenshots from a walk-though video I took at King's Cross.
 

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Fincra5

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MikeWM said:
I've only just started looking into it, as I'm getting increasingly fed up with standing in the cold at Cambridge North for a delayed train night after night! While these services were often delayed a bit in the past, there seems to have been a step change for the worse since December, so my first guess is that the new services running immedaitely ahead are at least partially to blame.

Eg. the 1724. From RTT - should arrive Letchworth 1759, moves off to the sidings 1803. Kings Lynn train then arrives at 1806. Seems a bit tight but doable.

Last Monday arrived 1801, moved off 1804 - the Lynn train was cancelled anyway.
Tuesday actually arrived 1802, moved off 1806 - delayed the Lynn train by 4 minutes.
Similar on Wednesday - but the Lynn was already 3 down at Hitchin, so not a massive delay.
Thursday arrived 1804, moved off 1807 - but the Lynn train was already 8 minutes late.
Very late Friday - looks like the Lynn went around it at Hitchin, already itself 4 minutes down.

So it seems it caused a delay 1 day out of 5 last week, but would have caused delays on 2 others if the Lynn train hasn't already been late for whatever reason.
Click to expand...
There's currently a 60 Speed Restriction at Welwyn Garden City that doesn't help with timings!
 
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MikeWM

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Good to see the 379s back in service at last! I did rather like them when they were on the GA side, and given the (insane) alternative of them never running in service again, this is obviously preferable.

Surprised GN haven't done more - well, anything - with the internals, though if that means not having (yet) fitted the stupid animated displays they've put in most of the 387s then that's not a bad thing. And I'll bet they haven't updated the wifi...

Will the door buttons stay on now? :) - as I recall, they'd fixed that issue before the 379s ended on GA, so hopefully.

Fincra5 said:
There's currently a 60 Speed Restriction at Welwyn Garden City that doesn't help with timings!
Click to expand...

Ah, I wasn't aware of that, as apart from a couple of weekends just before Christmas we haven't had a weekend service between Ely and Kings Cross via Welwyn for about 5 months now, due to endless closures related to Cambridge South construction and/or Cambridge resignalling and/or ECML resignalling - it has been a long time since I've seen Welwyn :-/

In any event, looks like tonight's 1724 arrived at Letchworth 2 late, and left for the sidings 2.5 late, causing the 1739 Lynn to lose a few minutes, 6 down by Ely. So not really better - or worse - than usual then!
 
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Failed Unit

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I don’t think the speed limit will ne there long, they have replaced a lot of points north of the station during the last 2 weekend blockages.

Will sample the 379s on Wednesday. Suspect 1st will be very busy :)
 
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