Greater Anglia Rolling Stock Updates

[Pugwash]

Exactly. Drives me nuts. Another race to the bottom.

It is hardly a race to the bottom.

My real point is the space on board for a buffet would better be used for passenger, bike or luggage accommodation.

They cannot make the trains any longer or run any more as the track is full.

If a commercial operator wants to run a trolley service GA should allow them to.

 

[dk1]

It is hardly a race to the bottom.

My real point is the space on board for a buffet would better be used for passenger, bike or luggage accommodation.

They cannot make the trains any longer or run any more as the track is full.

If a commercial operator wants to run a trolley service GA should allow them to.

We don't need any more seats. The 745s give us well over 700 per train on the Intercity route now & the 720s will do the same for outer suburban routes like those to Clacton. These routes serve very different markets to the Norwich services which can take £300 on a return trip at the buffet counter & these are supported by a trolley service too on upto 24 services a day.

You can add to that that any commercial operator would no doubt have Victorian working conditions & pay rates compared to those employed directly by a TOC & would without doubt have laid off or furloughed staff during the current pandemic.

 

[LowLevel]

We don't need any more seats. The 745s give us well over 700 per train on the Intercity route now & the 720s will do the same for outer suburban routes like those to Clacton. These routes serve very different markets to the Norwich services which can take £300 on a return trip at the buffet counter & these are supported by a trolley service too on upto 24 services a day.

You can add to that that any commercial operator would no doubt have Victorian working conditions & pay rates compared to those employed directly by a TOC & would without doubt have laid off or furloughed staff during the current pandemic.

To be fair owing to a caffeine crisis (too lazy to walk to our depot, everywhere else shut, Co-op costa machines out of service) I chucked the lad with a trolley next to Norwich gates a quid for a coffee the other day and was really impressed how nice it was notwithstanding the fact it had been standing around in a pump pot. Well worth having if you ask me.

 

[dk1]

To be fair owing to a caffeine crisis (too lazy to walk to our depot, everywhere else shut, Co-op costa machines out of service) I chucked the lad with a trolley next to Norwich gates a quid for a coffee the other day and was really impressed how nice it was notwithstanding the fact it had been standing around in a pump pot. Well worth having if you ask me.

I really like Lavazza whether it's from an air-pot on a trolley or the machine in a Spoons.

 

[43096]

It is hardly a race to the bottom.

My real point is the space on board for a buffet would better be used for passenger, bike or luggage accommodation.

They cannot make the trains any longer or run any more as the track is full.

If a commercial operator wants to run a trolley service GA should allow them to.

Sorry, but it is a race to the bottom. There has been a constant dumbing-down of what were once InterCity services over the last 15-20 years with accommodation more suited to suburban services and the downgrading/removal of catering. That's why I use the train significantly less than I used to in this country for long distance travel.

 

[Dave1987]

Sorry, but it is a race to the bottom. There has been a constant dumbing-down of what were once InterCity services over the last 15-20 years with accommodation more suited to suburban services and the downgrading/removal of catering. That's why I use the train significantly less than I used to in this country for long distance travel.

Lots of people complained bitterly when BA removed catering from economy short-haul flights but when asked if they would pay more to have the catering restored all said they would rather pay less and go without for their 2hr flight.

 

[ashkeba]

Lots of people complained bitterly when BA removed catering from economy short-haul flights but when asked if they would pay more to have the catering restored all said they would rather pay less and go without for their 2hr flight.

One different being that we did not pay for catering on BA and I do not think anyone is suggested a free buffet.

 

[Dave1987]

One different being that we did not pay for catering on BA and I do not think anyone is suggested a free buffet.

I am pretty dam certain that virtually all on train catering is loss leading. It’s certainly why Chiltern ditched it.

 

[Spet0789]

90 minute?

London to Norwich.

Sorry, there is alwasy a need for some sort of drinks and snack provision even if it were an onboard vending machine. Sometimes you have no time to grab a coffee at the station or outside the station. Especially now most of the station Pumpkin cafes seem to be shut

Errrr ..... by “buffet trolley service”, I mean a trolley, on the train, selling drinks and snacks.

 

[dk1]

London to Norwich.

Nothing does that now & in the very short period of time that they did it was a mere two trains each way per day. Thinking about it although when temporarily operated by 90/DVT sets catering was provided on the 0900/1700up & 1100/1900dn, they where booked for 2x755s with neither catering or 1st class.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

Lets all be honest, catering on the London-Norwich services is not essential, its hardly London to Edinburgh, but its still a nice to have, and personally I'm glad that GA have kept a proper buffet style on the new trains. East Anglia often gets forgotten about compared to certain places in England and the UK, so its good that at least on the railway side, East Anglia has some (finally) decent trains and provisions.
That said, in my personal opinion I reckon the /1 subfleet of 745 was wrongly spec-ed and should have just been a joint fleet of /0 with either the buffet not in use or available for private company's to bid for or whatever. Stansted Express is 47 mins (fastest service?) so again not really catering land, but would surely make some money for someone if done and advertised/priced correctly.

 

[Bringback309s]

On a different note, where are the ex LO 317/7s going to be used? All WA or any on the GEML?

 

[James321]

Hi, Are some class 321s taking class 360's duties before class 360s left the GA for EMR?

 

[greaterangrier]

Yes, 0738/0811 Diagram is frequently converted to a 321 now. If there's any trains you want to specifically ask for I'm still working out the 321/360 diagrams but I'll see if I have any

 

[Shunter_69]

Hi, Are some class 321s taking class 360's duties before class 360s left the GA for EMR?

321’s and 322’s are filling in for the 360’s

 

[James321]

321s taking 360s off-peak Clacton to and from London?

 

[Wolfie]

Lots of people complained bitterly when BA removed catering from economy short-haul flights but when asked if they would pay more to have the catering restored all said they would rather pay less and go without for their 2hr flight.

Or pay even less and use Ryanair or EasyJet! BA claim to be a premium airline when it suits them but....

 

[jopsuk]

cleary the last remaining thing to do if the 745s end up with a single internal layout is to extend the 755/3s to /4s and then GA will have a mere 3 different types of train- a long way from when they had:
3 classes of DMU, one with two different formations
4 classes of EMU, two with only one sub class, one with 4 subclasses and the other technically with 2 subclasses, though each of those at some point had at least two variations (the 321/3 Renatus units, and the 11 321/4 with unit de-select?)
Loco hauled trains, which I think at one stage had three different formations actually planned (and assigned to particular services?- I'm sure I saw a poster at Ipswich that showed what formation each peak time one would be)?

 

[306024]

Loco hauled trains, which I think at one stage had three different formations actually planned (and assigned to particular services?- I'm sure I saw a poster at Ipswich that showed what formation each peak time one would be)?

There were three formations, all with their own diagrams. 9 coaches with a TSOB, 9 coaches with a RFM, and three sets 8 coaches with a RFM, which was due to insufficient stabling capacity at Norwich at the time. And yes there used to be a poster showing peak formations.

 

[Class 170101]

cleary the last remaining thing to do if the 745s end up with a single internal layout is to extend the 755/3s to /4s and then GA will have a mere 3 different types of train- a long way from when they had:
3 classes of DMU, one with two different formations
4 classes of EMU, two with only one sub class, one with 4 subclasses and the other technically with 2 subclasses, though each of those at some point had at least two variations (the 321/3 Renatus units, and the 11 321/4 with unit de-select?)
Loco hauled trains, which I think at one stage had three different formations actually planned (and assigned to particular services?- I'm sure I saw a poster at Ipswich that showed what formation each peak time one would be)?

Class 755/3s are needed as Sudbury branch doesn't work with anything longer than 3 car trains.

 

[jopsuk]

There were three formations, all with their own diagrams. 9 coaches with a TSOB, 9 coaches with a RFM, and three sets 8 coaches with a RFM, which was due to insufficient stabling capacity at Norwich at the time. And yes there used to be a poster showing peak formations.

I make that, at one point then 21 varieties of trains. And obviously the 321s and 317s could have mixed formations of subclasses

22, I forgot the 315s

 

[Wivenswold]

The area had a fair selection of stock when I started on the network on 3rd July 1989
47
86/2
101
156
302
302/9
305/1
305/2
306*
307
308/1
308/2
309/1
309/2
310/1
312/0
312/1
315
317/1
321/3
Not to mention a selection of Mk1 and 2 hauled coaches and assorted mail cars.

 

[Bringback309s]

The area had a fair selection of stock when I started on the network on 3rd July 1989
47
86/2
101
156
302
302/9
305/1
305/2
306*
307
308/1
308/2
309/1
309/2
310/1
312/0
312/1
315
317/1
321/3
Not to mention a selection of Mk1 and 2 hauled coaches and assorted mail cars.

The 156 working the rather strange one a day service from Colchester to Barrow-In-Furness!

 

[ashkeba]

The 156 working the rather strange one a day service from Colchester to Barrow-In-Furness!

How did that arise and was the 156 part of the Anglia fleet or from another depot?

 

[dk1]

How did that arise and was the 156 part of the Anglia fleet or from another depot?

No, one of the regular 30 or so based at Crown Point at the time. Was all part of the 'Express' network launched in May 1988.

 

[fenman35]

There was also an early morning Cambridge to Barrow service about that time

 

[dk1]

I have faint recollection of a short lived service to Yarmouth on a Sunday. The people who ran the Post Office in Cantley where I was signalman had family in Millom & where amazed they could get all the way with a single change at Barrow.

 

[LAX54]

The 156 working the rather strange one a day service from Colchester to Barrow-In-Furness!

We had one train announcer (they were based in the PSB) used to announce the train as the 1415 (or whatever it was) to Barrow in Furness, calling at Manningtree, Ipswich, Stowmarket, Bury, Ely, Peterboro....and selected stations to Barrow in Furness ! Pam on the other hand, annouced the train correctly each time

 

[dk1]

We had one train announcer (they were based in the PSB) used to announce the train as the 1415 (or whatever it was) to Barrow in Furness, calling at Manningtree, Ipswich, Stowmarket, Bury, Ely, Peterboro....and selected stations to Barrow in Furness ! Pam on the other hand, annouced the train correctly each time

I went to Peterborough on launch day in May 88. Was quite amusing to hear the announcer in the PSB get to grips with Haddiscoe, Somerleyton & Oulton Broad North

 

[dmncf]

This movement is currently underway. I believe it's a refurbished 317 hauled by a DRS locomotive (class 57?) but it was a bit dark when I saw it!

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