Greater Anglia Rolling Stock Updates

[F Great Eastern]

The key factor which defines how good these seats are is going to be the seat pitch, which is surely the biggest secret in Greater Anglia judging by the way they would probably be more likely to give someone a free season ticket for a year than actually release this figure.

With a company with as much experience as Schoenemann Design, you would expect that they would know this figure and as such there would only be commercial benefit by releasing it, unless of course, it's bad news that they'd rather not let out the bag ahead of the big glitzy launch?

 

[nxea321446]

321310 returned to Ilford today following refurbishment taking the total of Renatus units up to 16. 321320 left Ilford this afternoon bound for Doncaster

 

[adrock1976]

Update on the leased GTR Bins with GA. Porterbrook now showing 4 TSLs as off-lease for disposal on 4 separate dates which will be when the units are returned to the owner and shortened to 3 cars to become Class 320s.

They are
321401 27/03/18 (today)
321403 05/06/18
321420 02/08/18
321418 27/09/18

Catch 'em while you can.

Could it be clarified what is happening to 321404, 407, 408, and 409 please, as I believe these are the former Govia Thameslink Railway fleet that I have not seen yet? (With the exception of 401 that has left, I have had the others in the 401-410 range if that makes sense.)

 

[Class 170101]

I thought Scotrail had their eyes on those 321s?

 

[nxea321446]

A couple of updates on the Renatus 321’s. 321315 worked 5L50 back to Ilford this afternoon with 321323 working 5E23 to Doncaster abit later on

 

[Wivenswold]

Latest on Renatus Project.

I understand all 30 of the Class 321s now have their AC traction equipment installed though I've not seen 325 and 326 out in service yet.

Units with Renatus refurbs available for service 301-316 plus 321 (that's 17 out of 30 units).
Doncaster currently has 317,318,319,320 and 323 for their refit.

I assume there's still no news on future deployment of the Renatus fleet.

321448 remains out of service at Doncaster. The other demonstrator 317722 has been gathering dust at Ilford for some time.

 

[dp21]

Latest on Renatus Project.

I understand all 30 of the Class 321s now have their AC traction equipment installed though I've not seen 325 and 326 out in service yet.

Units with Renatus refurbs available for service 301-316 plus 321 (that's 17 out of 30 units).
Doncaster currently has 317,318,319,320 and 323 for their refit.

I assume there's still no news on future deployment of the Renatus fleet.

321448 remains out of service at Doncaster. The other demonstrator 317722 has been gathering dust at Ilford for some time.

My understanding is that 448 is now going to get the full 'production' renatus fit out. Complete change of tack from previous however it's seen as the best way forward.

722 is going nowhere. It's become a christmas tree and robbed of so many components I don't believe it'll ever see service again.

 

[Wivenswold]

Thanks for the inside info @dp21, always appreciated.

That's quite a surprise about 448, I assume Eversholt are therefore quite optimistic that the Renatus units will see further action elsewhere.

 

[chubs]

722 is going nowhere. It's become a christmas tree and robbed of so many components I don't believe it'll ever see service again.

Wasn't the same said about a few long term stay 317's at Ilford a few years back, and then when the 7's went off lease they had to resurrect them!

 

[samuelmorris]

Possibly but those 317s weren't singular, completely non-standard units with different (and evidently, known problematic) traction systems. Yeah I don't see 722 coming back - very interesting that they're prepared to gut 448 and start over though, that suggests to me they may have an interested party in 31 units (or who knows, possibly more still, given the unrefurbished units will be off-lease at a similar time). Good to hear, if so. Having travelled on the Renatus units a few times, they're not perfect but they certainly permit a good few years additional service.

 

[Wivenswold]

And they've certainly led to a few friends asking me "Those new trains look like the old ones" which usually starts a friendly disagreement about whether they are new trains and me telling them to check the footplate for the date of manufacture. Though thinking about it, they've probably been replaced.

 

[samuelmorris]

I don't remember seeing any footplate manufacturing dates on national EMUs, only on tube stock (and even then only some). All I recall the original plates saying is 'BREL York' - which dates them of course given how long ago that facility closed.

 

[Wivenswold]

I'm pretty sure I saw one once as I remember wondering whether the date was correct. I can't remember whether it said "1988" or "1989" but I do remember wondering whether the entire fleet showed the same year (which would have been incorrect as construction was from early 88 to mid 89).

Though I am taking some pretty hardcore meds for my condition, so I may have dreamt all that.

 

[samuelmorris]

As far as I know, the ones used on the underground dictated that every unit in the 'class' had to show the same year, which is why Jubilee 96TS cars built in 2005 still have the date of 1996 on them. If the same policy was used there, 1988 is the date I'd expect, but I don't ever recall seeing that. Could it have been removed as part of the FGE/Silverlink refreshes in the 90s?

 

[cl90001]

not sure if it’s been mentioned? but Renatus 321311 has been heavily vandalised on all 4 coaches.

**photo by Keith Partlow**

 

[F Great Eastern]

Shame they haven't changed the surround of the front destination display. That white looks awful and out of place. Be better if it was black.

 

[306024]

You should have had a word with that vandal who could have obliged. Unit currently decorating the Harwich branch.

 

[Class 170101]

I would have thought that 448 would have been used as the test bed for Hydrogen Trains.

 

[D365]

I would have thought that 448 would have been used as the test bed for Hydrogen Trains.

Not much good if it’s out of action.

 

[cl90001]

believe 170203 and 170271 are currently out of traffic at the moment? 203 ran into problems at Woodbridge on Saturday and 271 had problems at Ely?

 

[dk1]

believe 170203 and 170271 are currently out of traffic at the moment? 203 ran into problems at Woodbridge on Saturday and 271 had problems at Ely?

I think 203 had AWS issues. I limped 271 back from Stowmarket on 1 engine & was taken out of traffic at Norwich.

 

[Panupreset]

321325/6 both in traffic with the AC traction package. Have driven them both recently.

 

[Wivenswold]

Excellent, that's the full 30 done. Good work Wolverton. Over to Wabtec.....

 

[LAX54]

Didn't realise the refurbed 321's are barred north of Ipswich !

 

[MatthewRead]

Didn't realise the refurbed 321's are barred north of Ipswich !

I wonder why?

 

[dk1]

Didn't realise the refurbed 321's are barred north of Ipswich !

They aren't are they? Seen plenty of refurbs on that hideous 17:02/19:30 I'm sure.

 

[LAX54]

They aren't are they? Seen plenty of refurbs on that hideous 17:02/19:30 I'm sure.

Reading the log today 1Y09 had to start back from Ipswich due to ....refurbished 321 stock was allocated to the diagram and as such was not cleared to operate past Ipswich.

 

[dk1]

Reading the log today 1Y09 had to start back from Ipswich due to ....refurbished 321 stock was allocated to the diagram and as such was not cleared to operate past Ipswich.

I'm reliably informed that it's due to the ongoing Stowmarket feeder station issues.

 

[86246]

Interesting as I was aware that there were issues which prevented 360s running north of Ipswich for the 07:03 Stowmarket - London service since just before Christmas. I have seen refurbished 321s since then through Stowmarket so this must be a relatively recent restriction. I hope that there are no issues in the future with the new stock in this area.

 

[LAX54]

There is nothing in the Sectional Appndx about any restrictions either