Abellio Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[Railperf]

Rail magazine deputy editor claims Norwich to Cambridge services will be extended to Stansted from December 15th.

https://twitter.com/Clinnick1/status/1176789830455443456?s=20

 

[Carlgoss]

Walked past my first 755 on the platform, got a tingle as I went past the power unit. Looked at the passengers inside, and they looked 'flippin miserable'. Come on people! These are exciting times!
Oh and is it just another 'dodgy' rumour that the 745's are being delivered by sea (Southampton) rather than the tunnel? I thought they were loco hauled all the way through Europe?
Also that the Stadler guy that 'organised' the delivery of the units without seats has been 'let go'?

 

[dk1]

Rail magazine deputy editor claims Norwich to Cambridge services will be extended to Stansted from December 15th.

https://twitter.com/Clinnick1/status/1176789830455443456?s=20

The services have been displayed in RTT for several weeks.

 

[Railperf]

The services have been displayed in RTT for several weeks.

Oh okay. You can see I don't spend too much time on RTT then

 

[ashkeba]

The services have been displayed in RTT for several weeks.

How's what's shown in RTT going to work? Week of the 9th, off-peak Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx04 and leave at xx10, but week of the 16th, off-peak Norwich/Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx24 and leave at xx48, but in between there's a Liverpool St express arrives into platform 1 at xx27 and leaves xx45. How long is the platform and those two trains? How long is the 317 currently operating Cambridge-Stansted? Thanks for any info.

 

[Railperf]

How's what's shown in RTT going to work? Week of the 9th, off-peak Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx04 and leave at xx10, but week of the 16th, off-peak Norwich/Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx24 and leave at xx48, but in between there's a Liverpool St express arrives into platform 1 at xx27 and leaves xx45. How long is the platform and those two trains? How long is the 317 currently operating Cambridge-Stansted? Thanks for any info.

Platforms 1 and 2 hold 12 car trains. So the 755 will pull into P1. An 8-car 317 (or 379) will pull in behind it. After the 317 leaves for London, the 755 will leave for Norwich. Simples...until something goes wrong.

 

[dk1]

How's what's shown in RTT going to work? Week of the 9th, off-peak Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx04 and leave at xx10, but week of the 16th, off-peak Norwich/Cambridge services arrive into platform 1 at xx24 and leave at xx48, but in between there's a Liverpool St express arrives into platform 1 at xx27 and leaves xx45. How long is the platform and those two trains? How long is the 317 currently operating Cambridge-Stansted? Thanks for any info.

They can't run through to Stansted in the peaks (SX) due to pathing issues.

 

[Railperf]

Platforms 1 and 2 hold 12 car trains. So the 755 will pull into P1. An 8-car 317 (or 379) will pull in behind it. After the 317 leaves for London, the 755 will leave for Norwich. Simples...until something goes wrong.

It is going to be interesting if the inbound Norwich is late!

 

[47421]

Looks like they will generally use platform 3 at Stansted Apt, which is the longer of the two big platforms, it can accommodated 2x8car 379s so I think 1xbimode plus 1x12car StanExp Stadler will fit.
On Saturdays RTT shows platform 1. I think that is 12 car max. Not sure how that will work once the Stadlers are on the StanExp

Platform 2 is the bay. 4 car sprinters just fit in it. Does the 317 on the Cambridge / Stansted ever use it? Anyway given the long turnarounds the XC unit has it will generally not be free.

 

[dk1]

Looks like they will generally use platform 3 at Stansted Apt, which is the longer of the two big platforms, it can accommodated 2x8car 379s so I think 1xbimode plus 1x12car StanExp Stadler will fit.
On Saturdays RTT shows platform 1. I think that is 12 car max. Not sure how that will work once the Stadlers are on the StanExp

Platform 2 is the bay. 4 car sprinters just fit in it. Does the 317 on the Cambridge / Stansted ever use it? Anyway given the long turnarounds the XC unit has it will generally not be free.

There is a tight one on the afternoon from December that occupies plat 2 1531-1537 before returning to Norwich.

 

[47421]

Yes, I expect that will have to be a 3 car bi-mode

 

[ashkeba]

Looks like they will generally use platform 3 at Stansted Apt, which is the longer of the two big platforms, it can accommodated 2x8car 379s so I think 1xbimode plus 1x12car StanExp Stadler will fit.
On Saturdays RTT shows platform 1. I think that is 12 car max. Not sure how that will work once the Stadlers are on the StanExp[...]

It's showing platform 1 for Monday-Friday 16th-20th Dec. Platform 3 looks like it's usually occupied by the StanExp that arrives before and leaves before the Norwich service. The only Norwich departure showing for platform 3 is one at 2210 that relocates from platform 1.

 

[MrPIC]

Platform 1 at Stansted is the longest, can hold 2 X 8 car units. Platform 3 is 12 coaches long and platform 2 is 4 coaches long.
Once the airport Stadlers are in it's going to be tough because usually for a few minutes at least both the long platforms are filled with the just arrived stanex and the just about to go one. The XC sits in P2 for quite a while between trips.
I also heard that the distance between signals on the Stansted side of the tunnel is 8 coaches, so if you had a 12 car flirt waiting Stansted side for a platform it wouldn't clear the overlap at the other end to allow one up road into the tunnel. If that makes sense. Which would mean an inbound stanex would have to wait for the outbound service to clear the tunnel London end before it can come in.
Hope that makes sense lol

 

[jopsuk]

presumably we'll see a 755 used on the existing version of the Cambridge-Stansted GA service before then- with a Guard? Current service, being a West Anglia electric one, is DOO.

 

[MrPIC]

I think thats all still to be ironed out, whether it will be DOO or crewed by Norwich driver and guard. I think DOO with West driver is most likely but nothing confirmed I don't think.

 

[grumblingalong]

Guards will be route learning and are expected to be onboard for the whole run. I believe a combination of Norwich and Cambridge drivers with the latter releasing the former for a break at Cambridge. Not 100% though regarding the drivers.

 

[dk1]

Guards will be route learning and are expected to be onboard for the whole run. I believe a combination of Norwich and Cambridge drivers with the latter releasing the former for a break at Cambridge. Not 100% though regarding the drivers.

Yes, I don't think Cambridge depot would ever allow Norwich drivers to go beyond Cambridge without something in return & there is no way training could be done in this short time anyway. Norwich guards (no GA guards are based at Cambridge) I hear will route learn as there is no guarantee DOO will be permitted for 755s by then.

 

[Jim Jehosofat]

Yes, I don't think Cambridge depot would ever allow Norwich drivers to go beyond Cambridge without something in return & there is no way training could be done in this short time anyway. Norwich guards (no GA guards are based at Cambridge) I hear will route learn as there is no guarantee DOO will be permitted for 755s by then.

A few years ago the first Central Trains service from Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street split at Ely with the front unit going empty to Cambridge and then formed a service to Stansted. This was DOO from Ely to Cambridge and picked up a Cambridge based guard for the journey to the airport. The driver was a Norwich man who travelled up on the Liverpool service and split the unit at Ely. It often ran DOO from Cambridge to the airport and back due to no guard being rostered. It ran to the airport and back as otherwise it would have taken up platform space at Cambridge, this was before the island platform was built.

 

[trebor79]

PIS haywire this evening on the way back from Cambridge. Kept announcing things like "This is a service for Southend Victoria, calling at..." "We have now arrived at Cambridge" "The next stop is Cambridge". I ignored it. A couple of folk found it hilarious and guffawed and giggled like school kids every time it said something. I was just about to move seats to get away from them when it suddenly fell silent.
Noticed some of the seat covers on this morning's unit (418) starting to look a little worn.

 

[dk1]

Noticed some of the seat covers on this morning's unit (418) starting to look a little worn.

That cannot be possible. You sure it just wasn't the light?

 

[LAX54]

That cannot be possible. You sure it just wasn't the light?

Too many 'spotters' sitting in them !

 

[trebor79]

That cannot be possible. You sure it just wasn't the light?

Actually now you mention it I think it was one seat in particular. Looked kind of faded where backsides rest upon it. Maybe someone particularly heavy and/or fidgety had sat on it and crushed the pile.
I was more concerned about not having been able to collect my tickets as the machine at Attleborough was broken (again). Turned out to be no drama as the guard just printed them off for me. Commented I didn't think that was possible and he replied "they don't like us to, but we can do it". Why would it be frowned upon.?

 

[pompeyfan]

Actually now you mention it I think it was one seat in particular. Looked kind of faded where backsides rest upon it. Maybe someone particularly heavy and/or fidgety had sat on it and crushed the pile.
I was more concerned about not having been able to collect my tickets as the machine at Attleborough was broken (again). Turned out to be no drama as the guard just printed them off for me. Commented I didn't think that was possible and he replied "they don't like us to, but we can do it". Why would it be frowned upon.?

just to clarify, some TOCs have the system that allow guards to print tickets, others don’t. I’d imagine it’s frowned upon as it encourages chancers that buy, but don’t collect in the hope they can apply for a refund.

 

[Carlgoss]

I had a chance to get a more close up look at the 755 in Norwich platform 1 today, and I was a bit surprised at the rickety look of the extending door step. What looks like a thin piece of aluminium under the step which if it ever gets hit, I reckon could render the whole step inoperable (and maybe the train?) The steps weren't level with the platform either which surprised me, as did the volume of the door closing alarm (going to make sure I don't sit near a door me thinks) Also the livery seems to picking up dirt and grime at a fair old rate. It was looking quite scruffy this morning. Are the CP washers still not working? 170 working Yarmouth this morning also.

 

[dk1]

I had a chance to get a more close up look at the 755 in Norwich platform 1 today, and I was a bit surprised at the rickety look of the extending door step. What looks like a thin piece of aluminium under the step which if it ever gets hit, I reckon could render the whole step inoperable (and maybe the train?) The steps weren't level with the platform either which surprised me, as did the volume of the door closing alarm (going to make sure I don't sit near a door me thinks) Also the livery seems to picking up dirt and grime at a fair old rate. It was looking quite scruffy this morning. Are the CP washers still not working? 170 working Yarmouth this morning also.

The step is very firm and retracts. It's not designed to be level with every platform hence the provision of ramps at all stations. Don't think Stadlers are permitted to use the wash plant yet so that's the reason for exterior issues. Very much work in progress at Crown Point. The door alarm is the same as on much new stock and is a standard now.

 

[Railperf]

Are the 755s cleared for electric running yet between Ely and Cambridge / Stansted?

 

[ac6000cw]

What looks like a thin piece of aluminium under the step which if it ever gets hit,

Since it's retracted whenever the train is moving, how's it going to get hit?

 

[ashkeba]

Since it's retracted whenever the train is moving, how's it going to get hit?

Clumsy passengers?

 

[Scottychoo]

How?? By stepping on it!?

 

[ashkeba]

How?? By stepping on it!?

Dropping something dense on it while boarding.