Locomotive Hauled GE Trains now no more

[Tio Terry]

I've just read an article in the Eastern Daily Press that tells us that the last timetabled loco hauled train on the GE between Liverpool St and Norwich has run. It says because of the Coronavirus issues there was no celebration run to mark this event, which seems a pity after about 170 years of loco hauled trains. Seems the 91's are off to freight work and the coaches will be scrapped because they don't comply with the current PRM requirements.

I remember watching Britannia's at Thorpe Junction as a child, EE Type 4's (D200 was one) and 47's before being part of the electrification project north of Colchester and the introduction of electrically hauled trains.

Seems a pity it's passed without some form of recognition.

 

[Brissle Girl]

I agree it's a shame, but in the grand scheme of things it falls into the very unimportant category at the moment. Though I am wishing I had caught a 91 on the services, as that would have been a real coup.

It's amazing how one's attitude to things that would have seemed important suddenly changes when one's main hope for the year is that I see the end of it.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

91? You mean 90’s. 91s are still in service with LNER and some of the 90s will be deployed on Blackpool-Euston services so all is not lost

 

[chubs]

As far as commuters and average travellers are concerned GOOD, good riddance.

Shame a farewell tour cant be organised for those interested but maybe in a few months time there will be enough junk left that hasn't been scrapped yet to cobble together to run a tour.

 

[Tio Terry]

91? You mean 90’s. 91s are still in service with LNER and some of the 90s will be deployed on Blackpool-Euston services so all is not lost

Sorry, dyslexic fingers!

 

[Tio Terry]

As far as commuters and average travellers are concerned GOOD, good riddance.

Shame a farewell tour cant be organised for those interested but maybe in a few months time there will be enough junk left that hasn't been scrapped yet to cobble together to run a tour.

Would be nice!

Maybe Britannia on the Norwich end and a preserved 40 (EE Type 4 to me!) on the London end! Yes, I'm dreaming again.

 

[brad465]

Was this the planned time for Class 90s to cease on this route, or has the emergency timetable meant that fewer services overall for the foreseeable future meant that the Stadler introduction has been sufficient enough to cover the current service?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Ahhhh, the days of the Stratford 47's....

 

[Domh245]

Was this the planned time for Class 90s to cease on this route, or has the emergency timetable meant that fewer services overall for the foreseeable future meant that the Stadler introduction has been sufficient enough to cover the current service?

The original plan was that they were all gone before 2020 (PRM-TSI deadline) but they were subsequently granted derogations until April because of lack of (reliable!) 745s so more or less on time to that plan. COVID19 will have shortened it by a little, but not much

 

[StephenHunter]

Even then, the plan was to put 321s on the rest of the diagrams after March.

 

[306024]

Ahhhh, the days of the Stratford 47's....

Now you are talking Everyone will have their favourite era.

The virus has done GA a favour with regard to the Mk3 withdrawal. Could have been a bit tight providing enough trains from 01/04/20.

 

[chubs]

The original plan was that they were all gone before 2020 (PRM-TSI deadline) but they were subsequently granted derogations until April because of lack of (reliable!) 745s so more or less on time to that plan. COVID19 will have shortened it by a little, but not much

I think you mean the lack of 745's rather than reliable ones? Reliability has been pretty good.

 

[NoMorePacers]

I think you mean the lack of 745's rather than reliable ones? Reliability has been pretty good.

Reliability was probably worse on the 90 sets in the past year.

 

[swt_passenger]

Was this the planned time for Class 90s to cease on this route, or has the emergency timetable meant that fewer services overall for the foreseeable future meant that the Stadler introduction has been sufficient enough to cover the current service?

Yes it was already the plan, the GA LHCS only had a PRM dispensation for use until 30 Mar 2020 - there’s another discussion about it in the rolling stock forum:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ga-class-90-mark-3-sets-withdrawal.197429/page-5#post-4508231

 

[Domh245]

I think you mean the lack of 745's rather than reliable ones? Reliability has been pretty good.

Generally yes, although there was a period following a lengthy sit-down for one of the units were nothing was introduced for a while. I think the debacle with the 755s at the end of last year also impacted on the introduction of the 745s