GEML franchise 2016

[Alfie1014]

The Aventras will be standard only.....3+2, high density. Supposedly!

I'll be surprised at that I doubt that the body shell would allow 2+3 seating, see this plan of the Crossrail

http://https://www.whatdotheyknow.c...ach/3/Q234 BMB R1 XMO CR001 50011 Rev 3.0.pdf stock which obviously will be different inside but does show the 2+2 seating in the middle of cars. I can see the cars being high density and possibly standard class only for the Southends, Herfords etc but I'll be surprised if the 5 cars which are likely to run all the way to Norwich for the 3rd train don't have 1st class?
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The Aventras will be standard only.....3+2, high density. Supposedly!

 

[david_VI]

Why are all of you missing one of the most shocking things in this franchise change? All this talk of trains and timetables pfft!

What about the fact we're changing to "East Anglia". Isn't that a ridiculous name?!
(Assuming they have to drop Abellio as I believe companies have to drop the company name now?)

Thanks for traveling with East Anglia. Just sounds odd.
Should have been THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY!

 

[SPADTrap]

Why are all of you missing one of the most shocking things in this franchise change? All this talk of trains and timetables pfft!

What about the fact we're changing to "East Anglia". Isn't that a ridiculous name?!
(Assuming they have to drop Abellio as I believe companies have to drop the company name now?)

Thanks for traveling with East Anglia. Just sounds odd.
Should have been THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY!

As far as I understand it's Abellio East Anglia trading as Greater Anglia.

 

[david_VI]

Dropping the Abellio and just Greater Anglia again? That's not as bad.

The artist impressions of new trains appear to have Abellio East Anglia on the side though

 

[ainsworth74]

I would say it's too early to tell what name the franchise will go with as no one has actually come out and conclusive said 'It will be called...'!

 

[Z12XE]

I would say it's too early to tell what name the franchise will go with as no one has actually come out and conclusive said 'It will be called...'!

Whilst it's legally Abellio East Anglia all the stuff so far says (as per Spadtraps post) its to be trading as Greater Anglia no mention of the Abellio word

 

[grumblingalong]

No announcement made no, but, you'd be wise to take SPADtrap's word on it.

 

[Brian Aylott]

Why are all of you missing one of the most shocking things in this franchise change? All this talk of trains and timetables pfft!

What about the fact we're changing to "East Anglia". Isn't that a ridiculous name?!
(Assuming they have to drop Abellio as I believe companies have to drop the company name now?)

Thanks for traveling with East Anglia. Just sounds odd.
Should have been THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY!

The Franchise is 'East Anglia' whatever the operator might call it
Brian

 

[Wivenswold]

I do not believe for a second that Abellio will forfeit 1st class fares on all stations south of Colchester, as suggested by the poster who believes that the Aventras will be standard class.

Some of the 5 car ones maybe.

A lot of people go into First Class at places like Billaricay, Colchester, Kelvedon and Chelmsford. If anything, I think Abellio will upgrade 1st class for commuters who usually use the tiny segment on the 321/360s. There will be uproar if they reduce 1st class capacity from the great and good in a predominately Tory area.

 

[lordbusiness]

Guess we'll have to wait and see!

 

[Wivenswold]

Yes, we will. If it happens there will be outrage within the grey hair/grey suit brigade.

I don't believe in different classes on trains anyway, so I'll be happy if it does happen.

 

[david_VI]

Now confirmed it's going back to Greater Anglia!!

 

[Mikey C]

Hoek is already at the point where the service is simply a Sprinter to Rotterdam, no long distance services there any more. It's not as if tickets for the ferry are that expensive, it's simply slow compared to Easyjet or Eurostar. It amazes me (vaguely on topic) that the boat trains to Cambridge still exist, though only connecting to the night ferries- is there any scope for more services to connect Ipswich and Harwich, or is capacity through Ipswich too constrained?

In the "good old days" there were DFDS ferries to Esberg (Denmark), Gothenburg and Hamburg as well. These also had connecting express trains to Liverpool Street

Those were nice ferries to travel on, a 24 hour mini cruise, so time to relax on board, but no more.

 

[dk1]

Now confirmed it's going back to Greater Anglia!!

Deep joy

 

[david_VI]

Deep joy

 

[jopsuk]

In the "good old days" there were DFDS ferries to Esberg (Denmark), Gothenburg and Hamburg as well. These also had connecting express trains to Liverpool Street

Those were nice ferries to travel on, a 24 hour mini cruise, so time to relax on board, but no more.

There's still services to Esberg, but only for unaccompanied lorry trailers (like the RoRos out of Purfleet, Tilbury, Felixstowe etc). I'd hope that as far as remaining tourist services go the connections from Britain have now stabilised following the budget airline revolution. Certainly (desperately getting back on topic) the Harwich-Hoek service saw a massive (ahem) investment in recent times with the Hollandica and Brittanica being the 3rd equal largest ferries in Europe and two of the newest, being launched 2010.

 

[F Great Eastern]

So they rebranded all the trains from Greater Anglia and now back again?

Height of stupidity/.

 

[WatcherZero]

Any update on Siemens legal challenge to the Bombardier portion of the order?

 

[DasLunatic]

So they rebranded all the trains from Greater Anglia and now back again?

Height of stupidity/.

At least the livery's not changing again...

 

[Z12XE]

So they rebranded all the trains from Greater Anglia and now back again?

Height of stupidity/.

Although Anglia Railways has been the only TOC in the area not to rebrand part way.

Great Eastern rebranded to First Great Eastern
West Anglia Great Northern (and Triangle Logo) rebranded to wagn (all lower case.

The whole One setup with its sub brands became National Express East Anglia

Stansted Express has had a multitude of logos over the various operators.

Greater Anglia became abellio greater anglia and now going to greater anglia.

At least this time they can just cut the leading word off all the vinyls etc

 

[SPADTrap]

I wouldn't worry about livery changes with an entire fleet replacement program looming.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Any update on Siemens legal challenge to the Bombardier portion of the order?

I was referencing that possibly happening in a round about way in my first paragraph here
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=2663392#post2663392

In answer to your question - unlikely to be an update as it stands.

 

[Mikey C]

I was referencing that possibly happening in a round about way in my first paragraph here
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=2663392#post2663392

In answer to your question - unlikely to be an update as it stands.

Seeing that the very non British Stadler won a decent chunk of the order, I can't see Siemens doing anything, especially with the shed loads of work they've got from the UK recently!

 

[WatcherZero]

As in it will be with the lawyers for months or the challenge being quietly resolved?

 

[GospelOak117]

I wouldn't worry about livery changes with an entire fleet replacement program looming.

With the frequency of unnecessary name changes in this region, the logo or livery of all the new trains will probably be obsolete within 2 months of their delivery.

At least the portion of AGA now transferred to London Overground will be maintaining a consistent image for many years to come.

 

[Bringback309s]

Dropping the Abellio and just Greater Anglia again? That's not as bad.

The artist impressions of new trains appear to have Abellio East Anglia on the side though

Have you got any links to those artis impressions? The only ones I've seen don't have any brandings

 

[transmanche]

Now confirmed it's going back to Greater Anglia!!

With or without the 'Abellio' prefix, 'Greater Anglia' is a terrible trading/brand name. Fine to use for the DfT's franchise name (which as the old name, but is now called 'East Anglia') but awful to use as a trading name.

'Anglia' would be a much better name, or as suggested elsewhere 'Great Eastern'.

 

[Wivenswold]

I'm probably going to send myself insane working out deployment of the new trains. But in the absence of any detail from Abellio here's my best guess is based on the current fleet

Anglia
1 or 2 car trains replaced with 14 x Stadler - 3 cars & 4 x Stadler 4 cars
3 car trains replaced with 8 x Stadler 4 cars
IC units replaced with 10 x Stadler 12 cars
And approximately 8 x Stadler 4 cars.

West Anglia
22 EMUs replaced with 10 x Stadler 12 cars.
6 EMUs replaced with 6 x Stadler 4 cars (possibly LST - NRW via Stansted?)
48 EMUs replaced with 48 x Aventra 5 cars

Great Eastern
41 EMUs replaced with 41 x Aventra 5 cars
66 EMUs replaced with 22 x Aventra 10 cars
6 EMUs replaced with 6 x Stadler 4 cars (possibly for Harwich/Walton and or Sudbury branch)

Leaves 2 GE EMUs unreplaced but that would be absorbed by reduction in spares needed for newer, less diverse fleet.

The above is based on a lot of speculation and my assumption that the additional units on the way are to increase spare capacity for the older fleet and provide a float to allow more units to go away for refurbishment.

Someone may have more of a clue than me though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's still services to Esberg, but only for unaccompanied lorry trailers (like the RoRos out of Purfleet, Tilbury, Felixstowe etc). I'd hope that as far as remaining tourist services go the connections from Britain have now stabilised following the budget airline revolution. Certainly (desperately getting back on topic) the Harwich-Hoek service saw a massive (ahem) investment in recent times with the Hollandica and Brittanica being the 3rd equal largest ferries in Europe and two of the newest, being launched 2010.

The Hamburg ferry effectively died when it was moved to Cuxhaven, FWIW. The early morning run down the Elbe was what made it special.

But yes, when I last used it if you wanted to fly it was BA, Lufty or don't bother

 

[dk1]

With or without the 'Abellio' prefix, 'Greater Anglia' is a terrible trading/brand name. Fine to use for the DfT's franchise name (which as the old name, but is now called 'East Anglia') but awful to use as a trading name.

'Anglia' would be a much better name, or as suggested elsewhere 'Great Eastern'.

Can't agree more. Been embarrassed to work under such a hideous title since 2012 & seems like the shame is set to continue. Cannot get a grip as to why either. Oh well, take the money & shut it dk1.