Greater Anglia Unit Failures

[colchesterken]

The history is that if you improve a line usage increases
I remember Barking-Gospel Oak in steam days minimal traffic. now look at it...remember Thameslink when Ken first reopened it.no one thought it would work out.East Suffolk line!
If they did the full monty in the line it may help regenerate Felixstowe they may get some day trips and some industry

 

[eastdyke]

I think the answer is to get together Hutchinson and Network rail. share the cost, and double and electrify the line then you could have a train every few mins.
class 92 have the power to keep up with the e m u
And my favorite bandwagon run the cl 306 as a shuittle Ipswich to Flex

Hutchison (only 1 'n') should pay the whole cost, along with the provision of any enhanced passenger service as a thank you to the people of Felixstowe. Spring Road viaduct presents a nice engineering issue to solve economically for any full doubling along with the close proximity of the houses/bungalows at the Felixstowe end of Felixstowe Road in Ipswich.

As far as industry goes (your later post) then finding a location in Felixstowe might be problematic but it would be a very nice touch to see the camping coaches return to somewhere close to their old location near Pier Station for 'holidaymakers'. Perhaps Hutchison could arrange that too?

 

[samuelmorris]

Improved services would undoubtedly generate extra demand, but the sort of service increase that'd mandate electrification and line doubling would represent almost an order of magnitude increase in line capacity. I'm sceptical you'd be able to make that much difference. In my experience it's only availability of destinations and tph that would increase usage, not simply train length as that's solely capacity-based, so to make a big difference you'd have to be at 2tph at least, if not 3-4.

 

[eastdyke]

Another one bites the dust! From NRE, first posted at 06.33 today:

'A broken down train at North Walsham is causing disruption. One of the units which usually runs between Norwich and Sheringham / Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft has developed a fault and needs to be withdrawn from service. Because of this a reduced service will run between these stations.

Replacement buses have been requested but are not available at this time.'

A great shame as Sheringham's are due to be a little busier than usual with the NNR Steam Gala this weekend.

AGA really does need to step up - all these shortages have been allowed to drag on far too long without any obvious management urgency.

What do you think?

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

Another one bites the dust! From NRE, first posted at 06.33 today:

'A broken down train at North Walsham is causing disruption. One of the units which usually runs between Norwich and Sheringham / Great Yarmouth / Lowestoft has developed a fault and needs to be withdrawn from service. Because of this a reduced service will run between these stations.

Replacement buses have been requested but are not available at this time.'

A great shame as Sheringham's are due to be a little busier than usual with the NNR Steam Gala this weekend.

AGA really does need to step up - all these shortages have been allowed to drag on far too long without any obvious management urgency.

What do you think?

It's not broken down mechanically. A bird has flown into the windscreen and smashed the drivers side.

 

[dk1]

170207 has a suffered a smashed windscreen this morning following a bird strike. Nothing else in reserve so cancellations will be rife today. The hauled set will be kept busy & possibly an EMT158 although the latter only after 19.30. City are playing at home too so going to be testing.

 

[eastdyke]

Thanks both for the info. sincerely hope that the driver involved is ok.

And please forgive me for interpreting 'developed a fault' as a mechanical issue!

Nonetheless the knife edge balance on which all AGA rural services are now run is not consistent with a management in full control. There is no 'on the ground' evidence of any improvement at all. Unit's/coaches away for refurbishment/painting, flood damage, operational damage should all be part of the model.

 

[dk1]

It's taken this long & so much bad press to disband an Intercity set & return the others to full strength. Dusty bins now cover a Lst diagram starting with the 06.25 Nrw. Been a terrible way to treat commuters on the main line too with little thought.

 

[GB]

Doubling the entire line seems like far too much engineering for the use Felixstowe gets.

The doubling of the branch (or a portion of it) is mainly aimed at the increase in freight which is why The Port of Felixstowe are stumping up some of the cash for it.

 

[306024]

Thanks both for the info. sincerely hope that the driver involved is ok.

And please forgive me for interpreting 'developed a fault' as a mechanical issue!

Nonetheless the knife edge balance on which all AGA rural services are now run is not consistent with a management in full control. There is no 'on the ground' evidence of any improvement at all. Unit's/coaches away for refurbishment/painting, flood damage, operational damage should all be part of the model.

AGA (and NXEA before them) have been trying to obtain additional spare cover for DMUs for over two years now. No other TOC is willing to give up units, spare DMUs simply don't exist and the DfT know it.

They have learnt the hard way that the MkIII repaint cannot be done within the existing spare coaches, so look out for 321 448 on the Norwich road for a while to come.

 

[eastdyke]

AGA (and NXEA before them) have been trying to obtain additional spare cover for DMUs for over two years now. No other TOC is willing to give up units, spare DMUs simply don't exist and the DfT know it.

They have learnt the hard way that the MkIII repaint cannot be done within the existing spare coaches, so look out for 321 448 on the Norwich road for a while to come.

I know that. But well over 2 years is simply not acceptable. AGA should be running 2/3 'short' top/tail formations in the absence of anything else.

Everything seems to to fit the maxim 'let's face it things can't get any worse'. So we did nothing and sure enough things got worse.

I don't think that anyone has learnt anything at all!

 

[colchesterken]

One of the most foward thinking rail companies is Chiltern. They eased their problem by pressing the cl 121 bubblecar into service on the Ayles-Risb shuttle
How about anglia hiring in some preserved dmus if they ran on a limited service line like the east suffolk
line could they get an exemption fron latest safety gismos

 

[dk1]

Shove a bubble on the Felixstowe would be good but when you take into account maintaining them, technical training, crew training, assisting if failed it becomes very messy & complicated.

 

[zn1]

so may I ask what is the current Miles per casualty on the ilford and clacton allocations ?

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

so may I ask what is the current Miles per casualty on the ilford and clacton allocations ?

There are no Clacton allocations. All the Electric Units are allocated to Ilford, all the Diesel Units plus the Class 90's and hauled sets are allocated to Crown Point.

No idea what the MPC's are, but I would imagine the Class 360's are sitting quite pretty on top with Class 379's and Class 90's (the locos standing alone without the coaching stock) not too far behind.

 

[306024]

Shove a bubble on the Felixstowe would be good but when you take into account maintaining them, technical training, crew training, assisting if failed it becomes very messy & complicated.

Been there before. Remember when Anglia Railways stopped supplying a DMU to First Great Eastern for the Sudbury line and 121s were hastily pressed into service. It was made to work due to the dedication of some of the drivers and driver managers at Colchester, but even then was not totally reliable. Most of those guys have long retired.

One failure on the Felixstowe branch and the freight delays would cost a fortune.

I know that. But well over 2 years is simply not acceptable. AGA should be running 2/3 'short' top/tail formations in the absence of anything else.

Which would have to be hired in at a cost and agreed with DfT. The situation has only become dramatically worse with the 153 that drowned, but that is all it takes. Stamping feet and saying it is unacceptable is fair enough, but a workable solution takes time to implement.

 

[LowLevel]

121 expiring on the Felixstowe would be less of an issue than in most locations surely Plenty of loco hauled freight trains and a unit with sensible coupling arrangements makes it reasonably easy to shove out of the way unless it seizes up!

 

[johnnyp_360]

A 153 seems to be doing the Ipswich - Peterbourgh service today. It also appears to terminate in Stowmatket.

 

[eastdyke]

A 153 seems to be doing the Ipswich - Peterbourgh service today. It also appears to terminate in Stowmatket.

Europa Junction (Bacon Chord Stowmarket side) is being connected up this weekend.

Norwich - Stowmarket - Ipswich is all bustitution.

 

[CockneySparrow]

It's not broken down mechanically. A bird has flown into the windscreen and smashed the drivers side.

Details here http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co....fter_bird_strike_damages_windscreen_1_3405582

Update: train disruption between Norwich, Sheringham, Yarmouth and Lowestoft may continue on Monday after bird strike damages windscreen
The Bittern Line, approaching Cromer Station.
Alex Hurrell, Reporter Saturday, March 8, 2014
1:23 PM

Rail users travelling between Norwich and Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft face disruption today - possibly extending into next week - after a dawn bird strike put a train out of action this morning.

The 5.40am Bittern Line train from Norwich to Sheringham suffered a bird strike near Worstead, damaging its windscreen, according to Geraint Hughes, spokesman for rail operator Abellio Greater Anglia.

The damage was such that the train had to be taken out of service straight away, creating a critical shortage which was also affecting services between Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Trains cancellations this afternoon are: 13:36 Norwich to Great Yarmouth; 14:17 Great Yarmouth to Norwich; 14:58 Norwich to Lowestoft; 15:48 Lowestoft to Norwich; 16:45 Norwich to Sheringham; 17:49 Sheringham to Norwich; 19:05 Norwich to Lowestoft; 19:55 Lowestoft to Norwich; 21:05 Norwich to Lowestoft

Some of these services might be reinstated if resources become available.

Customers have also been advised that rail replacement buses may run instead of the trains, but resources are very limited.

Mr Hughes said there was an overall shortage of diesel trains and the latest setback came at a time when another was out-of-service for repairs following a recent fatality in the Stowmarket area.

Greater Anglia was carrying out two refurbishment programmes which meant individual trains were routinely out of use for periods of time.

“In broad terms we are five or six trains short of our full complement. Normally we have about three or four spare in any one day but these latest incidents mean that we are now right on the limit of availability,” he added.

He did not expect tomorrow’s, less frequent, Sunday services to be affected but said Monday would again be a “critical” time.

“We will review the situation day by day,” Mr Hughes added.

He did not know how many passengers had been on this morning’s train, or whether the strike was caused by a single bird, or more.

Normal practice was for passengers to get off at the next station from where taxis would be hired to take them onward.

For those affected by cancelled trains, valid Abellio Greater Anglia ticket holders will be accepted on local bus routes, X44, 44A, 44B and 55 on the Norwich to Sheringham route, which are operated by Sanders Coaches.

Valid Abellio Greater Anglia ticket holders will also be accepted on First Norfolk local bus routes X1 and X2 between Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth and Norwich, until 21:00.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Which would have to be hired in at a cost and agreed with DfT. The situation has only become dramatically worse with the 153 that drowned, but that is all it takes. Stamping feet and saying it is unacceptable is fair enough, but a workable solution takes time to implement.

Would it be feasible for GA to borrow stock from NNR or Mid Norfolk, its not exactly busy for them and they could do with the money

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

Details here http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co....fter_bird_strike_damages_windscreen_1_3405582

Update: train disruption between Norwich, Sheringham, Yarmouth and Lowestoft may continue on Monday after bird strike damages windscreen
The Bittern Line, approaching Cromer Station.
Alex Hurrell, Reporter Saturday, March 8, 2014
1:23 PM

Rail users travelling between Norwich and Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft face disruption today - possibly extending into next week - after a dawn bird strike put a train out of action this morning.

The 5.40am Bittern Line train from Norwich to Sheringham suffered a bird strike near Worstead, damaging its windscreen, according to Geraint Hughes, spokesman for rail operator Abellio Greater Anglia.

The damage was such that the train had to be taken out of service straight away, creating a critical shortage which was also affecting services between Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Trains cancellations this afternoon are: 13:36 Norwich to Great Yarmouth; 14:17 Great Yarmouth to Norwich; 14:58 Norwich to Lowestoft; 15:48 Lowestoft to Norwich; 16:45 Norwich to Sheringham; 17:49 Sheringham to Norwich; 19:05 Norwich to Lowestoft; 19:55 Lowestoft to Norwich; 21:05 Norwich to Lowestoft

Some of these services might be reinstated if resources become available.

Customers have also been advised that rail replacement buses may run instead of the trains, but resources are very limited.

Mr Hughes said there was an overall shortage of diesel trains and the latest setback came at a time when another was out-of-service for repairs following a recent fatality in the Stowmarket area.

Greater Anglia was carrying out two refurbishment programmes which meant individual trains were routinely out of use for periods of time.

“In broad terms we are five or six trains short of our full complement. Normally we have about three or four spare in any one day but these latest incidents mean that we are now right on the limit of availability,” he added.

He did not expect tomorrow’s, less frequent, Sunday services to be affected but said Monday would again be a “critical” time.

“We will review the situation day by day,” Mr Hughes added.

He did not know how many passengers had been on this morning’s train, or whether the strike was caused by a single bird, or more.

Normal practice was for passengers to get off at the next station from where taxis would be hired to take them onward.

For those affected by cancelled trains, valid Abellio Greater Anglia ticket holders will be accepted on local bus routes, X44, 44A, 44B and 55 on the Norwich to Sheringham route, which are operated by Sanders Coaches.

Valid Abellio Greater Anglia ticket holders will also be accepted on First Norfolk local bus routes X1 and X2 between Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth and Norwich, until 21:00.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Would it be feasible for GA to borrow stock from NNR or Mid Norfolk, its not exactly busy for them and they could do with the money

There's the issue of the stock being certified to run on the mainline- the NNR coaches are all vacuum braked, not compatable with anything GA have. Both the NNR & MNR have nothing mainline certified. There's the issue of crew training, both for the stock to be driven and travelled on, plus maintained. Not feasible.

 

[87015]

Which would have to be hired in at a cost and agreed with DfT. The situation has only become dramatically worse with the 153 that drowned, but that is all it takes. Stamping feet and saying it is unacceptable is fair enough, but a workable solution takes time to implement.

Abellio signed up to deliver the service with the franchised unit fleet - don't see why the DfT should bail them - out in a proper "private" world, they should be taken to cleaners and not allowed to just "PG" it all to protect figures.

 

[northernrailer]

When the service was operated by Anglia Railways, they were made to loose a total of 3 units (4 carriages) to Wales & Borders.
153311, 153326 & 150245 were lost.

Then Arriva Trains Wales lost 153311, 153313 & 153326 and these were sent to One Anglia, these 3 units should have been kept and not sent to EMT.

London Midland lent NXEA 153354 & 153364, and then Arriva Trains Wales lent NXEA / GA 150280.

EMT lent GA 156415 for a month whilst Nottingham station was being rebuilt.


I really do believe the DfT should make Northern Rail, London Midland, Arriva Trains Wales and FGW send 1 class 153 each then its fair and would really help Greater Anglia out of a mess, surely there is no other TOC who is suffering as much as GA are right now.

Its plain to see that there is a real unit shortage in the Anglia area, in the past couple of years the following units have been loaned to help out: 150280, 153354, 153364, 156415 - does this not identify a real problem.

NR, LM, ATW & FGW wouldn't miss 1 carriage each! and im sure if they were in a mess like GA are, the DfT would be ordering other TOCs to help out - unfortunately this is privatisation for you, had this been BR units would have been sourced from other parts of the country to help out.

 

[dk1]

Well 170207 never came good due to issues getting 205 into traffic but hey-ho, the hauled set remained in service til the 20.40 Yarco (maybe longer) & East Mids 158 hired in for the 19.33 Gym & 21.05 Lwt. Many locals resembeled tube trains due to footy too. Variety is the spice of life

 

[doris]

**** poor management continues at GA. They cant hire anything in from other TOCs because they don't have any proactive initiative. Sitting on their arses safe in the knowledge they will get TUPE'd across at the next franchise change.

 

[eastdyke]

.......

Which would have to be hired in at a cost and agreed with DfT. The situation has only become dramatically worse with the 153 that drowned, but that is all it takes. Stamping feet and saying it is unacceptable is fair enough, but a workable solution takes time to implement.

Stamping feet?

You bet! This situation is a continuance of the laissez-faire apparent attitude of AGA and typified by the statement given out yesterday by Geraint Hughes, spokesman for rail operator Abellio Greater Anglia!

The statement included:
“In broad terms we are five or six trains short of our full complement. Normally we have about three or four spare in any one day but these latest incidents mean that we are now right on the limit of availability,”

Exactly when Mr Hughes did AGA have 3 or 4 spare in any one day?
And with cancellations and short formations how can AGA not be well beyond the limit of availability?

AGA are not talking straight.

AGA need to say just exactly what has been / is being done to give the long sufferering pax the services promised at the beginning.

 

[Qwerty133]

When the service was operated by Anglia Railways, they were made to loose a total of 3 units (4 carriages) to Wales & Borders.
153311, 153326 & 150245 were lost.

Then Arriva Trains Wales lost 153311, 153313 & 153326 and these were sent to One Anglia, these 3 units should have been kept and not sent to EMT.

London Midland lent NXEA 153354 & 153364, and then Arriva Trains Wales lent NXEA / GA 150280.

EMT lent GA 156415 for a month whilst Nottingham station was being rebuilt.


I really do believe the DfT should make Northern Rail, London Midland, Arriva Trains Wales and FGW send 1 class 153 each then its fair and would really help Greater Anglia out of a mess, surely there is no other TOC who is suffering as much as GA are right now.

Its plain to see that there is a real unit shortage in the Anglia area, in the past couple of years the following units have been loaned to help out: 150280, 153354, 153364, 156415 - does this not identify a real problem.

NR, LM, ATW & FGW wouldn't miss 1 carriage each! and im sure if they were in a mess like GA are, the DfT would be ordering other TOCs to help out - unfortunately this is privatisation for you, had this been BR units would have been sourced from other parts of the country to help out.

Yes they would, the only thing that needs looking at is if GA could temporarily swap a 156 with 2 153s from either EMT or NR, who are both struggling to keep to booked formations and the former used a meridian on local services at the end of last year when they had a shortage of local units.

 

[captainbigun]

Abellio signed up to deliver the service with the franchised unit fleet - don't see why the DfT should bail them - out in a proper "private" world, they should be taken to cleaners and not allowed to just "PG" it all to protect figures.

It's worse than that....they said they could deliver it with less units, handing back the 317/7s.

I don't doubt that many franchises are farcical, but Abellio have made the GE worse than it was under NE, and that has taken some doing.

I don't suppose Haket's replacement will do any more than his predecessor to sort or understand the mess.

 

[Bishopstone]

When you look at the situation on AGA; the issues with the transfer of DMU stock from TPE to Chiltern; the overcrowding on many FGW services and the crush conditions on certain Marshlink/Uckfield trains - to give just a few examples - the answer is quite obvious: the network needs more DMUs.

Government (current and previous) has presided over a massive growth in the population through immigration, and now appears surprised that some of these incomers, not to mention the rest of us, need to get around the country. I have sympathy with the TOCs and the industry at large, made to play the role of fall guy for utterly incompetent Government who still refuse to accept that more people = greater demand for services.

The need for more capacity is now, not in ten years time when some of these electrification schemes and consequent cascades start to be implemented. They should just get on with it and order a couple of hundred DMU coaches, which in the fullness of time can allow the industry to retire vehicles of 1980s vintage, by then 40 years old.

 

[Jala_150]

It's worse than that....they said they could deliver it with less units, handing back the 317/7s.

I don't doubt that many franchises are farcical, but Abellio have made the GE worse than it was under NE, and that has taken some doing.

I don't suppose Haket's replacement will do any more than his predecessor to sort or understand the mess.

A number of 317/7s are currently back at Ilford, though not sure what the plan is with them.

A couple can be seen when passing at the 7 kings end of the depot.

The 317/7s were replaced by the 379s and during the National Express days were left in the Aldersbrook sidings getting vandalised and slowly falling to pieces.