Abellio Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[samuelmorris]

60m so not a huge difference - given the doors are in the middle of each vehicle rather than at the ends as per a Sprinter, probably not an issue.

As for the 745s yes, there's no question the number of units ordered is slightly too small, but since 720s will still be diagrammed to run to Norwich in the normal timetable, substitution for any unavailable 745 happening regularly will be less an issue than it otherwise might be.

 

[dk1]

My understanding is that the 720s will provide an additional journey to Norwich every hour. This may well have been changed. Regardless, I agree with trebor79 in that the bi-modes will provide a huge step change in the rural service.

The 720s will yes but the Stansted units are only likely to see one journey daily on the GEML.

 

[dp21]

The 720s will yes but the Stansted units are only likely to see one journey daily on the GEML.

You are indeed correct sir.

 

[whhistle]

...building them with yellow fronts means there won't be any problems if any of the appropriate work isnt fulfilled whereas with black fronts from build you wouldn't be allowed to run.

Or, they could have had them with black fronts and applied yellow decals.

We've heard this argument from you too many times. Let it go.

To be fair on them though...
I frequent a railway line that is straight as you like for a good 2 perhaps 3 miles.
Even on a Turbostar, I see the lights well before the yellow panel, and those units don't have the "correct" lights as far as I'm aware...

I'm still waiting for some sort of quantifiable facts that yellow panelled trains have saved lives compared with those trains that didn't have any such panel.

Perhaps it was done as a pre-empting measure, which is great, but then trains should also have bells like in America... we seem to do okay without that "feature".

 

[edwin_m]

I believe the yellow panel originated when PW staff complained they couldn't see approaching diesels. As the end was previously a colour not far off khakhi and the lighting seemed about as bright as the average candle that was probably a reasonable concern at the time. Steam engines were of course similarly invisible but made rather more noise.

 

[dp21]

For anyone interested, the first 755 has had the top of it's cab fitted so they're coming along nicely.

Additionally, I learned that the small sub-window on one side is actually an emergency exit. Required due to the single set of doors per vehicle.

 

[hexagon789]

For anyone interested, the first 755 has had the top of it's cab fitted so they're coming along nicely.

Additionally, I learned that the small sub-window on one side is actually an emergency exit. Required due to the single set of doors per vehicle.

Do you know when they are due into service at all?

 

[dp21]

Do you know when they are due into service at all?

May 2019. First one is due in the UK in October. It'll take longer for these to enter service from arrival than the 720s because of the necessity to do more type testing. The 720s are able to draw on the testing done for the 345s.

 

[hexagon789]

May 2019. First one is due in the UK in October. It'll take longer for these to enter service from arrival than the 720s because of the necessity to do more type testing. The 720s are able to draw on the testing done for the 345s.

May 2019. Thank you, I actually quite like the look on these and I'm longing to see full they are any good. I haven't seen any interior mock-ups to illustrate what the seating might be like, unless I've missed them.

 

[dp21]

The below image shows how the seats will be in Standard on the Stadler trains.

From my personal experience they're fairly comfortable. Certainly better than the ironing boards! They seem to be a bit more moulded to your back.

 

[hexagon789]

The below image shows how the seats will be in Standard on the Stadler trains.

From my personal experience they're fairly comfortable. Certainly better than the ironing boards! They seem to be a bit more moulded to your back.

Thanks for posting, that looks very nice indeed.

 

[fat_boy_pete]

60m so not a huge difference - given the doors are in the middle of each vehicle rather than at the ends as per a Sprinter, probably not an issue.

I am reliably informed that using SDO it will allow a 3 car or 4 car 755 to be used on the Sudbury branch. E.g. normally diagrammed for a 3 car, but allowing a 4 car to be used for say the Chappel Beer Festival weekend. Rear coach will hang off the end of the platform and driver changing ends will access the cab through the unit.

 

[hexagon789]

I am reliably informed that using SDO it will allow a 3 car or 4 car 755 to be used on the Sudbury branch. E.g. normally diagrammed for a 3 car, but allowing a 4 car to be used for say the Chappel Beer Festival weekend. Rear coach will hang off the end of the platform and driver changing ends will access the cab through the unit.

That's a useful development.

 

[Class 170101]

Just pray that disabled facilitioes are towards the middle of the train otherwise they may not be able to get off at one of either Marks Tey or Sudbury.

 

[hexagon789]

Just pray that disabled facilitioes are towards the middle of the train otherwise they may not be able to get off at one of either Marks Tey or Sudbury.

I'm sure the seating plan shows that they are.

 

[whhistle]

Are these the ones with the shared bogies between the carriages?
Is there a technical reason for this?
I believe the last trains like this were the Eurostars.. but wondering what the advantages are and if they're that good, why aren't others doing the same?

 

[edwin_m]

Shared bogies is commonly known as articulation. The advantage is fewer bogies so less cost and weight. The main disadvantage is that each bogie carries more weight so the axleload is greater, and together with other dynamic factors this could increase track wear.

 

[47802]

It will interesting to see what passengers and the rail industry make of these trains being much more European in design than anything really experienced in the UK before. The low floor is interesting makes like easier for wheel chair users, but against that steps in side the train maybe a disadvantage for non wheelchair users and future changing the layout of the train maybe more difficult compared to a flat floor of current UK trains.

Will it be so popular that it will force other manufacturers to change their designs with lower floors feasible on EMU's but likely impractical on any further DMU's or Bi-modes with underfloor mounted engines.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As a high platform country I do think we should be working towards level boarding throughout the network in the long term, and these are a start in the right direction. SBB is getting close to achieving this thanks to the likes of the FLIRT, and they are a *low* platform country.

The likes of the Class 800 sadly work away from this.

 

[hexagon789]

The likes of the Class 800 sadly work away from this.

I'm surprised the 800s met the disabled access requirements.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm surprised the 800s met the disabled access requirements.

I'm not really, as a ramp is a permitted requirement for access. But personally I think we should work towards ramps no longer being required by all new rolling stock having the floor at standard UK platform height, and work being done to harmonise actual platform heights to that standard - just as the Swiss have done with a much lower height.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm not really, as a ramp is a permitted requirement for access. But personally I think we should work towards ramps no longer being required by all new rolling stock having the floor at standard UK platform height, and work being done to harmonise actual platform heights to that standard - just as the Swiss have done with a much lower height.

I agree, ramps should ideally not be necessary.

 

[mushroomchow]

Just pray that disabled facilitioes are towards the middle of the train otherwise they may not be able to get off at one of either Marks Tey or Sudbury.

As a regular reader of RTM, the mere mention of that route is enough to trigger me.

 

[JaJaWa]

The below image shows how the seats will be in Standard on the Stadler trains.

From my personal experience they're fairly comfortable. Certainly better than the ironing boards! They seem to be a bit more moulded to your back.

The moquette is basically identical to the New Tube for London:

 

[hexagon789]

The moquette is basically identical to the New Tube for London:

Not a bad colour scheme

 

[trebor79]

It will interesting to see what passengers and the rail industry make of these trains being much more European in design than anything really experienced in the UK before. The low floor is interesting[...]

As well as the low floor, the other really attractive feature is the diesel engines moved from under the floors to a separate pod. I think this is going to be such a massive improvement to ambience and make these a much nicer unit to travel in than any of the existing stock on the rural routes.
I think the EMU variant could well be a step down from Mk 3 on the main line (why the penchant for high seat backs, it just makes you feel that you're sat in a cell as you can't see around the whole carriage like you can in one of the current GA Mk 3's?), but I'll reserve judgement until I've tried one.

 

[hexagon789]

As well as the low floor, the other really attractive feature is the diesel engines moved from under the floors to a separate pod. I think this is going to be such a massive improvement to ambience and make these a much nicer unit to travel in than any of the existing stock on the rural routes.

They do look and sound like a good improvement on current stock.

 

[Bletchleyite]

why the penchant for high seat backs

Crashworthiness, both in terms of preventing passengers flying around the coach and in terms of reducing whiplash injuries.

I'm not quite sure how the Class 800 got away with such low-backed seats compared with almost everything built since about 5 years ago.

 

[43096]

I'm not quite sure how the Class 800 got away with such low-backed seats compared with almost everything built since about 5 years ago.

Presumably because they meet the standard - it's just other designs go further and add some more height "just in case".

 

[hexagon789]

Presumably because they meet the standard - it's just other designs go further and add some more height "just in case".

Generally too much height at that. Often makes otherwise pleasant enough trains feel a bit claustrophobic.