[oliMw]

Hi, wandering wether having a Stansted Express Service to Norwich would be viable, with the Ely North Junction set to be Upgraded and High demand for the Norwich - Cambridge route, Would it be possible to Intergrate this Service into a Half Hourly Norwich - Cambridge Service with an hourly extension to Stansted Airport using Class 170s?

[SprinterMan]

Originally Posted by oliMw

Hi, wandering wether having a Stansted Express Service to Norwich would be viable, with the Ely North Junction set to be Upgraded and High demand for the Norwich - Cambridge route, Would it be possible to Intergrate this Service into a Half Hourly Norwich - Cambridge Service with an hourly extension to Stansted Airport using Class 170s?

Certainly would be feasible. It would be very nice if this happened, but lack of stock and maybe lack of platforms at Stansted could be a problem.

Adam

[gordonthemoron]

since this service would probably have to share platform with XC, they'd have to cut back the XC layover at Stansted (45 mins)

[Sir_Clagalot]

Wire Ely-Norwich and extend the Stansted Expresses through to Norwich, but dont advertise it at Liv St/Norwich as being a through train as it's quicker via Ipswich!!

[HLE 13]

Originally Posted by Sir_Clagalot

Wire Ely-Norwich and extend the Stansted Expresses through to Norwich, but dont advertise it at Liv St/Norwich as being a through train as it's quicker via Ipswich!!

How many of the 170s are required to work Cambridge to Norwich?

If the above did happen, would there be enough 317s for example to operate between Norwich and Cambridge?

[oliMw]

I think it is about 4 but I am not to Sure

[317666]

I think three 170s tend to be allocated to Cambridge - Norwich services each day, but then there's also the Cambridge - Ipswich, Ipswich - Lowestoft and Ipswich - Peterborough services they are used on too, and Greater Anglia have a shortage of DMUs as it is.

[Big Chris]

3 units are required to run the Norwich to Cambridge service

[David10]

Originally Posted by Sir_Clagalot

Wire Ely-Norwich and extend the Stansted Expresses through to Norwich, but dont advertise it at Liv St/Norwich as being a through train as it's quicker via Ipswich!!

Ely-Norwich is probably priority number 178 on the list of lines to be electrified, ie no chance.

[jopsuk]

Originally Posted by Sir_Clagalot

Wire Ely-Norwich and extend the Stansted Expresses through to Norwich, but dont advertise it at Liv St/Norwich as being a through train as it's quicker via Ipswich!!

I agree on the "wire it up" bit, but not the "make it a through train" bit- pointless. Better run as an extension of the Norwich-Cambridge service, perhaps calling all-stations Cambridge-Airport. I know this would be fairly slow, but it would give those stations a second hourly link to Cambridge- the XC service stops only at Audley End.

There's the 317/7 fleet sitting spare.

[LE Greys]

Originally Posted by jopsuk

I agree on the "wire it up" bit, but not the "make it a through train" bit- pointless. Better run as an extension of the Norwich-Cambridge service, perhaps calling all-stations Cambridge-Airport. I know this would be fairly slow, but it would give those stations a second hourly link to Cambridge- the XC service stops only at Audley End.

There's the 317/7 fleet sitting spare.

Ely-Peterborough also needs wiring, which would give container traffic a second electrified route to Felixstowe (albeit a bit of a roundabout one unless they did Ely-Stowmarket just for freight) and act as a diversionary route for the ECML. Really, the best answer is to rebuilt the route from Braintree and divert it to Stansted, making that a through station (the XC layover could turn into an extension to Colchester or Chelmsford) but I do like the idea of the Norwich-Cambridge service extending to Stansted.

[David10]

Originally Posted by HLE 13

How many of the 170s are required to work Cambridge to Norwich?

Service requires 3 170s. 170270-273 were built specifically for this service although now 3 car 170s are normally used.

[Bald Rick]

Originally Posted by SprinterMan

Certainly would be feasible. It would be very nice if this happened, but lack of stock and maybe lack of platforms at Stansted could be a problem.

Adam

And lack of a 2nd bore of Stansted Tunnel...

[TheBigD]

Originally Posted by David10

Service requires 3 170s. 170270-273 were built specifically for this service although now 3 car 170s are normally used.

The current service utilises 4 x 170's, though only 3 are in use at a time. The 1940 ex Norwich & return is booked a 2 car whilst all the rest are 3 car units.

On Sundays 4 units are required for most of the day.