Class 745 Stadler FLIRTs

[dk1]

Travelling for the first time on a 745/1.

I imagine that the tables were removed to make more space for luggage but a small side table for a drink would have been a big improvement?

Overall, a bit disappointed.

I totally agree. There are however flip down tables on airline seats.

 

[Spet0789]

I totally agree. There are however flip down tables on airline seats.

True, but that leaves a choice between legroom and a table!

 

[StephenHunter]

The 745/1s aren't designed for long journeys, mind.

 

[dk1]

True, but that leaves a choice between legroom and a table!

I always prefer the airline seats & haven't noticed a leg room issue. I'm 6ft.

 

[Spet0789]

I also! Without wanting to sound like I’m boasting I think it depends how comfortable you are sitting with your legs close together.

Having had a closer look, the omission of a small side table at the four seat bays is even stupider that I had thought as the curve of the ‘wall’ means that a 10cm wide table wouldn’t reduce the floor area for luggage.

My basis for comparison is the 379s. If course I appreciate the extra seats in the 745 but I tend to travel early / late on quieter services.

The 745/1s aren't designed for long journeys, mind.

True, but I would say a third of the passengers on rush hour commuter services would have a drink with them.

 

[Stortford soul]

As someone who has frequently travelled on 379s between Stortford & London I would always sit at the bay seats to have a table. I find it ridiculous that tables are not fitted. The result will be that rubbish will be placed on the floor, making the cleaners' job more arduous. As mentioned above surely small tables sufficient for several cups could have been provided and fitted with small waste bins underneath as on Swiss and most Continental trains.

 

[AverageTD]

Seeing as I'm too lazy to scroll up and check if they've already been posted, are there any confirmed StanEx 745 diagrams yet or do GA just slap them in wherever?

 

[D.K.TAYLOR]

The 09-10 and 09-40 usually drop 745/1a repeat 12-10 and 12-40 yesterday 745003 did the 10-10 and 745104 was on another turn.
This may have been they had spare 745s for the day as the Liverpool Street Norwich's were terminated at Ipswich engineering works and they were dropping pairs of 321s as well as 745s sorry can't be any more help

 

[Bikeman78]

Seeing as I'm too lazy to scroll up and check if they've already been posted, are there any confirmed StanEx 745 diagrams yet or do GA just slap them in wherever?

Four out of the five turns are 745s now so they are hard to miss.

 

[Spet0789]

With the current half-service, it should be relatively easy to achieve an all 745/1 service on StanEx.

 

[Railperf]

Class 745's have now blitzed most of the old GEML station to station records for both sets of stopping patterns both UP and Down - in spite of the fact that a lot of those older Class 86 loco hauled records featured running at speeds of well over 100mph.

The fastest recorded running times for the xx;30 stopping service total just over 90 mins- Incredible when you consider the Norwich in 90 timing of 90 mins is inclusive of a single stop!

It also demonstrates just how much recovery time and pathing time is inserted into the timetable to regulate the service south of Colchester due to the density of trains using the line!

It will be interesting to see if some better timings can be achieved once the remaining GEML fleet is all Class 720.

 

[47421]

have all the 745s now worked in passenger service? if not, how many have not been used yet?

 

[dk1]

With the current half-service, it should be relatively easy to achieve an all 745/1 service on StanEx.

Still not always possible even with a reduced Norwich service. The 06:48 ex-Norwich & 09:00 return was replaced by a 755 terminating/starting Colchester after the 745 failed on depot with no other 745 available to replace it.

 

[Railperf]

Is this due to depot / stabling issues in not being able to get a 745 out in time? or is there just a shortage of serviceable 745's?
I guess some bins will likely be sent up to deputise?

 

[dk1]

Is this due to depot / stabling issues in not being able to get a 745 out in time? or is there just a shortage of serviceable 745's?
I guess some bins will likely be sent up to deputise?

Just a shortage really. Rarely any are spare.

 

[Railperf]

Just a shortage really. Rarely any are spare.

Must be quite a few sitting unavailable then?

 

[trebor79]

Are a couple of them still with wheel flats? I guess that's problematical to solve with the articulated bogies. Not like you can just knock a coach out and drag it to Dereham for onward road transport to a lathe anymore.

 

[Bikeman78]

Just a shortage really. Rarely any are spare.

Doesn't bode well. By now there should have been 19 out of 20 in traffic every day. Though I expect that Stansted will remain half hourly for many more months.

 

[43096]

Doesn't bode well. By now there should have been 19 out of 20 in traffic every day. Though I expect that Stansted will remain half hourly for many more months.

It was never intended for 19 of 20 to be in traffic: it was 9 from 10 in each fleet i.e. one of each type on maintenance at a time.

 

[dk1]

Doesn't bode well. By now there should have been 19 out of 20 in traffic every day. Though I expect that Stansted will remain half hourly for many more months.

Yes. Trouble is the wheelset issues and still weeks of testing/commissioning to do.

 

[Alfie1014]

It was never intended for 19 of 20 to be in traffic: it was 9 from 10 in each fleet i.e. one of each type on maintenance at a time.

Still think it was very short sighted to go for two small sub fleets, having just one, even carrying on with First Class and a (closed) buffet on the Stansted's would be a price to play for maximum flexibility and not frequently dissapointing Norwich line passengers because there's a reduced offer when a 745/1 substitutes. And Chiltern retro fitted cup holders to their Clubman fleet which can avoid splills and mess.

 

[43096]

Still think it was very short sighted to go for two small sub fleets, having just one, even carrying on with First Class and a (closed) buffet on the Stansted's would be a price to play for maximum flexibility and not frequently dissapointing Norwich line passengers because there's a reduced offer when a 745/1 substitutes.

Fully agree. A common fleet would have been much better. Could have charged first class fares/upgrades to Stansted - might have made a bit more money.

 

[Bikeman78]

It was never intended for 19 of 20 to be in traffic: it was 9 from 10 in each fleet i.e. one of each type on maintenance at a time.

I stand corrected. Even 18 from 20 seems like a distant dream.

 

[MrPIC]

Fully agree. A common fleet would have been much better. Could have charged first class fares/upgrades to Stansted - might have made a bit more money.

The 379's have quite a decent first class, but it was only really the commuters (and not many at that) who used it.

 

[DorkingMain]

Fully agree. A common fleet would have been much better. Could have charged first class fares/upgrades to Stansted - might have made a bit more money.

Rolling some StanEx units into the 720 order probably would have made more sense than two micro fleets on routes that only touch at Liverpool St

 

[Energy]

Rolling some StanEx units into the 720 order probably would have made more sense than two micro fleets on routes that only touch at Liverpool St

Was not possible, for the Stadler wanted a minimum order so it would make sense for them to adapt the flirt to the UK, the 745 order massively increased the number of cars ordered so it would meet Stadler's minimum (future orders can be a lot smaller, Stadler just wanted a minimum for this order as they would need to adapt the flirt to the UK). The 755 order alone was only 138 cars while the 745 order was 240 cars.

 

[Bikeman78]

Rolling some StanEx units into the 720 order probably would have made more sense than two micro fleets on routes that only touch at Liverpool St

Or just keep the class 379s and use the whole fleet for Stansted.

 

[Energy]

Or just keep the class 379s and use the whole fleet for Stansted.

Not that great of an idea IMO, doesn't really solve the problem as you still have a small fleet of trains once they have been formed into 12 car sets, and you don't have fleet commonality with the intercity units. The best solution is have all the 745s be /0s and order a couple extra.

 

[Grumbler]

Not that great of an idea IMO, doesn't really solve the problem as you still have a small fleet of trains once they have been formed into 12 car sets, and you don't have fleet commonality with the intercity units. The best solution is have all the 745s be /0s and order a couple extra.

Presumably it would not be too difficult to refit 745/1s as 745/0s.

 

[dk1]

Availability is not good this morning on the GEML.