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Abellio Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Basically a standard Euro-FLIRT, though I've not seen those seats before.
dk1
Veteran Member
Definatley no through Sudbury to Colchester (or Town) except maybe the first on/last off the branch. East Suffolk through London services still on the cards. I must say that I am fully in favour of the yellow fronts. Does look an incredibly smart Flirt.
Looking back, it turns out my powers of prediction were rather good!
That said, I can't help but feel that the neatest looking one (which I didn't mock up at the time) would have been to have the yellow band finish in line with the bottom of the lights - I feel that it is slightly more sympathetic to the design of the train like this.
That said, I can't help but feel that the neatest looking one (which I didn't mock up at the time) would have been to have the yellow band finish in line with the bottom of the lights - I feel that it is slightly more sympathetic to the design of the train like this.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That does look good.
dp21
Member
- Joined
- 10 May 2017
- Messages
- 358
Looking back, it turns out my powers of prediction were rather good!
That said, I can't help but feel that the neatest looking one (which I didn't mock up at the time) would have been to have the yellow band finish in line with the bottom of the lights - I feel that it is slightly more sympathetic to the design of the train like this.
This is what the original yellow-fronted mock ups looked like so I was disappointed when I saw it was to the bottom of the panel.
I agree with you though, this looks much better.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
As an alternative a couple of bits of black vinyl to take the lights down to the same level would to me also work.
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/rail-uk/20160924/282144995825340
Curious, why the different UK companies did not just standardize intercity equipment around the Hitachi 800? Buying in bulk would yield savings.
What advantages would a FLIRT have over a 800 DMU?
Curious, why the different UK companies did not just standardize intercity equipment around the Hitachi 800? Buying in bulk would yield savings.
What advantages would a FLIRT have over a 800 DMU?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Competition in the market yields bigger savings.
The *massive* one is that because of there being no engines under the floor level boarding can be provided, so passengers need not step up to the train and wheelchair users need not have someone assist them to board.
In addition to what @Bletchleyite has said, the real difference at the moment is time. Transpennine Express ordered a bunch of Hitachi 802s at the start of their franchise in early 2016, and they aren't going to be entering service in summer 2019. By contrast Greater Anglia will have ordered their FLIRTs in late 2016, and will be entering service from April/May 2019 - had they gone for 80xs, they would be waiting even longer (and running into issues with PRM-TSI compliance with the old sets come 2020)
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
To the extent that all FLIRTs are the same, yes, they are a modular design.
It is however to UK loading gauge.
mushroomchow
Member
Hearing Marks Tey - Sudbury still triggers me immensely following my days browsing the comments section of RTM...
I digress. These units look really tidy.
I digress. These units look really tidy.
Here's a half-baked idea: is it worth installing very limited OLE at certain terminus stations (Lowestoft and Felixstowe spring to mind) to supply "hotel power" to theses units while they sit between runs? Unlike the units they're replacing they have air conditioning, so it'll be good to have the unit on power whilst sitting for 20 minutes, and it'll save the noise and pollution from idling the engines (and fuel, of course). If the drivers were instructed to always "pan down" and pull away on diesel, the OLE installation could be very limited in both length and power capacity, which would reduce the cost of the transformers, switchgear and feed.
I'm assuming this is unlikely, but just wondered if anyone knew differently?
I'm assuming this is unlikely, but just wondered if anyone knew differently?
To be fair he wasn't far wrong
They offer their shed on rails to GA (for free exc diesel etc) but the situation wasn't workable as there was no sensible suggestion re stabling and servicing or contingency for if it failed.
dk1
Veteran Member
The twelve 170s have air conditioning. We still shut them down & the air-con stops
For the rural routes, an 800 is nothing close to what is needed. The 800 is an express intercity train, fairly heavy, with lengthy non-passenger sections on each driving car. It's capable of 140mph (if signalling/infrastructure is right).
The rural anglian routes need light weight regional trains, reasonably quick to accelerate but absolute top speed 100mph (and even that won't get much use). The FLIRT offers that- and has advantages mentioned such as the low floor section.
The "economy of scale" thing doesn't really work like that. Anglia would have needed it's own Hitachi depot (it'll get a Stadler depot. Where that's going to be is now an urgent issue) and Stadler will have been aware of what a competitive bid was. Furthermore, there's the issue of an offer that was able to deliver in time- it's likely that the team that bid for the Anglia franchise looked to see if a single manufacturer had both suitable products and the ability to deliver it all on a tight timeframe, but they've ended up with a split Bombardier/Stadler fleet due to factory capacity, suitability and pricing. Eg I'm sure Bombardier could have offered an Aventra variant (as they only needed a 100mph train) with an "intercity" or "airport" interior to run the Norwich and Airport services, but may not have been able to fit that into the production schedule. We don't know the exact details, but it's pretty clear that the only services the 800s would be remotely suitable (and it would be 801s- no need for diesel) for would be the Norwich express.
Perhaps these Bi-Mode units may well be suitable replacement on XC Turbostar routes. Ely-Stansted is a 70 mile round trip under the Wires and i am guessing Severn Tunnel Junction is a 50mile round trip under the wires? Would be quite a saving and a 80 metre Bi Mode will fit in Platform 2 bay at Stansted ok.
dp21
Member
- Joined
- 10 May 2017
- Messages
- 358
Yup this has been one of the most challenging parts of the design for the Stadler guys; repackaging the FLIRT technology into a much smaller envelope. We'll see how it performs.
In response to another message above, a Stadler depot is going in regardless of Brantham and it's called Norwich Crown Point. It's being rebuilt from the inside out whilst still operating on a day to day basis. 14 - 17 road should, however, be completely unrecognisable and actually up to modern standards.
Electric to Diesel on the move...fine, until the Driver overlooks the switch... then it's an ADD activation, followed by unit out of service.
dk1
Veteran Member
It may happen automatically without driver involvement. Who knows yet?
dk1
Veteran Member
Me neither mate but worth a thought. We are still getting told very little about the operational side of things with these new toys.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That's quite surprising, as the Swiss narrow gauge loading gauge is near identical in size to the UK one, and that's basically where the FLIRT (in its previous incarnation as the simpler GTW) was conceived.
James James
Member
- Joined
- 29 Jan 2018
- Messages
- 426
The first GTW's were standard guage, and electric though. There's never been a narrow-gauge flirt - but more significantly, all the diesel and bi-mode trains they've built are full European standard-gauge. I imagine the difficulty is around fitting the diesel engines into British gauge (whereas there's probably less difficulty in moving electric parts around).
Even then, the Flirt has some significant differences to the GTW (e.g. electric packages being spread throughout the train), and there's never been a narrow-gauge Flirt. Stadler's narrow gauge trains are still being built with a GTW-like design (there's no traction module anymore, but the center carriage is a high-floor carriage that is essentially like an elongated traction module with seating on top).
This is also the first time they're using Jacob's bogies outside of full European standard gauge.
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dk1
Veteran Member
That's a shame. Won't be me involved if it's overnight Zzzz
Which suggests quite a bit of work then and if they hadn't of got the IC units as well would have probably made the Bi-modes more costly. Of course the bonus is they now have a ready made design for the UK, although of the franchises potentially now looking for new stock I[m not sure a Bi-mode will be of great benefit
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It would be pretty much made for XC or EMT.