Greater Anglia 2019 - What could possibly go wrong?

[LAX54]

Third day in a row I believe there have been early morning mainline issues?

Whilst today is a Unit or possible OHL fault, not sure a fatality can be blamed for íssues? os for OHL this is the 1st OHL trouble at Colchester for many years !
If they can run via the Goods Line, then it will be one train each way, and any IC service will not be able to call at Colchester, as has been said a maximum 8 car EMU, depending on the Isolation and bock needed, will dictate whether they can go back Up Main at the London end Junction or haveto go bi-di to Marks Tey/Kelevdeon

edit..lookslike they can shorten the isolation to part of the station as far as the L/E junction, which will haelp running via the goods, still only one train at a time L/E Junction to C/S Platform 1 tho

 

[Alfie1014]

The rare track bashers will be out in force

Chance to get in a bit of practice for the Christmas engineering works!

 

[306024]

Good job the points and signalling in platform 1 were moved a few years ago to accommodate 8 cars.

 

[dk1]

Chance to get in a bit of practice for the Christmas engineering works!

Not been round there for years. All good fun.

 

[LAX54]

Chance to get in a bit of practice for the Christmas engineering works!

Indeed and also at least one weekend in November, of course the limitations imposed by running via Goods Lines will have a big effect on today's service, trains if in same dieection will have to wait outside Colchester, or on the Down Main, until the route can callled and be set throughout NO IC services can stop in P1, and in the Engineering work plan, they are 'fast' (ish) from Manningtree to Witham or Chelmsford. which will be interesting

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Indeed and also at least one weekend in November, of course the limitations imposed by running via Goods Lines will have a big effect on today's service, trains if in same dieection will have to wait outside Colchester, or on the Down Main, until the route can callled and be set throughout NO IC services can stop in P1, and in the Engineering work plan, they are 'fast' (ish) from Manningtree to Witham or Chelmsford. which will be interesting

Sounds like you have had a very challenging day today , if not a challenging week / month / year.

 

[Tobbes]

Will it all be back to normal for tomorrow morning? (Ie, stock and crews in the right places?)

 

[306024]

Sounds like you have had a very challenging day today , if not a challenging week / month / year.

Sounds like the theme tune from ‘Friends’

Will it all be back to normal for tomorrow morning? (Ie, stock and crews in the right places?)

Other things being equal 95% to 100%. May be the odd unit out of place (or missing as usual) but crews should be OK.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Sounds like the theme tune from ‘Friends’



Other things being equal 95% to 100%. May be the odd unit out of place (or missing as usual) but crews should be OK.

What is incredibly impressive - and this goes for all parts of the industry - how, after some truly awful days , miracles are performed overnight and stock is re-balanced and prepped / cleaned/ tanked etc ovenight. Real professionalism there.

Mind you , the control staff etc , have had plenty of practice over the years. Will continue to do so.

 

[LAX54]

What is incredibly impressive - and this goes for all parts of the industry - how, after some truly awful days , miracles are performed overnight and stock is re-balanced and prepped / cleaned/ tanked etc ovenight. Real professionalism there.

Mind you , the control staff etc , have had plenty of practice over the years. Will continue to do so.

If you read some of the Twitter comments, Network Rail were abysmal in getting services restored, even when the level of work required was explained to them !

 

[dk1]

Will it all be back to normal for tomorrow morning? (Ie, stock and crews in the right places?)

Of course give or take the odd short form maybe. 17:00 down East Anglian sailed through tonight and was very lightly loaded compared to a normal day. Every cloud & all that.

 

[306024]

If you read some of the Twitter comments, Network Rail were abysmal in getting services restored, even when the level of work required was explained to them !

Don’t read Twitter would be my advice

Never mind tomorrow morning, service nearly back to plan now apart from the Felixstowe unit expiring.

 

[dk1]

If you read some of the Twitter comments, Network Rail were abysmal in getting services restored, even when the level of work required was explained to them !

Ignore these types like I do. Their comments are best taken with a pinch of amusement.

 

[LAX54]

Ignore these types like I do. Their comments are best taken with a pinch of amusement.

very true, although sometimes I do have to defend the TOC and / or NR !

 

[dk1]

very true, although sometimes I do have to defend the TOC and / or NR !

Swills I do that day in day out. These armchair experts really grind my flipping gears.

 

[Class 170101]

It would appear ORR have at last authorised the 755/3 fleet.

,

Thought dk1 might have added the above to this thread for those asking about 755/3s.

 

[168001]

Another 3 170’s due to go this weekend.

 

[F Great Eastern]

To give you an idea of where we are in Greater Anglia, the original PR suggested that Greater Anglia will introduce 1,043 carriages between January 2019 and September 2020.

So far, we've seen them deliver 44 carriages into service in 10 months with basically 1,000 still to go in the next 10 months so this project isn't going to run nowhere near on time.

Sending a token 755 onto the Sherringham branch fools nobody when it was a simple swap with a legacy stock that's now gone on the other line.

If there are really 3x 170s going this weekend they are going to have to get a few more 755s out there regularly than they are at the moment.

 

[samuelmorris]

To give you an idea of where we are in Greater Anglia, the original PR suggested that Greater Anglia will introduce 1,043 carriages between January 2019 and September 2020.

So far, we've seen them deliver 44 carriages into service in 10 months with basically 1,000 still to go in the next 10 months so this project isn't going to run nowhere near on time.

Sending a token 755 onto the Sherringham branch fools nobody when it was a simple swap with a legacy stock that's now gone on the other line.

If there are really 3x 170s going this weekend they are going to have to get a few more 755s out there regularly than they are at the moment.

That's true but a little disingenuous - it isn't as if the remaining 999 are going to be introduced at the same rate as those that have been introduced so far. Yes, things are way behind where they should be, but it's not quite as bleak as that!

 

[eastdyke]

To give you an idea of where we are in Greater Anglia, the original PR suggested that Greater Anglia will introduce 1,043 carriages between January 2019 and September 2020.

So far, we've seen them deliver 44 carriages into service in 10 months with basically 1,000 still to go in the next 10 months so this project isn't going to run nowhere near on time.

Sending a token 755 onto the Sherringham branch fools nobody when it was a simple swap with a legacy stock that's now gone on the other line.

If there are really 3x 170s going this weekend they are going to have to get a few more 755s out there regularly than they are at the moment.

I have been a critic of GA with regard to cancellations on the East Suffolk, effectively due to no stock being available meaning that some students have been unable to reach their classes on time.
However with the introduction of 755s to the Bittern Line (Sheringham) the ASDO issues must be behind us. @dk1 has informed on the Class 755 thread that an East Suffolk diagram is expected to be a 755 very soon and that Ipswich crew training continues apace. And a 755/3 has been seen out testing.
Positive evidence is starting to appear and this is as good a feel as it has been since the stuttery introduction.
I, for one, see cause for cautious optimism.
But of course still a long long way to go.

 

[samuelmorris]

I have been a critic of GA with regard to cancellations on the East Suffolk, effectively due to no stock being available meaning that some students have been unable to reach their classes on time.
However with the introduction of 755s to the Bittern Line (Sheringham) the ASDO issues must be behind us. @dk1 has informed on the Class 755 thread that an East Suffolk diagram is expected to be a 755 very soon and that Ipswich crew training continues apace. And a 755/3 has been seen out testing.
Positive evidence is starting to appear and this is as good a feel as it has been since the stuttery introduction.
I, for one, see cause for cautious optimism.
But of course still a long long way to go.

I'll feel a little more comfortable when I see any progress on the 720s, but for now, the Stadler rollout is very slowly coming together. Much slower than it should have been, but that's the way it goes, things are moving. All silent on the Bombardier front. We will still have a long way to go after the first unit appears for testing, and I haven't heard any news in the last 2 months about when that will be.

 

[eastdyke]

I'll feel a little more comfortable when I see any progress on the 720s, but for now, the Stadler rollout is very slowly coming together. Much slower than it should have been, but that's the way it goes, things are moving. All silent on the Bombardier front. We will still have a long way to go after the first unit appears for testing, and I haven't heard any news in the last 2 months about when that will be.

I agree with all of that.
We are where we are, my view would always be that in the real world plans have to change but being 'outside' I don't know what those revised plans are.
It might be helpful to GA in the long run to take their customers with them.
Unless of course, and this would be the real fear, they don't actually have a clue themselves
Which is where I believe @F Great Eastern thinks GA have pretty much always been on this.

 

[F Great Eastern]

That's true but a little disingenuous - it isn't as if the remaining 999 are going to be introduced at the same rate as those that have been introduced so far. Yes, things are way behind where they should be, but it's not quite as bleak as that!

I don't for one to expect them to be anywhere near as slow as they have been the last 10 months, but they're not likely to get anywhere near all of them done by the original timeframe, even doing so by the end of 2020 is going to be a tall order with the lack of Aventras.

Question is what happens beyond the end of August 2020 when the 360s and 379s go off lease if the Bombardier situation isn't resolved to a large degree

 

[samuelmorris]

I don't for one to expect them to be anywhere near as slow as they have been the last 10 months, but they're not likely to get anywhere near all of them done by the original timeframe, even doing so by the end of 2020 is going to be a tall order with the lack of Aventras.

Question is what happens beyond the end of August 2020 when the 360s and 379s go off lease if the Bombardier situation isn't resolved to a large degree

The end of 2020 is pretty much the original timeframe as it was. I don't expect them to catch up to schedule by then. I think it'll be touch and go whether every single new unit is in service on every route by the end of 2021, frankly.

 

[F Great Eastern]

The end of 2020 is pretty much the original timeframe as it was. I don't expect them to catch up to schedule by then. I think it'll be touch and go whether every single new unit is in service on every route by the end of 2021, frankly.

The original date when the plan was announced was between January 2019 and September 2020 but then it was quietly changed at some point until the end of 2020 and will clearly have to be put back further and I can't see them coming out and directly saying this, will be some attempt at a fudge I'd say, perhaps by ensuring that every line has a good allocation of new stock with a bit of old stock which will be spun as contingency stock.

 

[samuelmorris]

The original date when the plan was announced was between January 2019 and September 2020 but then it was quietly changed at some point until the end of 2020 and will clearly have to be put back further and I can't see them coming out and directly saying this, will be some attempt at a fudge I'd say, perhaps by ensuring that every line has a good allocation of new stock with a bit of old stock which will be spun as contingency stock.

Indeed. At the moment the plan for the 720s was February 2019. At present, February 2020 is extremely unlikely as they haven't started testing and training yet, so we know we're in excess of 12 months behind, I suspect 15 is more likely unless things slip further (which, as no news yet, is not just possible but likely) - 15 months on September 2020 would be December 2021. As things stand I'd anticipate the last of the legacy fleet being withdrawn in H1 2022 (negating any additional permanent residents e.g. if legacy units are used to make up for the short platforms / 5 vs 8 issue)

 

[anamyd]

Another 3 170’s due to go this weekend.

thanks for the info - where did you hear this...? I've been waiting over a month!

Can anyone please let me know as soon as they know the days / times / find a schedule on RTT before I do...?

if so, thanks

 

[47421]

As noted on the other thread, the delay to introduction of the new stock is only a part of the problem. There are any number of other missed Franchise Commitments, selection listed below. The non-delivery of the additional services (and faster journey times, see table below) promised per Train Service Requirement 2 (due May 19) TSR 3 (due May 20) is also very disappointing. Another reliable poster says 2022 for the recast now. That can partly be blamed on Crossrail delays which have delayed the lengthening of some platforms at LivSt, but that should not affect things like extending the LivSt-Ips semifast to Norwich or the promised enhanced off peak service to Southend and Hertford East

• Schedule 6.2 para 76.6 by 1 May 2018 introduce anytime flex carnet and off peak flex carnet
  • never happened probably never will
• Schedule 6.2 para 105 by 1 Sept 2018 extend platforms at Hertford East, Wickford, Manningtree, Kings Lynn, Elsenham, Ware, St Margarets and Enfield Lock Stations
  • never happended. Re Hertford East planning consent refused Feb 19, not been reapplied for. Others, no news, but consensus is that GA will retain UFN some 4 car EMUs for Harwich shuttle, Wickford bay and Hertford East service
• Schedule 6.2 para 9.1 by 31 Oct 2018 automatic SDO on 27x317 and beacons at 96 platforms
  • never happened and no prospect of any 12 car 317 services
• Dec 18 TSR 2TPH Meridian Water to Stratford
  • delivered Sept 2019, with 8 car platforms only so not clear if 10car 720s will be able to work this service
• Schedule 6.2 para 4 by 31 Dec 2018 ontrain wifi on entire existing fleet
  • didnt happen by Dec 18, but now fitted on most EMUs at least
• Schedule 6.2 para 81 by 30 Jan 2019 use best endeavours to introduce post-pay account based ticketing London to Southend V, Norwich or Cambridge
  • never happened probably never will

• Schedule 6.2 para 80 by 30 April 2019 introduce 6m pilot for near field communication smartphone ticketing
  • never happened probably never will
• May 2019 TSR 2 (Hertford East 2TPH to 3TPH off peak only/Southend Vic 3TPH to 4TPH off peak only/Norwich Cambridge hourly extended to Stansted Airport all day/LivSt Ipswich hourly semifast extended to Norwich all day)
  • delivered Nin90 only, all other required timetable improvements not delivered (Norwich Camb extended to Stansted promised for Dec 19, but weekdays not in morning)
• May 2020 TSR 3 (major recast with many journey time improvements)
  • not going to happen. 2022 apparently now. No proposed timetables ever published or consulted on so who knows if the promised improvements are achievable
• Schedule 6.2 para 51 complete redevelopment of stations at Brox, Cheshunt, Harlow Town and Southend Vic
  • never happened no indication that it ever will
• Schedule 6.2 para 10 date unspecified but must mean by 31 Dec 2019 complete PRM mods on 27x317
  • they have completed mods on 2 units I think

 

[anamyd]

@168001 I'm still very intrigued by the news of this weekend's apparent 170 delivery. where did you hear about it...? I can't find any schedules on RTT yet

 

[86246]

If anything moves west this weekend it will need to use a different route due to engineering works between Ely and Peterborough.