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Class 745 Stadler FLIRTs

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TT-ONR-NRN

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They are brilliant trains to travel on. Light years ahead of what they replaced.
Having cleared ten of the class already for haulage on Stratford hops, I would say they’re very nice and far superior to the 91+MK3, but offer a reduction in quality to the 379s which have tables (important for me), what are in my opinion nicer 2nd class seats, first class which I do use and appreciate, and I like the silvery mood lighting too :)
 
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87015

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Assuming 7 or 8 units being used on the Norwich line - where are the remainder of the units?
Broken. They pulled a full planned restoration of half hourly Norwichs for July late on due to being unable to fulfill diagrams with working 745s.
 

Railperf

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Broken. They pulled a full planned restoration of half hourly Norwichs for July late on due to being unable to fulfill diagrams with working 745s.
Seriously? Wow - but there are 20ish units? That's crazy if more than half are out of action!!
 

py_megapixel

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Seriously? Wow - but there are 20ish units? That's crazy if more than half are out of action!!
Exactly 20 in fact. And given GA seem quite happy to swap the wrong interior spec onto services, I can't see any other interperatation other than that there are about 12 units out of service...
 

F Great Eastern

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Broken. They pulled a full planned restoration of half hourly Norwichs for July late on due to being unable to fulfill diagrams with working 745s.

I assume the real reason for such services not being started will be stated as because of lack of demand?
 

43096

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Exactly 20 in fact. And given GA seem quite happy to swap the wrong interior spec onto services, I can't see any other interperatation other than that there are about 12 units out of service...
17 units. Three are not accepted as yet.
 

James James

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That said, new rolling stock having poor reliability for the first year appears to have been the case for the last 20 years at least.
There's a reason that the SBB in Switzerland mostly starts testing new rolling stock 1+ years in advance of full timetable service - at least for long distance trains. (Or much longer in the case of that Bombardier double deck failure.) I suppose the economics of the UK railway system don't really allow that (leasing costs and all that).
 

samuelmorris

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There's a reason that the SBB in Switzerland mostly starts testing new rolling stock 1+ years in advance of full timetable service - at least for long distance trains. (Or much longer in the case of that Bombardier double deck failure.) I suppose the economics of the UK railway system don't really allow that (leasing costs and all that).
Stock in the UK is tested several months prior to introduction, in the case of some classes it is pretty much a year. For the 80x I believe it was more, 2 years + in some cases.
 

43096

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There's a reason that the SBB in Switzerland mostly starts testing new rolling stock 1+ years in advance of full timetable service - at least for long distance trains. (Or much longer in the case of that Bombardier double deck failure.) I suppose the economics of the UK railway system don't really allow that (leasing costs and all that).
Leasing costs aren’t really relevant. The operator won’t start paying until they accept the trains for service.
 

samuelmorris

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They are brilliant trains to travel on. Light years ahead of what they replaced.
Not actually travelled on one yet but I think this is fair - I had misgivings at first given the unusual type of unit to see in the UK and originally wanted to see 80x units run the Norwich services, but in hindsight, I think we got the better option. A lot of attention to detail with GA's new units that many TOCs don't bother with. I'm not expecting the 745s to ever match the reliability figures posted by the Mk3s, but if they can at least manage figures equivalent to a 12-car 360 rake then that'll be good enough.
 

Astro_Orbiter

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Not actually travelled on one yet but I think this is fair - I had misgivings at first given the unusual type of unit to see in the UK and originally wanted to see 80x units run the Norwich services, but in hindsight, I think we got the better option. A lot of attention to detail with GA's new units that many TOCs don't bother with. I'm not expecting the 745s to ever match the reliability figures posted by the Mk3s, but if they can at least manage figures equivalent to a 12-car 360 rake then that'll be good enough.
Class 80x on Norwich? Why?
 

py_megapixel

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Kings Cross. Doesn't matter though, it's a similar distance, and shorter than Liverpool Street to Norwich.
You can see why they might have said that though. I imagine having a single type of rolling stock (with Hull Trains ordering 80x and possibly the chance of GC doing the same) for all KX services is operationally quite attractive.
 

alm37

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Judging hy Greater Anglia journey check train formation and catering updates - there appear to be at least a trio of 745/1s (stansted units being used on Norwich services - but no sign of any being used on Stansted services again today after Tuesday's 'launch'!

Assuming 7 or 8 units being used on the Norwich line - where are the remainder of the units?

Over the last couple of days around 10 sets have been noted in service from Norwich including 4 745/1s. Most of the rest are around Crown Point depot, or at the recently reopened Victoria Sidings which can stable 4 sets and is usually full. Two sets (008 and 110) are still at the Mid Norfolk Railway at Kimberley and look not to have moved since they were delivered - delivery labels still on the windows.
 

trebor79

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Having cleared ten of the class already for haulage on Stratford hops, I would say they’re very nice and far superior to the 91+MK3, but offer a reduction in quality to the 379s which have tables (important for me), what are in my opinion nicer 2nd class seats, first class which I do use and appreciate, and I like the silvery mood lighting too :)
745/0s have tables, first class and a buffet!
 

dk1

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Over the last couple of days around 10 sets have been noted in service from Norwich including 4 745/1s. Most of the rest are around Crown Point depot, or at the recently reopened Victoria Sidings which can stable 4 sets and is usually full. Two sets (008 and 110) are still at the Mid Norfolk Railway at Kimberley and look not to have moved since they were delivered - delivery labels still on the windows.
Think some of the mid-Norfolk sets have wheelset issues.
 

Pumbaa

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Hitachi was the preferred builder for the GA Intercity & bimode fleet but could not offer them in the timescale required at the time. Things could've been very different.
I can absolutely guarantee that was never the case.
 
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