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

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eastdyke

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.......
From recollection Bombardier had completed at least 8x 720s at least a month ago.
Software and training being the main obstacles.
But no sign of mainline mileage accumulation yet.
I remember GA stating a milestone of 100 x 720 carriages completed.

Reference made in BBC Look East can be found here [BBC sign in required, available to 18.55 10/12 only]:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000c78m/look-east-evening-news-09122019
The rail issues feature starts around 5 mins in, the reference to Bombardier around 7 mins.
The presenter quoted Bombardier as having said that the 720s would be delayed from January to Spring, reason 'software'.
 

St. Paddy

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Any links to that? I find that a little difficult to believe, but would like to know more and it ought not to be discussed here.
Just stories circulating on the GN at the moment. Class 700 are only doing just over 10,000 miles between failures apparently against a planned 40,000+, so there have been cancellations due to the shortages. With the Cambridge-Maidstone service not happening anytime soon, this could be a short term solution. Also, may be more 365s coming back on lease. Just rumours at the moment though
 

Class 170101

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The Class 365 rumour seems more plausible than the Class 379 rumour particularly as GN still has Class 365s and drivers that sign them so no training required as well as fitters and fleet teams that are familiar with them unlike the Class 379s which whilst similar to Class 387s would still probably need conversion training for crews and maintainers.
 

samuelmorris

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The Class 365 rumour seems more plausible than the Class 379 rumour particularly as GN still has Class 365s and drivers that sign them so no training required as well as fitters and fleet teams that are familiar with them unlike the Class 379s which whilst similar to Class 387s would still probably need conversion training for crews and maintainers.
This probably needs its own thread if it hasn't already got one...
 

47421

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379 lease has been extended.

From recollection Bombardier had completed at least 8x 720s at least a month ago.
Software and training being the main obstacles.
But no sign of mainline mileage accumulation yet.

AFAIK no 720 has turned a wheel on normal NR track. They have moved under own power at Old Dalby but apparently were taken there by road. Speculating, but presumably NR are not satisfied they are safe cus software is defective.
 

ashkeba

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The Class 365 rumour seems more plausible than the Class 379 rumour particularly as GN still has Class 365s and drivers that sign them so no training required as well as fitters and fleet teams that are familiar with them unlike the Class 379s which whilst similar to Class 387s would still probably need conversion training for crews and maintainers.
Reintroducing old replaced trains would be embarrassing and further increase the feeling that Cambridge GTR services are a specially unloved bit of a sin-eater franchise.
 

59CosG95

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Reintroducing old replaced trains would be embarrassing and further increase the feeling that Cambridge GTR services are a specially unloved bit of a sin-eater franchise.
You'd be surprised how many people seem to prefer the 365s, with their hopper windows, comfortable seats, and better seating plan than the 700s...
 

43096

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Still possible then but increasingly unlikely.

I'm fairly confident at least all the 745/0s will be in service by the time the 360s go off-lease so 321 substitution should be minimal by then. I anticipate the third Norwich service being pushed back until the entirety of the legacy fleet is gone, and then quite possibly eventually being abandoned, at least until the next franchise award. Most of the other franchise commitments were abandoned, so given the operational challenges of delivering that, seems fairly likely until better protection is put in place for franchise commitments or Mr. Corbyn has control of matters (context-only: I do not support that idea).
I cannot see the 360s being retained much beyond the current lease end date. There is just no way DfT will be embarrassed by having no trains available for a newly electrified railway in 12 months time. It would be a national press issue, whereas some short-formed trains on GA wouldn’t.
 

hwl

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Better for Bombardier to sort the software issues on the LO 710s (just multi working left as major issue?) then effectively be able to use a lightly modified version for 720s and 701s hence the rate of delivery / entry into service could be quite rapid as soon as the software is sorted.
 

hwl

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I cannot see the 360s being retained much beyond the current lease end date. There is just no way DfT will be embarrassed by having no trains available for a newly electrified railway in 12 months time. It would be a national press issue, whereas some short-formed trains on GA wouldn’t.

They wouldn't necessarily need all of them to begin with e.g. just run 8 car on the EMR Corby services initially?
 

Astro_Orbiter

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AFAIK the 379's are being shipped to Gautrain in SA when they come off lease in August 20. Should be all if not most of the Stansted 745's in service by then
 

Failed Unit

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379s could well be going to GN to allow 387s to return south of the river as 700 availability is not as good as expected. Watch this space.
They have some (700s) running between Cambridge and Kings Cross that don’t need to be as the service is unlikely to ever go through the core. Bring the 365s out of retirement. Interesting however.
 

James321

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If possible renatus class 321 to cover class 360 when go to off lease in August 2020?
 

47421

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AFAIK the 379's are being shipped to Gautrain in SA when they come off lease in August 20. Should be all if not most of the Stansted 745's in service by then

Thats a new one, mind if I ask why you think they are going to South Africa?

Yes in theory the 745 should be in service by then, but very likely that GA will still be short of PRM-TSI compliant units, as they have not done the mods they promised to on 27x317s (only 2 or 3 done so far) and no one knows when the 720s will be available. Also assumption is that GA will continue to operate 4car units UFN on Hertford East services as 10car 720s wont fit.
 

Astro_Orbiter

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I'm sure I heard that on here somewhere, because they run electrostars over there and are in need of additional units. Not sure if they're taking all 30 units though. Also, I'm sure they will continue to run 8 car 317/379 on Hertford trains until the platform works are done next summer (?) I'm sure Hertford's will probably be the last GA services to run with legacy stock because of the issues there.
 

Chris125

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I'm sure I heard that on here somewhere, because they run electrostars over there and are in need of additional units. Not sure if they're taking all 30 units though. Also, I'm sure they will continue to run 8 car 317/379 on Hertford trains until the platform works are done next summer (?) I'm sure Hertford's will probably be the last GA services to run with legacy stock because of the issues there.

I've only ever seen it suggested as a possibility.
 

Fincra5

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I'm sure I heard that on here somewhere, because they run electrostars over there and are in need of additional units. Not sure if they're taking all 30 units though. Also, I'm sure they will continue to run 8 car 317/379 on Hertford trains until the platform works are done next summer (?) I'm sure Hertford's will probably be the last GA services to run with legacy stock because of the issues there.

I believe it was looked at but nothing more has been done :s
 

St. Paddy

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720509 moving to Ferme Park today according to Richard Clinnick on Twitter, topped and tailed by 47727/47749, the first move of one of them on the main line. Are they going to be testing on the GN or is it just for storage?
 

hwl

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720509 moving to Ferme Park today according to Richard Clinnick on Twitter, topped and tailed by 47727/47749, the first move of one of them on the main line. Are they going to be testing on the GN or is it just for storage?
Ferme Park could be for testing though southern ECML may not be the best choice given how packed it is/upcoming engineering work., but Hertford Loop for ETCS test facility? or a good hand over point on the way to Ilford? (Given plenty of GA stuff going to wheel lathe across the tracks already).

GA have very virtually no spare space currently so Ferme Park may be a sensible local sort term storage location no GTR have have finished the 313 to 717 change over.
 

noodlepoodle

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