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

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720144

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Wivenswold

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This does not solve the problem in itself as there is no corridor connection between 720 units.
They don't but it does give passengers the option of hopping off one unit and going to use the toilets in the other at the next station. I've had to do that a number of times when traveling on the Class 360 Desiros back in the day.
 

Peter Mugridge

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I saw the aforementioned 720 122 being returned to Ilford this evening, passing through Stratford behind 69 008 at around 18.05.
 

Chorley Cake

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Oh I guess it could have been. Just saw the back of it as we passed it. Don’t see the front. Sorry.
 

Peter Sarf

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Has anyone been able to confirm if 720 505 was moved to Ilford or not last week?
I am a bit out of date but 720505 had taken up residence for a while at Willesden not Wembley.
There is a chance it had made the move to Wembley - so has anyone seen it at Willesden ?.
My best guess is that the move from Wembley might be another 720 that had visited the wheel lathe at nearby Stonebridge Park - usually a 745 I think.

I have raised a question on the Non-Urgent TOPS Requests thread and will report back here.
 
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wickham

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I had a good look (with "bins") at both ends of Willesden TMD at 1200 today (Wednesday 07.05.25), I am sure that all roads could be viewed through the various open doors and I am convinced that 702505 is NOT there. The stange thing is, the last sighting of it at Willesden was 30.04.25 and going right back to this date (as far as RTT history now goes) there are NO pathways set up to take it anywhere ! Could it possibly have moved as a shunt to Wembley without a pathway being set up and then conveyed on the 5Q22 mentioned above ?
 

Class15

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5Q22 was a Class 720 in GA livery and the first digits were ‘7205xx’ as I saw it in Camden but it was from a bridge so I couldn’t get the whole number!

My best guess is that the move from Wembley might be another 720 that had visited the wheel lathe at nearby Stonebridge Park - usually a 745 I think.
It can be any GA train going to Stonebridge Park. It’s very frequently 720s. Plus if it’s a 745 or 755 it would go to Crown Point, not Ilford.
 

Peter Sarf

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5Q22 was a Class 720 in GA livery and the first digits were ‘7205xx’ as I saw it in Camden but it was from a bridge so I couldn’t get the whole number!


It can be any GA train going to Stonebridge Park. It’s very frequently 720s. Plus if it’s a 745 or 755 it would go to Crown Point, not Ilford.
The 720s also go to Barton Under Needwood (name iirc) a lot. Is there an unnatural amount of wheel turning going on ?.

I asked about 5Q22 on the TOPS request thread - no info.

I think it relies on a mark one eyeball at Ilford OR it popping up on RTT in service !.
(I just checked RTT).
 
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Tony2

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I’ve passed 720505 many times in early April at Willesden, for the record this was 9 April with around a car and a half poking out of the depot (screenshot from video). I have seen it there since, but didn’t record the last sighting. Latterly there was only around half a car sticking out. The open doors at the other of the depot allowed a view of all cars.

1746653001473.jpeg
 

720144

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5Q22 was a Class 720 in GA livery and the first digits were ‘7205xx’ as I saw it in Camden but it was from a bridge so I couldn’t get the whole number!


It can be any GA train going to Stonebridge Park. It’s very frequently 720s. Plus if it’s a 745 or 755 it would go to Crown Point, not Ilford.
I think it could’ve been 505 on the move to Ilford ready for test & service, it’s the only & final unit to join the other 133 of them.

Unless that was another used 720 coming back from wheel lathe turning
 

47584Suffolk

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I think it could’ve been 505 on the move to Ilford ready for test & service, it’s the only & final unit to join the other 133 of them.

Unless that was another used 720 coming back from wheel lathe turning
5Q22 was the traditional path used for Wembley/Willesden to Ilford deliveries so makes it very likely that 720505 was indeed the unit involved. The tyre-turning trips usually return homewards from Wembley as 5L50.
 
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5Q22 was the traditional path used for Wembley/Willesden to Ilford deliveries so makes it very likely that 720505 was indeed the unit involved. The tyre-turning trips usually return homewards from Wembley as 5L50.
Yeah and the testing paths to Southend Victoria were used on Wednesday and are planned for Tuesday-Friday next week. They were also planned for Tuesday-Friday last week, but were cancelled (probably due to disruption) on the other days
 

720144

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5Q22 was the traditional path used for Wembley/Willesden to Ilford deliveries so makes it very likely that 720505 was indeed the unit involved. The tyre-turning trips usually return homewards from Wembley as 5L50.
Many thanks. Not long untill the 5 year wait is over.
 

wickham

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Tuesday 13.05.25: The 5Gxx Mileage runs from Ilford/Shenfield- Southend Victoria have all run today up to 5G47 1535 Southend, after which they were cancelled. Might this be 720505 and might it have failed fault free running (again) ?
 

Hazza55

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37800 720506/568

37800 720506/568

Was 37800 +720505 +720568
 

Class15

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Was the no in caps really necessary :lol:
The ‘O’ being in caps may have been a typo. I wouldn’t assume it meant frustration.
37800 720506/568 506 corrected to 505
Any idea why these units have returned to Derby?
 

Peter Mugridge

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How come 505 is heading straight back to Derby after failing on fault free mileage Southend Test runs ?
That looks very much like some form of rectification work is needed?

It doesn't explain 720 568 going back as well, though, does it? Unless it's been damaged somehow?
 

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