Class 379 updates (all are OFF LEASE)

[Mamorin]

I feel like going cold is a tactic by the DFT to try and lower the leasing cost, I can’t see how the DFT could tell TOCs to make cut backs yet allow GN to get 379s at the current leasing cost.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Yes, although ultimately the decision to use the 379s has nothing to do with Greater Anglia employees or management now. It is a decision for GTR and the DfT so would appear to have greater weighting if included in a GTR newsletter.

There doesn't appear to be any doubt that 379s were planned for GN but that doesn't mean the deal has actually been done.

GTR can recommend but decision rest with Dept of T. Not renewing lease with 379's saves real money so they only get released if passenger demand somewhere is high enough to cover the charges.

 

[dk1]

The four 379s in the Wensum sidings at Norwich will be moved around by one of the resident 08s over the next few days again & spend sometime under a wired road in keeping with their warm storage. Rumours circulating that they will be leaving for a new home (wherever that may be) in September/October.

 

[43102EMR]

The four 379s in the Wensum sidings at Norwich will be moved around by one of the resident 08s over the next few days again & spend sometime under a wired road in keeping with their warm storage. Rumours circulating that they will be leaving for a new home (wherever that may be) in September/October.

Will be interesting to see what they have lined up, especially as the GN move seems to be dead in the water.

 

[43096]

Will be interesting to see what they have lined up, especially as the GN move seems to be dead in the water.

It could, of course, just be getting them off GA depots and storing them somewhere else.

 

[Railperf]

It could, of course, just be getting them off GA depots and storing them somewhere else.

The long line of 321s formerly between Harwich Parkeston quay and Dovercourt has been replaced by a long line of 379s. Seems strange to them stored like that.

 

[Shunter_69]

It’s also caused a 25mph speed restriction in the up direction due to signal sighting.

 

[andystock22]

I can't see them going to GN at this present time, since the latest passengers numbers for GTR are between 64% to 68%.

Many GTR routes are still operating an reduced timetable (eg off peak weekday Moorgate services - 2 trains per hour instead of 4 trains per hour).

In an email to my local MP, the DfT refused to provide funding for GTR to operate a full timetable due to low passenger numbers.

 

[CapitalStar378]

Will be interesting to see what they have lined up, especially as the GN move seems to be dead in the water.

Southern have just binned their 455s, these could help replace or are they planning to keep to their reduced timetable for good?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Southern have just binned their 455s, these could help replace or are they planning to keep to their reduced timetable for good?

I don't think the 379s would be much help because as far as I know these are AC only trains.

 

[Mamorin]

The 379s are AC only trains so they are useless to Southern.

 

[physics34]

Mentioned many a time... there was speculation and an educated guess that the 379s would go to GN so their 387s could move to southern. Could still happen but currently the dft are looking to cut costs and may not want to pay the 379 leasing costs I'll probably get told off by the mods again for posting this here again lol

 

[43102EMR]

Mentioned many a time... there was speculation and an educated guess that the 379s would go to GN so their 387s could move to southern. Could still happen but currently the dft are looking to cut costs and may not want to pay the 379 leasing costs I'll probably get told off by the mods again for posting this here again lol

Was on the agenda at one point, but appears as though it’s dead in the water, especially with the rumoured transfer of the c2c 387s.

 

[Class455]

The 379s are AC only trains so they are useless to Southern.

...which is why it's been suggested they'll go to the GN instead to cascade the same amount of third rail capable 387's to Southern.

Given there were 28 455 diagrams, it would make perfect sense. But the DfT don't know what the meaning of sense is, especially when cutting costs are more important to them rather than making an attempt to actually try and get people to use the railway again so they don't have to make these cost cuts. So I rest my case.

 

[Mamorin]

But the DfT don't know what the meaning of sense is

It makes sence when you know that the rumoured cost of the 379s was 13 Million pa, GN was never getting the 379s at that price while everywhere else was making cut backs.

Had the 379s cost less then maybe GN might have gotten the 379s.

A new home for the 379s will be found but it will be a while before that happens as the DFT are waiting for the leasing costs to come down I think.

I do feel the DFT making cut backs to services is a mistake though, but that is for different thread.

 

[physics34]

It makes sence when you know that the rumoured cost of the 379s was 13 Million pa, GN was never getting the 379s at that price while everywhere else was making cut backs.

Had the 379s cost less then maybe GN might have gotten the 379s.

A new home for the 379s will be found but it will be a while before that happens as the DFT are waiting for the leasing costs to come down I think.

I do feel the DFT making cut backs to services is a mistake though, but that is for different thread.

It is a mistake if they want more people to go back to the office. i get the feeling from a recent online conference that all they want at the mo is to cut costs and have full trains

 

[GN Boy]

I can't see them going to GN at this present time, since the latest passengers numbers for GTR are between 64% to 68%.

Many GTR routes are still operating an reduced timetable (eg off peak weekday Moorgate services - 2 trains per hour instead of 4 trains per hour).

In an email to my local MP, the DfT refused to provide funding for GTR to operate a full timetable due to low passenger numbers.

Are the numbers really this low? It feels a lot higher when you’re out there driving addition peak-only services that leave commuters on the platform.

 

[meld3]

It makes sence when you know that the rumoured cost of the 379s was 13 Million pa, GN was never getting the 379s at that price while everywhere else was making cut backs.

Had the 379s cost less then maybe GN might have gotten the 379s.

A new home for the 379s will be found but it will be a while before that happens as the DFT are waiting for the leasing costs to come down I think.

I do feel the DFT making cut backs to services is a mistake though, but that is for different thread.

DfT will be waiting a very long time then - Leasing costs were cheap because Interest Rates were low, and that has now ended for the forseeable future.

 

[andystock22]

Are the numbers really this low? It feels a lot higher when you’re out there driving addition peak-only services that leave commuters on the platform.

I checked my email and its actually 68% to 70%.

 

[Wivenswold]

That explains why GA are only running 2/3s of our service then. Nothing to do with rolling stock shortages, obviously.

 

[andystock22]

The figures were for GTR and not GA. However I expect its similar for GA.

From what I hear the long distance and regional TOCs are near back to normal in respect of passenger numbers. Its the South East TOCs which are struggling to get back to normal passenger numbers.

Passenger numbers on the tube reached 91% on Saturday, by Monday back down to 66%.

 

[Mikey C]

The figures were for GTR and not GA. However I expect its similar for GA.

From what I hear the long distance and regional TOCs are near back to normal in respect of passenger numbers. Its the South East TOCs which are struggling to get back to normal passenger numbers.

Passenger numbers on the tube reached 91% on Saturday, by Monday back down to 66%.

If people partially work from home, then the "commuting" numbers on Tuesday to Thursday may be higher

 

[Class 170101]

Passenger numbers on the tube reached 91% on Saturday, by Monday back down to 66%.

But Saturdays are a higher percentage of a smaller number overall.

 

[andystock22]

My last commute to the office was on a Friday and both Great Northern & London Overground were not busy at all.

 

[Wyrleybart]

It makes sence when you know that the rumoured cost of the 379s was 13 Million pa, GN was never getting the 379s at that price while everywhere else was making cut backs.

Had the 379s cost less then maybe GN might have gotten the 379s.

A new home for the 379s will be found but it will be a while before that happens as the DFT are waiting for the leasing costs to come down I think.

I do feel the DFT making cut backs to services is a mistake though, but that is for different thread.

I think it is more a case of the Treasury having a stranglehold over DfT expenditure rather than sense.
I have seen mentions elsewhere of if GN were to take the 379s on, they would need ETCS fitted as KGX-PBO is the first NR main line route to transition to a "signal less" railway. If this is true then someone will need to stump up a few million in installation costs - idea while they are sitting around in warm store.

Again. if this is true the DfT could be playing Russian roulette with the Rosco to see who will cave in and sign off the investment. While they are parked up they are costing money rather than earning, and maybe DfT think the Rosco will fit the ETCS equipment to get the trains earning again. On the other hand perhaps the Rosco will hold their nerve and wait for DfT to crumble. The other option of course is to either fit the 379s with 750V DC or switch around another fleet.

I am guessing there are storage sidings now available which the 365s vacated.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Will be interesting to see what they have lined up, especially as the GN move seems to be dead in the water.

379s to GN move was only ever mooted by railway followers not the actual railway industry.

 

[Bald Rick]

379s to GN move was only ever mooted by railway followers not the actual railway industry.

it was definitely considered by the industry. just never confirmed.

 

[bramling]

379s to GN move was only ever mooted by railway followers not the actual railway industry.

It was absolutely considered by the industry. From what I understand GTR made representations to take them, someone wouldn’t authorise the cost.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

it was definitely considered by the industry. just never confirmed.

It was considered by discounted pretty quickly was probably a better way of putting it. The momentum in the idea very much came from outside the industry.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I’m surprised Grand Union haven’t proposed to use them on their London Carmarthen service