Greater Anglia Class 321/4 Refresh

[SprinterMan]

Clean and 321/4 refresh are 2 different programmes.

321425 back in service today after refresh (this is carried out at Clacton Depot). Catch it out and about and take a look for yourself.

Great!
Any pictures?
Are the panels and seats the same colour as before, or the same as the 321/3s.
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Is that the Unit that sat out of use at Ilford for 2 years?

Yeah, 321425 was the last one in SL colours and was a christmas tree at Ilford.

 

[317666]

I did see an ex-LM 321/4 a while back with the green FGE seat covers, found on the /3s and 'native' /4s (transferred under NSE), but nothing else had been changed.

 

[CDM]

Great!
Any pictures?
Are the panels and seats the same colour as before, or the same as the 321/3s.

No to all the above Similar interior scheme to the 379s.

Yeah, 321425 was the last one in SL colours and was a christmas tree at Ilford.

321425 was in service at the start of Greater Anglia's franchise, so it's just coincidence if it has been first for refresh I guess.

I did see an ex-LM 321/4 a while back with the green FGE seat covers, found on the /3s and 'native' /4s (transferred under NSE), but nothing else had been changed.

That's not refreshed. Seats must have been changed for some other reason.

 

[SprinterMan]

No to all the above Similar interior scheme to the 379s.

Wow, sounds really good, finally a 321 GA can be proud of.

 

[colchesterken]

I that the named one. cannot remember the name but I was told here it was named after a long serving worker at stratford
when I saw it it was in a right state

 

[ginger]

Wow, sounds really good, finally a 321 GA can be proud of.

not really.....the bare minimum that can be expected after over 12 years since its last interior overhaul is new seat covers and panels.....

how about proper modern seats? 21st Century toilets? Air con?

try travelling on a SWT 455......that is what CAN be acheived with a proper internal refurbishment....

in the words of the Dft in the franchise spec "a minor interior refresh".....

the REAL work will getting these trains fit for the 21st century will start in 2 years time....shame we have to wait 10 years after everyone else commuting into london to get that! a very small step of progress

 

[fgwrich]

not really.....the bare minimum that can be expected after over 12 years since its last interior overhaul is new seat covers and panels.....

how about proper modern seats? 21st Century toilets? Air con?

try travelling on a SWT 455......that is what CAN be acheived with a proper internal refurbishment....

in the words of the Dft in the franchise spec "a minor interior refresh".....

the REAL work will getting these trains fit for the 21st century will start in 2 years time....shame we have to wait 10 years after everyone else commuting into london to get that! a very small step of progress

As partly what's being shown by the First Scotrial 320 Refurbishment (instalation of the brand new toilets)... I'm not attempting to start anything here, but i do wonder how East Anglia would have panned out if First had retained everything, in the light of how quickly First have been to relivery / refurbish / refresh everything.

However, it is good to see some investment in the Greater Anglia fleet at last - even if its just a change of carpets / seat covers / relivery, from a caretaker franchise.

By the way, i take it that there are no Class 321s in the Greater Anglia fleet carrying the former Silverlink livery anymore?

 

[PaintYourWagon]

By the way, i take it that there are no Class 321s in the Greater Anglia fleet carrying the former Silverlink livery anymore?

There are no Silverlink livery 321s anywhere - FCC, LM & NX/GA have put them all to the paintbrush and the livery is retired.

 

[jon0844]

Can't speak for what LM has done, but FCC has made them look very bright and airy inside. I always thought the ones on NXEA (and FGE before) were very dark and dingy.

Amazing what different coloured materials and lighting can do - and how people perceive how new and clean a train is by such things.

 

[transportphoto]

Can't speak for what LM has done, but FCC has made them look very bright and airy inside. I always thought the ones on NXEA (and FGE before) were very dark and dingy.

FCC have tried to create a uniformed look with their 365s it seems, I have only travelled on one FCC 321 (that being 321418) and I couldn't believe the similarity s!

 

[fgwrich]

Can't speak for what LM has done, but FCC has made them look very bright and airy inside. I always thought the ones on NXEA (and FGE before) were very dark and dingy.

Amazing what different coloured materials and lighting can do - and how people perceive how new and clean a train is by such things.

I'll certainly second that, what with the transformation done to the 150 Twins now running Reading to Basingstoke services - From a drab buff coloured interior with dark brown partitions and orange doors to a rather nice and light and airy feeling 150!

 

[387star]

Wow, sounds really good, finally a 321 GA can be proud of.

Presumably some interior changes as the class 379 has the latest National Express corporate interior?

 

[warriorwarlord]

Sorry but all over white? seriously? I bet that will weather really dreafully, just like those Nat-Ex liveried ones that didn't even have as much white on them!

 

[317666]

Presumably some interior changes as the class 379 has the latest National Express corporate interior?

The moquette used on the 379s is the same as that used on Abellio's newer London buses, many of which were built before it was announced Abellio had run the franchise.

 

[CDM]

I that the named one. cannot remember the name but I was told here it was named after a long serving worker at stratford
when I saw it it was in a right state

425 doesn't have a name. You must be thinking of 321446 that was vinyl'd at the start of the 'one' franchise? It's been repainted so it doesn't look a state anymore.

not really.....the bare minimum that can be expected after over 12 years since its last interior overhaul is new seat covers and panels.....

how about proper modern seats? 21st Century toilets? Air con?

try travelling on a SWT 455......that is what CAN be acheived with a proper internal refurbishment....

in the words of the Dft in the franchise spec "a minor interior refresh".....

the REAL work will getting these trains fit for the 21st century will start in 2 years time....shame we have to wait 10 years after everyone else commuting into london to get that! a very small step of progress

Exactly. You can't do a full refurb in a 2 year franchise. Can't finance it over that term. It's had more than a bare minimum job though. If you travel on them regularly and properly look around you should notice or maybe they'll explain in a press release?

Everyone raves about the 455 refurb but when I went on it I wondered what the fuss was about? Replaced the seats with new high backed one but less of them and rock hard and filled it with grab handles. Don't get me wrong, it's appropriate and useful for short journey high density travel but it's cattle-class stuff, not luxury so I don't understand why it gets raved about?

Sorry but all over white? seriously? I bet that will weather really dreafully, just like those Nat-Ex liveried ones that didn't even have as much white on them!

All over white is not refresh. Refresh is interior. Painting outside is part of overhaul. See earlier post.

The moquette used on the 379s is the same as that used on Abellio's newer London buses, many of which were built before it was announced Abellio had run the franchise.

Is that just because Abellio bought National Express' former London Bus operations so they inherited the buses with that interior scheme?

 

[387star]

How bizarre...?

 

[TEW]

Everyone raves about the 455 refurb but when I went on it I wondered what the fuss was about? Replaced the seats with new high backed one but less of them and rock hard and filled it with grab handles. Don't get me wrong, it's appropriate and useful for short journey high density travel but it's cattle-class stuff, not luxury so I don't understand why it gets raved about?

In my opinion the SWT 455 refurb means they don't feel like old trains. They have a really light and airy interior to me it just gives them a pleasant ambience. Makes a huge difference compared to the cream walls and bright orange doors, which make trains feel old, found in many BR era units.

 

[CDM]

In my opinion the SWT 455 refurb means they don't feel like old trains. They have a really light and airy interior to me it just gives them a pleasant ambience. Makes a huge difference compared to the cream walls and bright orange doors, which make trains feel old, found in many BR era units.

Fair enough. None on the Great Eastern route have brown/orange/cream ex BR colours in them though. 315s were the last ones with yellow vestibules and cream panelling and they were refreshed at the start of the 'one' franchise (whether you like the pink and grey is another matter of course ). Light tubes on all the GE fleet were changed to a brighter white years ago too and that makes a big difference on the lines you are talking about. That was also part of the 455 refurb?

The only sort of ex-BR interiors left are on the 321s that went across from London Midland (still got Network SouthEast blue blaze seat covers and still some yellow lighting on them) but even there the carpets had been replaced walls and grab poles repainted since privatisation. It was with dark colours though so the units do feel dark. But thats the units they're refreshing now.

I guess seeing the unit is really the only way to take a view on whether it looks more fresh and modern? I have seen it and I have heard people say it looks and even smells like a new train. That might be a step too far, but it does look vastly different.

 

[fgwrich]

Is that just because Abellio bought National Express' former London Bus operations so they inherited the buses with that interior scheme?

Yes - National Expresses Travel London operations were sold to Abellio - Hence why Abellios London vehicles will have the same interior as most NX operated vehicles...Old Travel West Midlands / Dundee / Coventry and the newer National Express West Midlands etc...

As for any newer vehicles that Abellio have ordered - cant comment on those, Has Abellio even brought anything new to London Busses? Sorry, were going rather off topic here!

 

[ginger]

425

Everyone raves about the 455 refurb but when I went on it I wondered what the fuss was about? Replaced the seats with new high backed one but less of them and rock hard and filled it with grab handles. Don't get me wrong, it's appropriate and useful for short journey high density travel but it's cattle-class stuff, not luxury so I don't understand why it gets raved about?

the seats are a damn site more comfortable than those in the 321s.....which clearly designed for pygmies and are only 3 inches from the floor! They are also so small that the middle seat of the 3s rarely get used....

the 321s are more cattle class than the 455s which are clean, comfortable, larger and are a decent height from the floor....

everyone raves about it because it is a quality job with SWT spending a decent amount of money but actually thinking about what the passengers want....if NX had their way they would have taken all the seats out and crammed even more people in!

 

[Pyromaniac]

321's are perfectly comfortable outside of peak hours. And north of Chelmsford .

if NX had their way they would have taken all the seats out and crammed even more people in!

Last year I did catch an 321 from Southend and sat under the panto right the end of the carriage and found the 3+3 row of seats in front of me (both ways) had been completely removed. Was most strange.

 

[iphone76]

There are a couple of those units floating around with the missing row of seats. I have never been fortunate enough to catch one, although I always wondered whether that area would make a great little party area during the Christmas season.

Anyway, talking of the refurb, here is a link showing a picture of one the newly refurb'd units. Cannot wait to use one.

http://ow.ly/i/zRtl

 

[SprinterMan]

There are a couple of those units floating around with the missing row of seats. I have never been fortunate enough to catch one, although I always wondered whether that area would make a great little party area during the Christmas season.

Anyway, talking of the refurb, here is a link showing a picture of one the newly refurb'd units. Cannot wait to use one.

http://ow.ly/i/zRtl

Wow, that looks really good, well done GA
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Have the 1st class seats that are no longer 1st class still there or have they been replaced by normal seats? Has 1st class been refurbed?

 

[ChristopherJ]

http://ow.ly/i/zRtl

Looks ten times better than what it did before...!

In regards to the seat moquette in the picture, judging by the pattern it looks as if it's the same that NXEA used on the 379s.

 

[ginger]

Wow, that looks really good, well done GA

not really anything to do with GA.....should read "well done the Dft".....this was the work that should have been carried out in 2009 by NX but they refused to fund it!

we are now, after all, back to a National Railway until the real franchise is let in 2 years time....

looks good, still no aircon or decent seats but a small improvement.....lets see how good the quality is close up!

 

[iphone76]

Wow, that looks really good, well done GA
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Have the 1st class seats that are no longer 1st class still there or have they been replaced by normal seats? Has 1st class been refurbed?

I will keep an eye out on my journeys to London and let you know. (Presuming no one beats me to it).

 

[ginger]

what is the next one in for the treatment?
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Exactly. You can't do a full refurb in a 2 year franchise. Can't finance it over that term.

now that really is a little bit of a silly comment! this is one of the most prfitable lines in the entire country for the Dft......they are getting over £100m a year in profits that go straight to the treasury.....

to finance a "proper and decent internal refurbishment including decent seats, toilets, heating, aircon and lighting" could have been financed years ago....

the wonderful people at the Dft see GA as a cash cow....quite frankly disgraceful.....

and people wonder why we complain!!!!

 

[klewer]

There are a couple of those units floating around with the missing row of seats. I have never been fortunate enough to catch one, although I always wondered whether that area would make a great little party area during the Christmas season.

Anyway, talking of the refurb, here is a link showing a picture of one the newly refurb'd units. Cannot wait to use one.

http://ow.ly/i/zRtl

Yep, the refurb's exactly the same as the trial NXEA did on 321332 some time ago. Same colour scheme, same moquette, same everything.

Now, if the materials are the same as previously used, it does make me wonder why this work was never completed before! Good to see the 321/4's being tidied up though, they're absolutely rancid inside.

 

[ginger]

Yep, the refurb's exactly the same as the trial NXEA did on 321332 some time ago. Same colour scheme, same moquette, same everything.

Now, if the materials are the same as previously used, it does make me wonder why this work was never completed before! Good to see the 321/4's being tidied up though, they're absolutely rancid inside.

er.....because it is the original plan of 2009....that the Dft were going to fund as part of the HLOS move of the 321/4s from Lm to GA.....then guess what! the sharks at NX pulled the plug on the East Coast debacle, politics took over and the bust up between DAFT and NX is now well known UK Rail history.....

result......2 years of customer misery.....customers.....the people that pay (and suffer) for the service!

 

[CDM]

Yep, the refurb's exactly the same as the trial NXEA did on 321332 some time ago. Same colour scheme, same moquette, same everything.

Most materials are the same, but there are some changes and some extra work has been done (to be fair, you wouldn't be able to tell from that picture though).