Abellio Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[Energy]

Sorry but I'm definitely including the small towns too. It's a waste of units and paths sending 755's up and down the GEML just so that places like Beccles and Saxmundham can have a direct link to London. Plus surely a few 755's coupled is smaller capacity wise than a 745 so they'll really struggle once everyone piles on towards London.

It isn't a waste if enough people use the service. They could always couple up to another 755 later on, the would have less capacity than a 745 coupled together but good timetabling could solve that issue, say having the service not to long after a 745 departing so the amount of people using it isn't too much.

 

[mawallace]

I am based in thurston. When there was a direct service Thurston to LLS (when the Peterbrough's used to call at thurston) the service to LLS was good.

Now its change at Stot / Ipswich and hope the train comes.

Connections to Peterborough bad - it's a half hour wait at Bury depending on the timetable. It's quicker to drive to Ely / Cambridge and go to KX (for London) or Peterborough and beyond

I accept that there will never be 'great' demand but I know several who no longer use the service for this reason.

 

[F Great Eastern]

I am based in thurston. When there was a direct service Thurston to LLS (when the Peterbrough's used to call at thurston) the service to LLS was good.

Now its change at Stot / Ipswich and hope the train comes.

Connections to Peterborough bad - it's a half hour wait at Bury depending on the timetable. It's quicker to drive to Ely / Cambridge and go to KX (for London) or Peterborough and beyond

I accept that there will never be 'great' demand but I know several who no longer use the service for this reason.

The old solution was poor, before the first big timetable change on National Express East Anglia you had two EMU's from Ipswich and two locl hauled sets from Norwich to London which was a bit overkill, admittedly.

But killing both of those two EMUs and running a 2 or 3 car 170 through the branch lines to Liverpool Street was a dreadful waste of a path and often dreadfully overcrowded.If such services come back it should be on the basis that it's either the fourth train per hour through Ipswich, or it replaces the current EMU service through Ipswich, but runs in multiple with another unit.

 

[Bringback309s]

Add Beccles to that too. They need to drive to Diss or Norwich to get a direct service to London. Personally I would like to see more Flirts on the GEML and it wouldn't be a waste at all, that's why 38 of them are replacing 26 legacy DMUs. Put it on the xx38 off Liverpool Street like the NX through train was and the Colchester Tn to replace the xx48 Braintree and let it call at Ingatestone, then no one loses frequency. More people would benefit from a Suffolk through service than the current Braintree through service - but that's up for debate on the speculative ideas thread.

How about - the third Norwich hourly service service isn't a 720 but an eight car flirt LST to Ipswich. Four cars go on to Norwich, then every two hours four cars to Lowestoft, the other two hours four to Cambridge, giving Bury a through train. Speed not quite such an issue for this service so a few minutes contingency could be given at Ipswich. Colchester towns and Braintrees stay as is, as do the other Ipswich to Lowestoft and Cambridge services on the alternate hours. Merging three units at Ipswich I agree would be a step too far. Makes great use of the 755 bi mode ability, new destinations have through London trains and a minimum eight cars on a slot on the GEML

 

[Class 170101]

The old solution was poor, before the first big timetable change on National Express East Anglia you had two EMU's from Ipswich and two locl hauled sets from Norwich to London which was a bit overkill, admittedly.

But killing both of those two EMUs and running a 2 or 3 car 170 through the branch lines to Liverpool Street was a dreadful waste of a path and often dreadfully overcrowded.If such services come back it should be on the basis that it's either the fourth train per hour through Ipswich, or it replaces the current EMU service through Ipswich, but runs in multiple with another unit.

Best of a bad job. The through trains were a great idea in principle but poorly executed. The EMUs consumed capacity shunting around Ipswich Yard and with freight now gaining a greater prominence they couldn't stick around.

 

[mtmikethom]

As a 'quick fix' I think NR are installing treadles over the this weekend and next week, to assist GA and the 755s

Information relating to Problems on Sherringham route has disappeared from GA Website and 1745 currently at Norwich is advertised as for Sherringham!

 

[170TurboFan]

Information relating to Problems on Sherringham route has disappeared from GA Website and 1745 currently at Norwich is advertised as for Sherringham!

Just seen 755411 in Sheringham Station on 2S18 at 1740 in service running about 6 minutes behind schedule. Looking at RTT it appears the other crossings have no speed restrictions but still issues with Worstead with services being held there for about 5 minutes. Does anyone know if any modifications have been made to the crossings or other components of the signalling system in general to allow trains to run as normal?

 

[Abbo]

Just seen 755411 in Sheringham Station on 2S18 at 1740 in service running about 6 minutes behind schedule. Looking at RTT it appears the other crossings have no speed restrictions but still issues with Worstead with services being held there for about 5 minutes. Does anyone know if any modifications have been made to the crossings or other components of the signalling system in general to allow trains to run as normal?

This is truly wonderful news. Clearly Santa heard my plea. Hourly service now running with 755422 755404 and 15647 reported on the workings. Looks like reintroduced without any advance notice which might be a clever move by AGA as if it went belly up they would have had more egg on their faces.

 

[WroxhamTroll]

This is truly wonderful news. Clearly Santa heard my plea. Hourly service now running with 755422 755404 and 15647 reported on the workings. Looks like reintroduced without any advance notice which might be a clever move by AGA as if it went belly up they would have had more egg on their faces.

Best not count chickens or even Turkeys just yet, tomorrows early services will be the real test as they have been badly affected every day for weeks.

We can only hope the NR work on a few crossings helped this weekend. Still hope GA dont use this workaround to blame NR.

WT

 

[dk1]

This is truly wonderful news. Clearly Santa heard my plea. Hourly service now running with 755422 755404 and 15647 reported on the workings. Looks like reintroduced without any advance notice which might be a clever move by AGA as if it went belly up they would have had more egg on their faces.

I'm hearing rumours NR have admitted responsibility. Great to see the last M&GN route back in daily operation.

 

[Abbo]

I'm hearing rumours NR have admitted responsibility. Great to see the last M&GN route back in daily operation.

Indeed !!!!

 

[LAX54]

I'm hearing rumours NR have admitted responsibility. Great to see the last M&GN route back in daily operation.

Which, if true, and nothing has been changed over the years, I find a bit scary !!

Or is it perceived that NR are talking responsibility as they are fitting back up treadles to assist ? and how does this incident affect other crossings in the country, of which there are about 20 or so

Although nothing to Sheringham yet we see.

 

[170TurboFan]

Which, if true, and nothing has been changed over the years, I find a bit scary !!

Although nothing to Sheringham yet we see.

They are running am on 2S05 which left SHM on time.

 

[F Great Eastern]

According to Greater Anglia a fault with the signalling system is impacting lowestoft to Norwich. Ipswich to Felixstowe and Peterborough.

Sad it's developed again. Nothing to do with shortage of trains with another 156 withdrawn of course!!

 

[LAX54]

According to Greater Anglia a fault with the signalling system is impacting lowestoft to Norwich. Ipswich to Felixstowe and Peterborough.

Sad it's developed again. Nothing to do with shortage of trains with another 156 withdrawn of course!!

Well, as far as we are concerned, all trains be it a 755 a 156 or a 101 ! are all signalled normally throughout our area, the only restrictions left are a couple of xings on the Cromer, and for some reason Ely to Peterboro.
(mind you someone did say there are about 10 failed Stads ! )

 

[jamesontheroad]

According to Greater Anglia a fault with the signalling system is impacting lowestoft to Norwich. Ipswich to Felixstowe and Peterborough.

Sad it's developed again. Nothing to do with shortage of trains with another 156 withdrawn of course!!

Good morning from outside Bury St Edmunds, where I’ve just finished a ~2,500km trip from Sweden. Docked at Harwich Int’l this morning and of course the 07:50 Cambridge train was cancelled due to signalling problems. Huge pain in the arse connecting with heavy bags at Manningtree and Ipswich, especially as there was either a 0-minute or 28-minute connection at Manningtree.

I presume we have just travelled on the last remaining two-car Turbostar in Greater Anglia land? 170271.

 

[LAX54]

Good morning from outside Bury St Edmunds, where I’ve just finished a ~2,500km trip from Sweden. Docked at Harwich Int’l this morning and of course the 07:50 Cambridge train was cancelled due to signalling problems. Huge pain in the arse connecting with heavy bags at Manningtree and Ipswich, especially as there was either a 0-minute or 28-minute connection at Manningtree.

I presume we have just travelled on the last remaining two-car Turbostar in Greater Anglia land? 170271.

Indeed the last 170 as for the cancellation, this is not related to the so called 'problems', this has been a regular cancellation for some years !

 

[GarethC]

Are all the 755s going back to Crown Point overnight or are some stabling at Ipswich (for example)? It seems they are short of units first thing (e.g. early Felixstowes seem to get canned), or do the 755s not like the mornings?

 

[LAX54]

Are all the 755s going back to Crown Point overnight or are some stabling at Ipswich (for example)? It seems they are short of units first thing (e.g. early Felixstowes seem to get canned), or do the 755s not like the mornings?

as far as I know, all have to go back to Norwich, they are looking at fuelling some at Colchester in the future. on the plus side........

The Norwich to Sheringham services have been reinstated.

The normal weekday timetable is in operation.

 

[Railperf]

Any 755s on Ipswich to Cambridge today?

 

[Railperf]

755 402 running diesel arriving and departing Audley End towards Norwich.

 

[Railperf]

Also 411 on the Ipswich service Pan Isolated

 

[ashkeba]

Also 411 on the Ipswich service Pan Isolated

That may be using a trick they learned from another great. Greater Western. First sign of trouble, it's smoking only

 

[ashkeba]

Sorry but I'm definitely including the small towns too. It's a waste of units and paths sending 755's up and down the GEML just so that places like Beccles and Saxmundham can have a direct link to London. Plus surely a few 755's coupled is smaller capacity wise than a 745 so they'll really struggle once everyone piles on towards London.

3x4-car 755s would only be 20 standard seats fewer than 1x12-car 745 Intercity. Source Stadler datasheets.

 

[MikePJ]

I went out at 1230 today and saw a 3-car 755 in the sidings at Cambridge (parallel to platform 8), with some staff in orange standing around the drivers’ door. First time I’ve seen a 3-car, presumably a training trip.

 

[mawallace]

Notice they have changed the Ips - Peterborough explanation to:-

We are currently in the process of replacing every train in our fleet with brand new trains. As part of this process, we need to test new trains and train all of our drivers to be able to drive them. This programme was set back due to recent signalling problems on our regional routes. We have now resumed our driver training and new train testing programme and we aim to reinstate the full service as quickly as possible.

 

[Icky Qualms]

Ipswich Peterborough is always a heavily used service and the loss of it at the current time is causing misery to lots of long distance travellers.

 

[Railperf]

Wow..what a difference 2 days makes. Ipswich to Cambridge 2 out of 3 diagrams are 755/4s. These trains are ripping the schedule to pieces. On Saturday we had sick 156s losing time all over the place. The 755s are running early everywhere. Even in diesel mode they absolutely go like stink. These trains have made regional train travel comfy and exciting.

 

[86246]

Wow..what a difference 2 days makes. Ipswich to Cambridge 2 out of 3 diagrams are 755/4s. These trains are ripping the schedule to pieces. On Saturday we had sick 156s losing time all over the place. The 755s are running early everywhere. Even in diesel mode they absolutely go like stink. These trains have made regional train travel comfy and exciting.

I’ll be more excited once Suffolk has been connected to Peterborough on a regular basis.

 

[smsm1]

I've noticed Journey Check is showing the Ipswich-Peterborough trains as 2 carriages instead of 4, so getting close to seeing them on that line.

First time I've been on a Class 755 train from Cambridge to Ipswich, and seen the next one towards Cambridge at Chippenham Junction also being a Class 755.