Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[Wivenswold]

European operators tend to have longer dwell times on regional and long distance services.

Will be happy to be proven wrong, but the dwell times at Harlow / Stortford / Tottenham Hale in the peaks will be a significant performance risk. One pair of doors for a 20m vehicle does network feel like enough.

As I've mentioned before, the timetable is being completely recast. It's wrong to assume that these trains will be stopping anywhere other than Stansted and Liverpool Street. 10 car Aventras will be used on WA commuter services in any case, that's 1100 seats per train and two doors per car. The plan is to redistribute loadings and that's from the man in charge in personal correspondence.

 

[TheEdge]

So a 5P99 has just (0420) departed Ripple Lane on its way to Crown Point. The future is en route.

 

[eastdyke]

So a 5P99 has just (0420) departed Ripple Lane on its way to Crown Point. The future is en route.

Landmark day. Super job

 

[Wivenswold]

I have a sneaky feeling these will fly through acceptance/training and will be taking passengers before the 720s, maybe even the 710s.

 

[eastdyke]

As I've mentioned before, the timetable is being completely recast. It's wrong to assume that these trains will be stopping anywhere other than Stansted and Liverpool Street. 10 car Aventras will be used on WA commuter services in any case, that's 1100 seats per train and two doors per car. The plan is to redistribute loadings and that's from the man in charge in personal correspondence.

Not so good for all those coming to the Stansted service via the Victoria line then?
[ie. forcing another leg of tube travel to Liverpool Street]

 

[Bald Rick]

As I've mentioned before, the timetable is being completely recast. It's wrong to assume that these trains will be stopping anywhere other than Stansted and Liverpool Street. 10 car Aventras will be used on WA commuter services in any case, that's 1100 seats per train and two doors per car. The plan is to redistribute loadings and that's from the man in charge in personal correspondence.

Two things

1) it’s wrong to assume these trains will be running non-stop between Stansted and Liverpool St. If anything, they are more likely to stop more than they do today.

2) even if it was the case that they would run non-stop, there would be at least a year where the new trains are brought into service in the existing timetable.

 

[jamesontheroad]

GA social media were out early to catch it: https://twitter.com/greaterangliapr/status/1062965131062190081?s=21

 

[TheEdge]

GA social media were out early to catch it: https://twitter.com/greaterangliapr/status/1062965131062190081?s=21

What's that noise it's making?

 

[TRAX]

What's that noise it's making?

Happiness.
It arrived at Crown Point an hour ago.

 

[trebor79]

What's that noise it's making?

Seems to be coming from the end bogies, which I think are the powered ones. So probably gearbox/traction motor noise.

 

[TRAX]

The traction motors wouldn't be making any noise on a dead unit. Some gearing would make this sort of sound, though.

 

[samuelmorris]

I've not seen the video yet but what happens quite often with new stock of people mistake noisy rails for noise the relevant unit is making. Don't know if that's true here

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've not seen the video yet but what happens quite often with new stock of people mistake noisy rails for noise the relevant unit is making. Don't know if that's true here

It would be odd for only two bogies to make that noise, though it is true that rail noise sometimes sounds like DC traction motor noise (which itself sometimes comes from gearing). I think it is more likely gearing of the outer powered axles.

 

[samuelmorris]

If it's only the leading bogies then yes, ignore precious comment, it'll be gearing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If it's only the leading bogies then yes, ignore precious comment, it'll be gearing.

Leading and trailing only, which I'm pretty sure are the only ones powered on a short FLIRT.

 

[TRAX]

It doesn't really make that classic 'DC traction/rail noise' sound, though.

 

[MrTurbostar170]

How will the testing work for these? When will it start and will it all be at nighttime?

 

[47421]

As I've mentioned before, the timetable is being completely recast. It's wrong to assume that these trains will be stopping anywhere other than Stansted and Liverpool Street. 10 car Aventras will be used on WA commuter services in any case, that's 1100 seats per train and two doors per car. The plan is to redistribute loadings and that's from the man in charge in personal correspondence.

Under the Franchise Agreement TS1 applies until May 19. TSR 2 May 19-May 20, TSR 3 from May 20. You can see that the only way to achieve the minimum number of stops specified at Stortford/Harlow T/Tottenham Hale is for current stopping patterns to be maintained, more or less. In fact in the combined periods 0200-0659 and 0700-0959 the number of stops at Tott Hale in the up direction is TSR 1 38, 2 42, 3 42, so very similar to today.

The plan may well have been to use 10 car 720s on WA, but I think that will have to be revised. 10 car 720s cant go to Hertford East nor Kings Lynn. Infrastructure work to accommodate them should have been done this year per FA, but not done. CP6 enhancements plan not been published, but doesnt look like work will be done before the 720s arrive, although of course when that will be no one knows taking into account the Goblin mess.

As an aside the changes due per TSR 2 May 19 are:
- hourly Norwich Camb extended to Stansted Apt
- Hertford East off peak 2TPH to 3TPH
- Southend Vic off peak 3TPH to 4TPH
- LivSt Ips hourly semifast extended to Norwich
- introduction of STAR

Will have to see what they actually get round to delivering

 

[trebor79]

What is STAR?

 

[47421]

Stratford Tottenham Angel Road (to be Meridian Water)

We are getting off topic but not sure how it is going to fit into the timetable, Stratford to Meridian Water is 14 mins or so running time, so the 2 TPH cant be the same unit, so will have to be interworked with the existing Stratford to Bishops Stortford service

 

[dk1]

It doesn't really make that classic 'DC traction/rail noise' sound, though.

Please ignore earlier comment. Replied to wrong poster.

 

[dk1]

How will the testing work for these? When will it start and will it all be at nighttime?

All in the very early hours under a Special Protection Zone (SPZ) with no other trains present. Should be Trowse Jcn-Diss. It's is under tight security at Crown Point with access only permitted when accompanied by Stadler personnel.

 

[samuelmorris]

Just watched the video - the noise does not come from the trailing bogie. Based on the timing, I'm almost certain it's the 66 making the noise.

 

[Domh245]

Just watched the video - the noise does not come from the trailing bogie. Based on the timing, I'm almost certain it's the 66 making the noise.

I think you're thinking of the wrong noise - there is a very distinctive sound that happens as the unit starts to pass (~4 seconds in), and again as the last vehicle passes the camera (~7 seconds in) - it's almost certainly going to be gearbox noise.

 

[trebor79]

Good grief, what do they expect might happen?
Bet there's a lot of interest in it at the depot! How long do you think it's likely to be before we see one out and about in daylight hours?

 

[Alfie1014]

Under the Franchise Agreement TS1 applies until May 19. TSR 2 May 19-May 20, TSR 3 from May 20. You can see that the only way to achieve the minimum number of stops specified at Stortford/Harlow T/Tottenham Hale is for current stopping patterns to be maintained, more or less. In fact in the combined periods 0200-0659 and 0700-0959 the number of stops at Tott Hale in the up direction is TSR 1 38, 2 42, 3 42, so very similar to today.

The plan may well have been to use 10 car 720s on WA, but I think that will have to be revised. 10 car 720s cant go to Hertford East nor Kings Lynn. Infrastructure work to accommodate them should have been done this year per FA, but not done. CP6 enhancements plan not been published, but doesnt look like work will be done before the 720s arrive, although of course when that will be no one knows taking into account the Goblin mess.

As an aside the changes due per TSR 2 May 19 are:
- hourly Norwich Camb extended to Stansted Apt
- Hertford East off peak 2TPH to 3TPH
- Southend Vic off peak 3TPH to 4TPH
- LivSt Ips hourly semifast extended to Norwich
- introduction of STAR

Will have to see what they actually get round to delivering

TSR-2 has already been delayed until December 2019 (at the earliest) as GA's timetable change for next May is not included in the RDG list of future major changes NR are commiting too.

 

[dk1]

Good grief, what do they expect might happen?
Bet there's a lot of interest in it at the depot! How long do you think it's likely to be before we see one out and about in daylight hours?

Will be a good while yet before it's allowed to do anything other than the SPZ testing. That's of course assuming that all goes well. It is still nothing to do with GA as not handed over.

 

[samuelmorris]

I think you're thinking of the wrong noise - there is a very distinctive sound that happens as the unit starts to pass (~4 seconds in), and again as the last vehicle passes the camera (~7 seconds in) - it's almost certainly going to be gearbox noise.

Not the wrong noise, seems I was looking at the wrong tweet - there's no evidence of it here https://twitter.com/i/status/1062985523936063488
but I can clearly see what you mean in https://twitter.com/greaterangliapr/status/1062965131062190081
Gearbox noise it is - it's remarkably similar to the noise they produce under power. Unless of course they can somehow use rheostatic braking when being pulled by a 66? The brakes will clearly be operative since there are no brake force wagons attached.

 

[delticdave]

Under the Franchise Agreement TS1 applies until May 19. TSR 2 May 19-May 20, TSR 3 from May 20. You can see that the only way to achieve the minimum number of stops specified at Stortford/Harlow T/Tottenham Hale is for current stopping patterns to be maintained, more or less. In fact in the combined periods 0200-0659 and 0700-0959 the number of stops at Tott Hale in the up direction is TSR 1 38, 2 42, 3 42, so very similar to today.

The plan may well have been to use 10 car 720s on WA, but I think that will have to be revised. 10 car 720s cant go to Hertford East nor Kings Lynn. Infrastructure work to accommodate them should have been done this year per FA, but not done. CP6 enhancements plan not been published, but doesnt look like work will be done before the 720s arrive, although of course when that will be no one knows taking into account the Goblin mess.

As an aside the changes due per TSR 2 May 19 are:
- hourly Norwich Camb extended to Stansted Apt
- Hertford East off peak 2TPH to 3TPH
- Southend Vic off peak 3TPH to 4TPH
- LivSt Ips hourly semifast extended to Norwich
- introduction of STAR

Will have to see what they actually get round to delivering

If / when the Southend service moves to 4 tph, will the Southminster branch will revert to 1 tph?
The current 40 minute interval service on the branch dovetails nicely with the 3 tph Southend trains,
but won't work well with 4 tph. A better frequency on the branch would be possible requiring 2 units & some extra passing loops...........

 

[dk1]

If / when the Southend service moves to 4 tph, will the Southminster branch will revert to 1 tph?
The current 40 minute interval service on the branch dovetails nicely with the 3 tph Southend trains,
but won't work well with 4 tph. A better frequency on the branch would be possible requiring 2 units & some extra passing loops...........

Would every 45mins work?