Greater Anglia Bombardier Aventras (Class 720): Technical discussion and introduction

[Class 170101]

Its a good thing that there is such a limited service at the moment given how long it was sat there for.

 

[dk1]

Its a good thing that there is such a limited service at the moment given how long it was sat there for.

It was added isues with brakes that resulted in the movement limited to 5mph to Witham.

 

[LAX54]

Its a good thing that there is such a limited service at the moment given how long it was sat there for.

Not much of a reduced service, only 2 an hour less

 

[Class 170101]

Not much of a reduced service, only 2 an hour less

Three missing I think
Intercity, Colchester Town and Braintree as I recall, may be wrong though....

 

[LAX54]

Three missing I think
Intercity, Colchester Town and Braintree as I recall, may be wrong though....

Yes, forgot that one, (not our area ) The Braintree is a shuttle to Witham, overall I think the few passengers there are, are well catered for on the G.E, even the 0443 still runs from Colchester !

 

[Railperf]

Why not? If it's only one breakdown it seems great for the testing program.

Surely the whole point of testing is to get any issues identified and resolved?

I would have though that the bulk of reliability issues on the Aventura platform have been identified and fixed on the 345/710 fleet, and therefore the 720's should almost be able to run out of the box - unless the fact that they have been sitting around for some time means certain mods have not been carried out yet?

 

[Fincra5]

I would have though that the bulk of reliability issues on the Aventura platform have been identified and fixed on the 345/710 fleet, and therefore the 720's should almost be able to run out of the box - unless the fact that they have been sitting around for some time means certain mods have not been carried out yet?

Irrelevant. What new train has worked "Out the Box"? There's niggles, not always down to the train itself. Can be crew's getting used to them etc.

 

[samuelmorris]

There's also systems integration matters with each of the lines they will serve - 360s were never able to be used on the Southend line for example but 720s need to be able to work basically everywhere on Anglia's network.

 

[Class 170101]

even the 0443 still runs from Colchester !

Got to get those key workers to London.

 

[Shunter_69]

The 04:43 is by far the busiest train I’ve driven since the reduced timetable started.

 

[20atthemagnet]

I would have though that the bulk of reliability issues on the Aventura platform have been identified and fixed on the 345/710 fleet, and therefore the 720's should almost be able to run out of the box - unless the fact that they have been sitting around for some time means certain mods have not been carried out yet?

You make the assumption that the 345 and 710 fleet are running perfectly...the 345s have only just started to become anything near reliable and the 710s are miles off (in multiple tenfold) 720s wont run “out of the box” more alongside 710s in terms of software progression.

 

[samuelmorris]

It's difficult to know what to make of the figures. 345s seem to be improving but the figures are so variable I don't really know if there's an upward trend yet. 710s if anything seemed to be getting worse...

Graph of latest MR data here:

https://i.imgur.com/ocF0gn9.png

 

[Wivenswold]

I'll "second" or maybe "third" those memories of the 360 introduction in 2003/04. If they weren't sitting down between stations, shorting out the OHL or having over-sensitive door issues, they were refusing to couple or uncouple. By January 2004 a dozen or so 312s were dragged back into service for a few weeks so modifications could be made.

If that is indeed the first time 720 509 has suffered a major fault after a month of running around the GA system, then things bode well.

A quick slight off-topic response to an earlier post. Many of the large City employers I work for or with have invested in better, more robust remote working systems as they are keen to reduce office rental costs, this was happening before Covid-19 and even more so now. Add to that the job losses in the financial sector as we isolate ourselves from the European market and you'll find the peak passenger flows of 2030 will be unrecognisable to today's.

 

[dk1]

I'll "second" or maybe "third" those memories of the 360 introduction in 2003/04. If they weren't sitting down between stations, shorting out the OHL or having over-sensitive door issues, they were refusing to couple or uncouple. By January 2004 a dozen or so 312s were dragged back into service for a few weeks so modifications could be made.

If that is indeed the first time 720 509 has suffered a major fault after a month of running around the GA system, then things bode well.

A quick slight off-topic response to an earlier post. Many of the large City employers I work for or with have invested in better, more robust remote working systems as they are keen to reduce office rental costs, this was happening before Covid-19 and even more so now. Add to that the job losses in the financial sector as we isolate ourselves from the European market and you'll find the peak passenger flows of 2030 will be unrecognisable to today's.

I recall some very interesting Bidi workings & wrong Road workings passing signals at danger if stuck behind a 360 that's computers where having a tiff. One time a group of German technicians where at Stansted waiting for a flight & where taxied to stranded trio of units beside the A12 at Brick House.

On the subject of less commuters, I don't see that as a bad thing. To be honest things are often now working to the wire & one small setback causes chaos and chronic crowding. As long as it's written into future franchises (should we still take that route) then so be it.

 

[Bald Rick]

On the subject of less commuters, I don't see that as a bad thing. To be honest things are often now working to the wire & one small setback causes chaos and chronic crowding. As long as it's written into future franchises (should we still take that route) then so be it.

If there are significantly fewer commuters (and there’s no telling what will happen, yet), then it will unquestionably mean fewer trains too.

 

[dk1]

If there are significantly fewer commuters (and there’s no telling what will happen, yet), then it will unquestionably mean fewer trains too.

Again that's not a bad thing as in practice Liverpool Street & the Stratford area struggle to cope on many days. Seating capacity will also be much greater once the new fleets are fully operational.

 

[samuelmorris]

Given arguably not quite enough units were ordered, that's probably no bad thing!

 

[MDB1images]

Read today (think it was on Yahoo group)that 720525 headed from Derby to Workshop today.
Can't see anything on Flickr as yet to confirm.

 

[_toommm_]

Read today (think it was on Yahoo group)that 720525 headed from Derby to Workshop today.
Can't see anything on Flickr as yet to confirm.

Seems like it did - 47727 and 47749. I doubt there'll be much on Flickr due to the lockdown, but there was this run on RealTimeTrains:

Realtime Trains - 5Q11 1047 Derby Litchurch Lane to Worksop Down Yard

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[MDB1images]

720511 delivered to Ilford 07th May.

47749 tnt 47727 with 720511 5Q20 Derby Litchurch Lane - Ilford E.M.U. Depot passes Harrowden Junction 07.05.2020

Explore pokeyphoto's 987 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[RealTrains07]

720511 delivered to Ilford 07th May.

47749 tnt 47727 with 720511 5Q20 Derby Litchurch Lane - Ilford E.M.U. Depot passes Harrowden Junction 07.05.2020

Explore pokeyphoto's 987 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Also the first 720 that has had the GA logo applied before delivery

 

[palmersears]

720515 is on its way to Ilford:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K00309/2020-05-18/detailed

 

[Bald Rick]

For those who like these sort of things...

 

[robert west]

anyone know what ones are out on test today
many thanks.

 

[robert west]

720511 on 5q17 today

 

[Alfie1014]

The conundrum of how the 720s will fit into the bays at Wickford has been cleared up. GA have submitted a planning application to Basildon Council to demolish the down side station building, (extend the down bay platform and construct a replacement ticket office). https://planning.basildon.gov.uk/on...ils.do?keyVal=QADG15CQJ6I00&activeTab=summary

A temporary ticket office will be provided in the car park.

 

[delticdave]

The conundrum of how the 720s will fit into the bays at Wickford has been cleared up. GA have submitted a planning application to Basildon Council to demolish the down side station building, (extend the down bay platform and construct a replacement ticket office). https://planning.basildon.gov.uk/on...ils.do?keyVal=QADG15CQJ6I00&activeTab=summary

A temporary ticket office will be provided in the car park.

Thanks for the info, I'd guess that all branch trains will have to terminate in the down platform?
AFAIK, the up bay was used in the mornings, to make transfers to the up Southend - Liv. St. trains easier.

 

[306024]

Thanks for the info, I'd guess that all branch trains will have to terminate in the down platform?
AFAIK, the up bay was used in the mornings, to make transfers to the up Southend - Liv. St. trains easier.

That is indeed the plan, so it looks like the up bay becomes redundant once all the class 720s are introduced.

Fortunately the bay at Manningtree just accommodates a class 720, otherwise Manningtree station buffet would have been the next demolition target for the GA bulldozer.

 

[samuelmorris]

Greater Anglia News on Twitter

“We've just been sent these lovely photos of 3 of our brand new trains. Two are in the @BombardierR_UK factory and the other is on a test run into Liverpool Street. Read our blog to find out how our new trains programme is progressing during lockdown https://t.co/F6R5NzTjH4”

twitter.com

A sign of things to come - liking this picture. I considered the 710s better looking than 345s, but here I think the 720 looks better still.

 

[37424]

Greater Anglia News on Twitter

“We've just been sent these lovely photos of 3 of our brand new trains. Two are in the @BombardierR_UK factory and the other is on a test run into Liverpool Street. Read our blog to find out how our new trains programme is progressing during lockdown https://t.co/F6R5NzTjH4”

twitter.com

A sign of things to come - liking this picture. I considered the 710s better looking than 345s, but here I think the 720 looks better still.

Well having changed the design of the bottom fairing so it doesn't have that long angular taper looks a lot better if you are going to paint the fairing in a different color. On the 345's the black fairing with the long taper at the bottom looks stupid and they should rethink the paint scheme, the 710's have the same design but painted in a way that its not noticeable. I think the overall cab design is still a awkward but the 720 fairing arrangement is better, however I think the revised cab on the 701's looks to be a significantly more accomplished design.