Aiming to travel on Class 321 units

[class321]

Never bothered about unit numbers, I go down to class type, beyond that they are pretty much the same.

Yh, but the only thing different with the class 321 unit numbers are the door sounds.

 

[route101]

Yh, but the only thing different with the class 321 unit numbers are the door sounds.

Do you like other classes?

 

[class321]

Do you like other classes?

Nah not really to be honest, just 317 and 319. The only ones I know are 321 317 319 720 and 745. I can't even lie, I'm not a fan of trains in general but I really like the 321s a lot so I'm trying to go on it as much as possible.

 

[route101]

Nah not really to be honest, just 317 and 319. The only ones I know are 321 317 319 720 and 745. I can't even lie, I'm not a fan of trains in general but I really like the 321s a lot so I'm trying to go on it as much as possible.

I see, I like trains more broadly, I'm sure it will branch out and you will discover new units and places.

 

[class321]

I see, I like trains more broadly, I'm sure it will branch out and you will discover new units and places.

Yh I get what you mean, however, its gonna be tough for me since I'm doing my AS levels

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I see, I like trains more broadly, I'm sure it will branch out and you will discover new units and places.

I said to my wife, no more trains once all the slam door trains have gone. Nearly 20 years later....

However, I'm more interested in old infrastructure or trains I have used for much of my life. I started travelling on 321s when they were first introduced and replacing Classes 305/307/309/312. Never thought back then the 321s would start to be withdrawn 30 odd years later..

 

[class321]

I said to my wife, no more trains once all the slam door trains have gone. Nearly 20 years later....

However, I'm more interested in old infrastructure or trains I have used for much of my life. I started travelling on 321s when they were first introduced and replacing Classes 305/307/309/312. Never thought back then the 321s would start to be withdrawn 30 odd years later..

Sorry, what I said was irrelevant here.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

@class321

BTW I don't wish to disappoint but GA engineering works show no trains between Stratford and Ingatestone and between Shenfield and Southend Victoria over Easter; therefore, a lot of 321s are going to be laid up over the long weekend.

You might want to find out what 427 is working on Thursday 1st April and see where it finishes at the end of the day

 

[class321]

@class321

BTW I don't wish to disappoint but GA engineering works show no trains between Stratford and Ingatestone and between Shenfield and Southend Victoria over Easter; therefore, a lot of 321s are going to be laid up over the long weekend.

You might want to find out what 427 is working on Thursday 1st April and see where it finishes at the end of the day

Greater Anglia works start on 2nd April. I was lucky that 1st April is inset day for schools meaning that hopefully I can go on it. I'm guessing that means no services to London Liv St. When might these works finish?

 

[class321]

---

 

[Kite159]

The 321s can be awkward to 'bash', solely because in normal times there was a good number which would work 1 service in the morning and then work 1 service in the evening, disappearing to Orient Way sidings (or Ilford) after arriving at London in the morning.

And when that 1 evening service is one of those services which ran fast to Ingatestone or Chelmsford which gave you the option of either paying out for a BZ6 ticket or leaving it for another day.

They will be missed, solely for the motor noise when on a fast run (although I have yet to sample a 720 to compare)

 

[class321]

Greater Anglia works start on 2nd April. I was lucky that 1st April is inset day for schools meaning that hopefully I can go on it.

@class321

BTW I don't wish to disappoint but GA engineering works show no trains between Stratford and Ingatestone and between Shenfield and Southend Victoria over Easter; therefore, a lot of 321s are going to be laid up over the long weekend.

You might want to find out what 427 is working on Thursday 1st April and see where it finishes at the end of the day

Did greater Anglia state that a lot of 321s are gonna be laid up or is that your assumption?

 

[JonathanH]

Did greater Anglia state that a lot of 321s are gonna be laid up or is that your assumption?

If the routes they operate on are closed, many units will be laid up.

With the reduced timetables over the Easter weekend, it looks like they need
1 unit for Witham to Braintree
1 unit for Manningtree to Harwich Town
2 units for Colchester to Clacton / Colchester Town
2 units for Colchester to Walton-on-the-Naze
5 units for Ingatestone to Ipswich (maybe 10 if 8-car formations are being used)
and, er, that is it. I make that 11 units, maybe 16 if 8-car formations are in use between Ingatestone and Ipswich.

One less unit on Sunday as Walton-on-the-Naze is a shuttle from Thorpe-le-Soken and the Clacton units don't go to Colchester Town.

No Greater Anglia services between London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria, Southminster or Ingatestone - all replaced by buses.

 

[class321]

If the routes they operate on are closed, many units will be laid up.

With the reduced timetables over the Easter weekend, it looks like they need
1 unit for Witham to Braintree
1 unit for Manningtree to Harwich Town
2 units for Colchester to Clacton / Colchester Town
2 units for Colchester to Walton-on-the-Naze
5 units for Ingatestone to Ipswich (maybe 10 if 8-car formations are being used)
and, er, that is it. I make that 11 units, maybe 16 if 8-car formations are in use between Ingatestone and Ipswich.

One less unit on Sunday as Walton-on-the-Naze is a shuttle from Thorpe-le-Soken and the Clacton units don't go to Colchester Town.

No Greater Anglia services between London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria, Southminster or Ingatestone - all replaced by buses.

I see, thanks, I know this is probably tough to answer but roughly how many do you think will be laid up?

 

[JonathanH]

I see, thanks, I know this is probably tough to answer but roughly how many do you think will be laid up?

The service is being run solely by units stabled at Colchester and Clacton overnight, roughly half of the services start the day at each location.

The units which end at Southend, Ilford or Orient Way won't see any use over the weekend.

The number laid up is whatever the total fleet size is at the moment less the number needed. There aren't any scheduled swaps of stabled units into service during the day.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I see, thanks, I know this is probably tough to answer but roughly how many do you think will be laid up?

No idea but I suggest a good number. I do not know how many units are left in service.

But I think 16 have gone for scrap this year, 2 have gone for Breeze project, another is at Doncaster or Derby; no idea how many are are Parkeston (if any), 2 possible off-lease at Clacton and no doubt, many laid up over the Easter weekend. There might even be further Clacton blockades but will need to check

Also, some will be required for maintenance

 

[class321]

No idea but I suggest a good number. I do not know how many units are left in service.

But I think 16 have gone for scrap, 2 have gone for Breeze project, another is at Doncaster or Derby; no idea how many are are Parkeston (if any), 2 possible off-lease at Clacton and no doubt, many laid up over the Easter weekend. There might even be further Clacton blockades but will need to check

Also, some will be required for maintenance

45 real 321s 30 ruined refurbished units and 3 321/9 s and 5 322 = 83 321s left.
There is 5 at Parkeston 4 elsewhere so 9 off lease. I don't know about any trains at Clacton.
https://www.ukraillog.co.uk/313-322 everything I got is from here but the problem is that I don't know whether it is up to date.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

So, can't you get out at all before Easter hols; e.g. incorporate into daily exercise or see someone/friend in support bubble?

If you want a unit that badly....

 

[class321]

So, can't you get out at all before Easter hols; e.g. incorporate into daily exercise or see someone/friend in support bubble?

If you want a unit that badly....

I can but I have tests to revise for. E.g. I have a test next Wednesday for Half of pure maths AS levels and an Economics test on 31st. Plus, I'm not in any support bubble so yh, I can only go in Easter.

 

[JonathanH]

I can but I have tests to revise for. E.g. I have a test next Wednesday for Half of pure maths AS levels and an Economics test on 31st. Plus, I'm not in any support bubble so yh, I can only go in Easter.

321427 reported by observation elsewhere as working with 321312 on 1K38 1135 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria today.

I note that observations recorded from the same source suggested that Greater Anglia are prioritising the use of Renatus units at the weekend now to the extent they can meaning that non-PRM units are not far off becoming a weekday-only fleet.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

321427 reported by observation elsewhere as working with 321312 on 1K38 1135 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria today.

I note that observations recorded from the same source suggested that Greater Anglia are prioritising the use of Renatus units at the weekend now to the extent they can meaning that non-PRM units are not far off becoming a weekday-only fleet.

Well I am not surprised, An awful lot of money must have been spent on the Renatus project so I wouldn't be surprised if GA wanted a good return for the investment

 

[class321]

321427 reported by observation elsewhere as working with 321312 on 1K38 1135 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria today.

I note that observations recorded from the same source suggested that Greater Anglia are prioritising the use of Renatus units at the weekend now to the extent they can meaning that non-PRM units are not far off becoming a weekday-only fleet.

Nice, thanks.

 

[class321]

Well I am not surprised, An awful lot of money must have been spent on the Renatus project so I wouldn't be surprised if GA wanted a good return for the investment

I think the Renatus was a waste of money and ruining of the 321s.

 

[Kite159]

Well I am not surprised, An awful lot of money must have been spent on the Renatus project so I wouldn't be surprised if GA wanted a good return for the investment

Most likely it's more down to those being compliance with PRM. Maybe the former Northern units will see more use off-peak/weekends

 

[class321]

321427 reported by observation elsewhere as working with 321312 on 1K38 1135 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria today.

I note that observations recorded from the same source suggested that Greater Anglia are prioritising the use of Renatus units at the weekend now to the extent they can meaning that non-PRM units are not far off becoming a weekday-only fleet.

Wait so what you are saying is that there would be no services of non-PRM 321s on Weekends, only the 30 ruined 321s?

 

[JonathanH]

Wait so what you are saying is that there would be no services of non-PRM 321s on Weekends, only the 30 ruined 321s?

On Sunday, the report was of 13 Renatus and 4 non-Renatus units out. That is unlikely to be a coincidence.

 

[class321]

On Sunday, the report was of 13 Renatus and 4 non-Renatus units out. That is unlikely to be a coincidence.

Fair enough, so there was only 17 321s running on Sunday, is that the same case for the weekdays and Saturday?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Nothing is set in stone.

Anything can happen and any serviceable unit could be out in service. But the weekends generally see a slightly reduced service compared to a weekday. And remember, as mentioned upthread, there will be a lot less units running over Easter due to engineering works. Don't be surprised if some services are only 4-car - i.e. a sole unit

 

[class321]

Nothing is set in stone.

Anything can happen and any serviceable unit could be out in service. But the weekends generally see a slightly reduced service compared to a weekday. And remember, as mentioned upthread, there will be a lot less units running over Easter due to engineering works. Don't be surprised if some services are only 4-car - i.e. a sole unit

Thanks, I doubt 1st of April would be affected as that is a regular working day and works don't start until April 2nd I think.

 

[fishquinn]

I think the Renatus was a waste of money and ruining of the 321s.

Why? I've had to travel on both refurbed and unrefurbed 321s many times and the renatus ones are far, far nicer to the point where I actually get annoyed if an unrefurb turns up. 1st class in particular on the Renatus ones is much better than most local trains in the London area.