Class 379 breaks West Anglia Main Line Speed Record

[Desiro360]

As you may not know 379 015 ran non stop from London Liverpool St to Cambridge on Friday September 30th. It completed the run in 48 Minutes and 13 Seconds beating the previous record of 48 Minutes and 17 Seconds set by 86401 back in March 1987.

After the run it was named "City of Cambridge" by the Major of Cambridge.

I found out about this run by reading the latest Railway Herald Magazine.

 

[T163R]

As you may not know 379 015 ran non stop from London Liverpool St to Cambridge on Friday September 30th. It completed the run in 48 Minutes and 13 Seconds beating the previous record of 48 Minutes and 17 Seconds set by 86401 back in March 1987.

After the run it was named "City of Cambridge" by the Major of Cambridge.

I found out about this run by reading the latest Railway Herald Magazine.

So are we actually finding 4 seconds the most amazing railway fact of the moment ?

 

[MCR247]

24 years of progress and we're celebrating a train being a 24 year old record by 4 seconds?!

 

[jopsuk]

How did they ensure the exact start and finish lines were the same? 4 seconds is a small margin. Given that, was the front of the train in the same place on the same platform at Liverpool Street, and did they stop at the same place on the same platform at Cambridge?

 

[davelew99]

Surely the 4 seconds depends how harshly the driver applied the brakes!

Coming to a smooth stop takes longer than a harsh one, we all know that.

 

[T163R]

Surely the 4 seconds depends how harshly the driver applied the brakes!

Coming to a smooth stop takes longer than a harsh one, we all know that.

And Electrostar brakes are surely more powerful than "old" train's ones.

 

[Martin nx]

Apart from the fact that 4 seconds is really unmeasurable as a broken record for the reasons outlined above, I would rather have ridden on comfortable hauled stock with 86401 on the front anyway!

 

[Desiro360]

I apologise if this article has upset you guys but as 86401 is preserved it could operate railtours if the funds were available to return it to mainline use. It could have another non stop run from Liverpool St to Cambridge to try and beat the 379's time.

 

[jopsuk]

I don't think it's upset anyone- I think we're all rather amused at the slightly ludicrous claims NX are making.

 

[es373]

The trains are capable of faster speeds but what you're all forgetting is the line speed.

IF there's a TSR/ESR then the train cannot go over the restriction!

Said train ran non stop, it didnt run non stop at higher speeds so its pretty much guaranteed to only make up a couple of minutes as the time saved is the time spent defensive driving/stopping in/for platforms!

 

[tbtc]

I apologise if this article has upset you guys

I found it interesting - comparing the 48 minutes to the time taken for the FCC "fast" services suggests there is scope for the two lines to compete.

 

[HSTEd]

I apologise if this article has upset you guys but as 86401 is preserved it could operate railtours if the funds were available to return it to mainline use. It could have another non stop run from Liverpool St to Cambridge to try and beat the 379's time.

I would buy a ticket for that

 

[jon0844]

I found it interesting - comparing the 48 minutes to the time taken for the FCC "fast" services suggests there is scope for the two lines to compete.

Are there the paths though? That said, even if it takes 10-20 minutes longer to get to Liverpool St than King's Cross, you're surely going to take the service that is most convenient at the other end? I'd say there's already pretty good competition.

Out of interest, is it cheaper to go to one station over the other (King's Cross or Liverpool St)?

 

[jopsuk]

Paths would be the issue- the line is very conjested as it is.

There are "NXEA" only off peak and super off-peak fares, I think season tickets may be cheaper too to Liverpool Street than Kings Cross. The peak services come December, especially the 12 car ones, will be very competitive in time terms to the City of London versus Kings Cross + circle line

 

[43021HST]

I apologise if this article has upset you guys but as 86401 is preserved it could operate railtours if the funds were available to return it to mainline use. It could have another non stop run from Liverpool St to Cambridge to try and beat the 379's time.

This sounds like its going to turn into a railway version of top gear.

Cut to Richard Hammond: "The class 86 has devoloped a lead over the desiro, this could be 50 years of pedigree showing through, but wait the desiro can break quicker through the curves, even though the 86 has more power off the line. This could be a close call, with pedantic train spotters forever repeating this moment to bored listeners for years."

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Am I the only one who would rather do London-Cambridge via Harlow on a 379 than via the ECML on a 365?

I do have agree though, it is a big hype over what is relatively nothing.

 

[dk1]

It does make me wonder whether the Cambridge to London could be one of the growth areas in the Greater Anglia franchise. Stansted traffic is far from great at the moment with falling passenger numbers passing through the airport. Taking on FCC & the very high volumes of passengers using the Kings Cross route would make good exploitation of the 379s.

 

[jopsuk]

Well they're sort of doing that from December in the peaks, with the 12 car services from Cambridge in the morning stopping only Whittlesford, Audley End, Bishops Stortford and Tottenham Hale en-route- less stops than the current fast services, but more capacity. And wifi.

 

[asylumxl]

And pantographs welding themselves to OHLs .

 

[ChiefPlanner]

It was originally the fastest route etc - "The Fenman" and all that - all credit to NXEA for raising their game on the route - pathing relaibly is the issue - Stansted has lost a lot of optional air passengers one gathers of late.

 

[jon0844]

the desiro can break quicker through the curves

If anything can break quickly, it's a Bombardier-built train.

 

[Barrett M95]

That is an unimpressive gain on an already unimpressive record... Especially when you can already get to Cambridge from the capital in 47 mins any day of the week from another terminus - one which has better tube access than Liverpool St unless you live/work close by.

 

[tbtc]

That is an unimpressive gain on an already unimpressive record... Especially when you can already get to Cambridge from the capital in 47 mins any day of the week from another terminus - one which has better tube access than Liverpool St unless you live/work close by.

Crossrail could tip the balance though - frequent trains to the heart of London and to Docklands etc too.

 

[jon0844]

Hopefully each terminus will have sufficient benefits to spread the load a bit.

 

[captainbigun]

This is quite laughable. A 379 has a greater power/weight and greater braking force than an 86 and Mk2s. I suspect line speeds are more generous now and the 379 will hit them quicker than the hauled set. Progress??!!

There's little chance of the WA competing with the GN on times. There simply isn't the room in the pathing to allow these trains, off peak, never mind during the peak. However, folk will use the WA as it drops them in the heart of the city. Kings Cross is a pain for this.

 

[tbtc]

This is quite laughable. A 379 has a greater power/weight and greater braking force than an 86 and Mk2s. I suspect line speeds are more generous now and the 379 will hit them quicker than the hauled set. Progress??!!

There's little chance of the WA competing with the GN on times. There simply isn't the room in the pathing to allow these trains, off peak, never mind during the peak

Well, your second point answers your first.

The congested railways mean that there's not the scope for things to run non-stop on "special" services without causing disruptions to several tightly timed services.

In BR days there were fewer trains around, and they were one big company, so they could chop/change paths to allow "record breaking" trips like this a lot easier.

It'd be interesting to see what the 379 could do at two in the morning (with no other trains on the line to get in the way)

 

[captainbigun]

Well, your second point answers your first.

The congested railways mean that there's not the scope for things to run non-stop on "special" services without causing disruptions to several tightly timed services.

In BR days there were fewer trains around, and they were one big company, so they could chop/change paths to allow "record breaking" trips like this a lot easier.

It'd be interesting to see what the 379 could do at two in the morning (with no other trains on the line to get in the way)

Not exactly, this would have been pathed specially and other stuff must have been moved out of the way. 48 minutes would not be achieveable on anything other than a clear road. The main contrainst 'running on greens' is that Liverpool St to Tottenham Hale is a stagger.

My point is that it's the route that needs work, 317s are quite capable of speed given the chance!

 

[SprinterMan]

Am I the only one who would rather do London-Cambridge via Harlow on a 379 than via the ECML on a 365?

I do have agree though, it is a big hype over what is relatively nothing.

I agree with you completely on this, CBG-KGX, scenery-wise, is one of the least interesting routes I have ever done to be honest.

 

[scotsman]

I apologise if this article has upset you guys but as 86401 is preserved it could operate railtours if the funds were available to return it to mainline use. It could have another non stop run from Liverpool St to Cambridge to try and beat the 379's time.

For a start, 86101 is preserved not 401

Secondly, perhaps you should have made your point about the possibility of a "rematch" clear in your first post.

 

[Daimler]

For a start, 86101 is preserved not 401

Secondly, perhaps you should have made your point about the possibility of a "rematch" clear in your first post.

They both are, actually - have a look at the AC Loco Group site below.

http://www.aclocogroup.co.uk/stock86401.php