Class 317/7 Greater Anglia

[Paul Jones 88]

Good evening everyone, this is my first ever post on here and I am so glad to be on this forum.
My point is that I have been on a 317/7 for the first time today and it was great, I've never been so impressed what can be done with an old train, I think that if all of Mk3 multiple units had been refurbished to that standard, they would have been in service rather longer and the public would have loved them, I just wondered what other more learned people on here think?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

They’re knackered
This is the 317/7 I was on last week
Note the fallen over table

 

[D365]

Interior refurbishment is one thing. From what I understand, the 317s are all but life-expired i.e. very worn out mechanically. Don't forget they are 35+ years old which is very good going for an EMU, I think they've more than earned their retirement.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

If they were given a proper refresh, to the standard of the other GA 317's, new panels and interior painting, new seat covers and carpets etc, and remove the weird catering stands from that coach, toilet refresh etc they'd be very comfortable units (ignoring any mechanical or non superficial issues.) But obviously they are just a stop gap measure and so will just be made to continue passing exams and running about until they can be properly scrapped. Nice to see them back with GA though, although i was kind of hoping that some 315's might be chucked to GA for the Hertford East's, would be quite suitable imo as they're a little quicker off the mark than a 317.

 

[hexagon789]

They’re knackered
This is the 317/7 I was on last week
Note the fallen over table

It's a fold-down table

 

[O L Leigh]

Don't forget that the StanEx refit is getting on for 20 years old already, so it's hardly likely to be the freshest of environments now.

Besides, it was never a very good refit anyway. The partition doors never worked reliably, the A/C was always being undone by the passengers opening the windows which were never sealed up as they ought and the power door for the UAT would often fail and trap someone inside until such time that it self-reset.

They were nice compared to the rest of the fleet, but they were very far from being even remotely like a new train.

 

[317666]

Besides, it was never a very good refit anyway. The partition doors never worked reliably, the A/C was always being undone by the passengers opening the windows which were never sealed up as they ought and the power door for the UAT would often fail and trap someone inside until such time that it self-reset.

I always found it funny that the windows were replaced by new ones which actually opened further!

 

[bramling]

Don't forget that the StanEx refit is getting on for 20 years old already, so it's hardly likely to be the freshest of environments now.

Besides, it was never a very good refit anyway. The partition doors never worked reliably, the A/C was always being undone by the passengers opening the windows which were never sealed up as they ought and the power door for the UAT would often fail and trap someone inside until such time that it self-reset.

They were nice compared to the rest of the fleet, but they were very far from being even remotely like a new train.

I always thought the 317/6 refurbishment was better. Unlike the strange features alluded to on the /7s, the /6 job was pretty sound in that it delivered a pretty decent ambience comparable to the 365s of the time. The first class areas in particular were very nice indeed.

Like the 365s they have been cheapened up since, for example losing carpet.

 

[O L Leigh]

I always thought the 317/6 refurbishment was better. Unlike the strange features alluded to on the /7s, the /6 job was pretty sound in that it delivered a pretty decent ambience comparable to the 365s of the time. The first class areas in particular were very nice indeed.

Hmm. From a passenger's perspective yes, but those awful sprung sliding doors in the first class area were a pain. Prepping one of these units was like completing an obstacle course.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

As far as I know only 709 and 710 have re-entered service with Greater Anglia. The others seem to be stored at Wembley with the redundant ex LO /8s

 

[Wivenswold]

719/723 came back to Ilford about a month ago, 723 is in service.

 

[Class465pacer]

In addition to the above issues new trains have superior acceleration and efficiency compared to BR trains - not sure how you can refit that without spending such a large amount of money that it just makes more sense to lease new trains.