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Greater Anglia Bombardier Aventras (Class 720): Technical discussion and introduction

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RailWonderer

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Not any more. 15:44 now forms 16:02 and 16:14 forms 16:32 according to Real Time Trains
Presumably this is for social distancing, so that no 4 car trains run at any time of day. That might explain why 4 car 360s in the middle of the day have been replaced with 8 car bins and all 360s are working in 8 car now.
 

samuelmorris

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Do you remember how awful that was? Trains often severely overcrowded & punters in all the wrong areas on the platforms. Twice I seem to recall it being brought in then abolished again. Woulsnt cope now with all the Stratford traffic.
Before I commuted to London, most of our rail journeys were Sundays and thus 4-car 315s for years. Absolutely awful, conditions just as bad as weekday peaks were in 2019. A disgrace that it continued for so long.
 

Shunter_69

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Presumably this is for social distancing, so that no 4 car trains run at any time of day. That might explain why 4 car 360s in the middle of the day have been replaced with 8 car bins and all 360s are working in 8 car now.

its a permanent diagram rather than for social distancing.
 

Class 170101

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Presumably this is for social distancing, so that no 4 car trains run at any time of day. That might explain why 4 car 360s in the middle of the day have been replaced with 8 car bins and all 360s are working in 8 car now.

RTT suggests its permanent too.
 

iphone76

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I think the 1513 Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria is still a 4 car train and rammed still as its the penultimate Romford stopper before the evening peak.

Is there any news on when we may see the first 720 in passenger service? I was led to believe it was planned for 24th August, but nothing happened.
 

dk1

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I think the 1513 Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria is still a 4 car train and rammed still as its the penultimate Romford stopper before the evening peak.

Is there any news on when we may see the first 720 in passenger service? I was led to believe it was planned for 24th August, but nothing happened.
Towards the end of the year I thought but might be surprised.
 

Shunter_69

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Southend and Ilford well on their way and classroom training for Colchester started last month.
 

James321

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Hello, I just wondered asking.

Ilford drivers sign Southend, Southminster Braintree, Ipswich, Harwich Town

Southend drivers sign Southend, Braintree, Southminster

I am correct ?
 

Gulf1159

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Hello, I just wondered asking.

Ilford drivers sign Southend, Southminster Braintree, Ipswich, Harwich Town

Southend drivers sign Southend, Braintree, Southminster

I am correct ?

Definitely correct regarding Southend. Ilford is correct too but I believe they sign Clacton too
 

Shunter_69

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Exactly my thoughts. Especially with the overall plan to be rolling out to the West side late next year it covers all bases.
 

SamuelPlaysMC

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I think it'll be ASDO everywhere but there's still plenty of infrastructure works to be done such as at HFE and moving signals at other locations.
The whole Hertford East branchline cannot handle 10 car 720s due to signals and platform lengths
 

Peter Sarf

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Toilet provision-wise 3 loos in a 10 car unit isn't all that bad, the GA Class 745 12 car units only have five loos, many 4 car units too such as Class 331 and Class 319 only have one. Even worse the Class 345 9 car units have NO toilets despite when Crossrail opens Reading to Shenfield and Abbey Wood been a fair distance with no onboard toilets.

I seem to recall a 319 had two loos - facing each other across the gangway at one end of the coach. I could be wrong and thinking of some other Mk3 unit and it does not leave me recalling an accessible loo ?.
 

py_megapixel

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I seem to recall a 319 had two loos - facing each other across the gangway at one end of the coach. I could be wrong and thinking of some other Mk3 unit and it does not leave me recalling an accessible loo ?.
I believe you are correct; however in the past few years the original toilets have been removed in favour of a single, larger accessible toilet, as you can see here (not my photo):
The interior of a class 319 - to the left is a large round sliding door leading to the accessible toilet, with some seats in front.
 
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Peter Sarf

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Railperf

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ANy Class 720 updates on fault free running - entry into service. I would imagine that now the majority of 710's are in service, Bombardier may have more resource to put behind the 720's?
 
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1601201429232.png
While not an update to fault-free running there are some introduction time estimates; the 720s will be entering service in under 4 days on the Southend Victoria branch! :lol:
 

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