dk1
Veteran Member
Started storing 755s at Kimberley on the Mid-Norfolk Railway from today too.
I still wonder if a Class 755 might be used on Wickford-Southminster because they’re short enough to fit and could run on electric the whole way, the only issue is getting them down to Wickford and back again in the evening is a bit irritating but could be done I suppose.Hi I am a new member here. I have been rail forum posts including all 85 pages here. I appreciate the discussion about the Southminster Branch and the Wickford bay platforms have been discussed previously. As we get more closer to the introduction of the new stock are there any updates on the plans for the Southminster branch. I’m Guessing the options are as follows. Abellio arrange a deal to keep some renatus 321 or some sort of Complaint stock. (I have heard 365’s rumoured). On option of extending all Southminster servicers to Liverpool Street. (I recon this is the most unlikely option). Or extending Southminster services to Shenfield. Like in the mid-2000s. So, there is a cross platform connection to London services. This would require reducing there service to every hour rather than every 40 minutes. Or every 40 minutes and having 3 units run the service. (more unlucky than any other option I know).
I still wonder if a Class 755 might be used on Wickford-Southminster because they’re short enough to fit and could run on electric the whole way, the only issue is getting them down to Wickford and back again in the evening is a bit irritating but could be done I suppose.
They potentially could be but it would not only be a waste of money buying the intermediate vehicles but having an inflexible fleet is very restrictive operationally.Could one or two 720's be shortened for branches where there is this issue?
Surely better than a micro fleet of old rolling stock or a 755 far from home? And they could just not build a couple of intermediate coaches for those units.They potentially could be but it would not only be a waste of money buying the intermediate vehicles but having an inflexible fleet is very restrictive operationally.
Orders are all placed by now though. Probably better to just run through to Shenfield. Hope they don't nick a 755 ot two. Would imagine a 45min frequency to balance out the promised 4tph on the Southend branch.Surely better than a micro fleet of old rolling stock or a 755 far from home? And they could just not build a couple of intermediate coaches for those units.
Oh my days. That sounds like a train planners worst nightmare.Could swap a Class 755 via the Liverpool Street to Lowestoft service.
The Wickford bay conundrum seems to rotate weekly. Options so far:
1) Keep some 321s
2) Use 360s that only Ilford drivers sign
3) Use another EMU that no one signs
4) Run to Shenfield and don't use the bays.
5) 4 car Bombardiers
6) Flirts (more driver training)
7) Rebuild Wickford station
Anyone care to lay odds?
Wickford - bay - dont know this location very well - does signal / points / overheads need work if platform not extended at buffer end?
Both Wickford bays (1 & 4) have buildings at the end, (one of which is the booking office) and narrow to a 2-track bridge over the high street almost immediately, with a trailing crossover just beyond, and followed by the Southminster branch junction. The next bridge over the bypass carries 3 tracks (Southminster and Up&Down Southend Vic). So extending either or both bays would either involve demolishing buildings in one direction, one of which could involve the booking office (and it would get pushed back to a narrower space between the access to the car park and adjacent buildings), or widening both an embankment and a bridge, with the associated track and wiring....May 2019 was never going to happen in my opinion, and May 2020 would be ambitious even now.
I'm no rolling stock expert but I'm sure Bombardier could come up with a 8 car length equivalent subvariant of the 720, or even Stadler could make an 8 car long version flirt. Personally however I reckon for Wickford it'll be 4 car bimodes, and for the Hertford Branch will be 5 car 720's, after all apparently there is supposed to be an additional Hertford per hour in September which might go some way to counteract the loss of coaches until such time when the infrastructure works can be completed.
The stations mentioned above with crossings etc will use ASDO Front, like on the Braintree Branch where the front of the train stops beyond the platform so as not to block the crossings in rear.
They managed to get an 8 car variant of the electrostar if you put 2 togetherI'm no rolling stock expert but I'm sure Bombardier could come up with a 8 car length equivalent subvariant of the 720, or even Stadler could make an 8 car long version flirt. Personally however I reckon for Wickford it'll be 4 car bimodes, and for the Hertford Branch will be 5 car 720's, after all apparently there is supposed to be an additional Hertford per hour in September which might go some way to counteract the loss of coaches until such time when the infrastructure works can be completed.
The stations mentioned above with crossings etc will use ASDO Front, like on the Braintree Branch where the front of the train stops beyond the platform so as not to block the crossings in rear.
Thats what happens when you try and replace an entire fleet of trains in 1 go with stadlers and aventras Dont spend 1 billion on trains that may be faster and more energy efficient but look cheap inside and outGA is not ordering any new stock beyond the 745/755/720 orders, its haemorrhaging money at the moment as it is.
That would work better plus they still have gangway so if possible could be connected together and space used more effectively than having 2 flirts or aventras joined together wouldn’t you say?A handy go-everywhere (electrified) unit like the 379s are better kept and make sense to clear and train drivers to fill extra Liverpool St - Norwich, Liverpool St - Stansted, Liv St - Hertford East and Shenfield/Wickford Southminster routes that the Aventras are too long for and the Stadlers are too far away to diagram easily. For a while I've been suggesting this and its beginning to make more and more sense. Cheapest option out there.
Nothing cheap about my driving seat on a Stadler I can assure youThats what happens when you try and replace an entire fleet of trains in 1 go with stadlers and aventras Dont spend 1 billion on trains that may be faster and more energy efficient but look cheap inside and out
That would work better plus they still have gangway so if possible could be connected together and space used more effectively than having 2 flirts or aventras joined together wouldn’t you say?
I'm no rolling stock expert but I'm sure Bombardier could come up with a 8 car length equivalent subvariant of the 720, or even Stadler could make an 8 car long version flirt. Personally however I reckon for Wickford it'll be 4 car bimodes, and for the Hertford Branch will be 5 car 720's, after all apparently there is supposed to be an additional Hertford per hour in September which might go some way to counteract the loss of coaches until such time when the infrastructure works can be completed.
The stations mentioned above with crossings etc will use ASDO Front, like on the Braintree Branch where the front of the train stops beyond the platform so as not to block the crossings in rear.