Greater Anglia Rolling Stock Updates

[Alfie1014]

Exactly what I thought about those Peterborough cancellations going on into the evening.

Looks like the Felixstowe branch has now been suspended for the remainder of the day now.

Wouldn’t be so bad if the PBO wasn’t only 2 hourly, four hour gaps on a route mostly used by leisure travellers! The FLIRTs can’t come soon enough.

 

[F Great Eastern]

15:47 Cambridge to Ipswich is down to a 153 - that's going to be interesting.

 

[86246]

The 16:00 Peterborough service has been reinstated.

15:47 Cambridge to Ipswich is down to a 153 - that's going to be interesting.

If it stays on that diagram it will do the 17:17 Lowestoft which is also a very busy one.

 

[TheEdge]

However, can someone outline to me how the later half of the folllowing cancellations can all be attributed to the broken down freight train.

Is it that we just throw a few cancellations in a different bucket to massage our figures? To me that looks like they are a DMU down so they've cancelled the whole diagram for pretty much the whole day.

Well the Yarmouth is probably down to crew displacement. As to the Peterboroughs perhaps pathing issues on the long single line sections.

Both can legitimately be attributed to freight failure rippling down.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Ipswich to Felixstowe cancelled again for almost the full day, today the reason is being given as a broken down train between Ipswich and Felixstowe, is that actually the case?

Or is it once again due to a higher than average number of trains needing repair but that basket is quite full at the moment?

 

[Wivenswold]

"Broken down train" almost certainly means elsewhere in the fleet instead of the actual unit assigned to the route today. GA have a contingency plan for fleet shortages where the Felixstowe service is axed and replaced by a bus. It makes sense as it's a shorter trip than, say, a replacement bus from Sudbury to Marks Tey.

I have a feeling this won't be an issue in a few weeks as the 755s trickle into service.

 

[F Great Eastern]

"Broken down train" almost certainly means elsewhere in the fleet instead of the actual unit assigned to the route today.

They're not using that phrase today, they are using "Due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe."

We know it's about a shortage of units, but what with the freight train excuse for cancelling a diagram all day yesterday and this today, they really are trying to avoid stating it's because they don't have enough trains that are serviceable.

 

[samuelmorris]

They're not using that phrase today, they are using "Due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe."

We know it's about a shortage of units, but what with the freight train excuse for cancelling a diagram all day yesterday and this today, they really are trying to avoid stating it's because they don't have enough trains that are serviceable.

They don't usually shy away from that excuse do they?

 

[LAX54]

It says the same today, train fault between Ipswich & Felixstowe, although of course as can be seen by the freight that is not quite correct. in fact the freights are doing quite well ! lol It seems also that the BMU's start to be phased in on 8th July

 

[86246]

It is an improvement on “due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe all lines are closed”. Freights were still running though on those occasions.

 

[samuelmorris]

The A/C appears to be disabled on this 360. It's pretty damn hot in here and I don't hear a compressor running.
Edit: never mind, I do now. Perhaps it needs regassing...

 

[Alfie1014]

The A/C appears to be disabled on this 360. It's pretty damn hot in here and I don't hear a compressor running.
Edit: never mind, I do now. Perhaps it needs regassing...

I’ve noticed more a/c problems with 360s this summer and it’s not even been that warm except the odd day!

 

[F Great Eastern]

I’ve noticed more a/c problems with 360s this summer and it’s not even been that warm except the odd day!

That kind of thing is maintained in-house now rather than by Siemens, I believe.

 

[Alfie1014]

I see the Felixstowe bus substitution has been extended to end of play tomorrow.

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/tra...ices-suspended-between-ipswich-and-felixstowe

 

[F Great Eastern]

I see the Felixstowe bus substitution has been extended to end of play tomorrow.

Still due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe I note, guess it sounds better to give the impression that there is a single broken down train between the line than admit you are several trains short.

No doubt instructions have come from up top that the bit about more trains needing repairs at the same time creates negative PR, so they have been told to use something else which doesn't sound quite so bad.

Greater Anglia's marketing team are probably the best in the business, it's spin spin spin from day one to be honest., from misleading quotes given by management interviews in the press to refusing to answer questions about the new trains and complete deflection and blaming cancellations on things other than the real cause.

 

[ashkeba]

Still due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe I note, guess it sounds better to give the impression that there is a single broken down train between the line than admit you are several trains short.
[...]

Greater Anglia's marketing team are probably the best in the business[...]

I think you've just come up with a new slogan for them: "Greater Anglia - several trains short of a full service"!

 

[samuelmorris]

Still due to a train fault between Ipswich and Felixstowe I note, guess it sounds better to give the impression that there is a single broken down train between the line than admit you are several trains short.

No doubt instructions have come from up top that the bit about more trains needing repairs at the same time creates negative PR, so they have been told to use something else which doesn't sound quite so bad.

Greater Anglia's marketing team are probably the best in the business, it's spin spin spin from day one to be honest., from misleading quotes given by management interviews in the press to refusing to answer questions about the new trains and complete deflection and blaming cancellations on things other than the real cause.

Their crowning achievement was probably the 'new seat covers!' poster that appeared on a lot of 321s when they replaced the allegedly bedbug-infested FGE covers. Well done guys, you carried out some routine maintenance, have a pat on the back...

The unit in question did eventually cool down a degree or so but was still quite warm by the time I alighted. Despite the A/C issue that 1Y26 service is an absolute joy to use. No shuffling up for people to get on at Stratford and the fastest journey times I've ever had from Liverpool St to Shenfield, today coming in at 18m48, which for me is probably a record, and allowed me to reach Shenfield, cross over and then head back to Brentwood, alight and exit the station before the Eastbound TfL service I otherwise would have used had even reached Chadwell Heath. The 360s, apart from when the A/C isn't working, are pleasant and quiet to travel on and when you're used to doing most of your travelling on TfL services, are a welcome bit of tranquility.
I imagine the passengers on the preceding Norwich service on their pair of bins may have looked across enviously... They were both Renatus units but even so, quite the downgrade.

 

[RailWonderer]

the fastest journey times I've ever had from Liverpool St to Shenfield, today coming in at 18m48

That 16:32 Ipswich is my favourite. I use it as much as possible. Nostalgic back to when not every train had to call at Stratford. Other trains that pass tend to crawl past but this one flies past.

But I call that 16:30 the sacrificial lamb train since it is a 321 I swear 30% of the time. It’s always the first IC to take a hit. Shows the reliability and maintenance is failing.

 

[306024]

360s are very good units, toilet excepted. The air con on a hot day makes them preferable to a MkIII so hopefully defective air con doesn’t become a trend.

1Y26 16.32 Liverpool St to Ipswich doesn’t stop at Stratford, which means it can wizz down to Shenfield on the coattails of the 16.30 to Norwich.

The 16.30 to Norwich is regularly 321s now as a Mk III set has to be provided for the Norwich in 90 diagram. Meanwhile maintenance capacity at Crown Point has been reduced while the depot is rebuilt for Stadler occupation.

 

[Alfie1014]

Not a good morning on the main line, 06:00 Up Norwich failed at Diss, 06:24 and 07:05 both cancelled, but never mind the 09:00 flyer from Norwich is set to go! Plus two peak cancellations on the Gt Yarmouth - Norwich Line (06:24 and 06:58 from Yarmouth).

 

[F Great Eastern]

Not a good morning on the main line, 06:00 Up Norwich failed at Diss, 06:24 and 07:05 both cancelled, but never mind the 09:00 flyer from Norwich is set to go! Plus two peak cancellations on the Gt Yarmouth - Norwich Line (06:24 and 06:58 from Yarmouth).

If there is a shortage of sets the non stops apart from Ipswich should be the first to go or alternatively have stops added.

Cancelling services serving many places and running trains non stop with plenty of space might be good politics but it's poor customer service.

 

[Grumbler]

If there is a shortage of sets the non stops apart from Ipswich should be the first to go or alternatively have stops added.

Cancelling services serving many places and running trains non stop with plenty of space might be good politics but it's poor customer service.

When will the IC Flirts start to enter service?

 

[delticdave]

Their crowning achievement was probably the 'new seat covers!' poster that appeared on a lot of 321s when they replaced the allegedly bedbug-infested FGE covers. Well done guys, you carried out some routine maintenance, have a pat on the back...

The unit in question did eventually cool down a degree or so but was still quite warm by the time I alighted. Despite the A/C issue that 1Y26 service is an absolute joy to use. No shuffling up for people to get on at Stratford and the fastest journey times I've ever had from Liverpool St to Shenfield, today coming in at 18m48, which for me is probably a record, and allowed me to reach Shenfield, cross over and then head back to Brentwood, alight and exit the station before the Eastbound TfL service I otherwise would have used had even reached Chadwell Heath. The 360s, apart from when the A/C isn't working, are pleasant and quiet to travel on and when you're used to doing most of your travelling on TfL services, are a welcome bit of tranquility.
I imagine the passengers on the preceding Norwich service on their pair of bins may have looked across enviously... They were both Renatus units but even so, quite the downgrade.

How do you ticket that journey? Season ticket via Shenfield or an excess? Thunk, are Brentwood & Shenfield in the same TfL fare zone?

 

[dk1]

When will the IC Flirts start to enter service?

Nobody knows. The fault free running is was back to zero yesterday.

A brick was thrown shattering a windscreen on a 153 last night to whilst working a Yarmouth service. More problems.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Nobody knows. The fault free running is was back to zero yesterday.

A brick was thrown shattering a windscreen on a 153 last night to whilst working a Yarmouth service. More problems.

153s seemed the most reliable of the lot of DMUs recently as well!

38 short forms showing and 22 cancellations at the moment on JourneyCheck, that is very high considering that is all off-peak trains pretty much.

One loco hauled diagram cancelled until afternoon peak, at least one set replaced with 321s (with no toilets at all) and the short forming has now made it to the line to Sherringham and the Sudbury line which hasn't been effected until now.

 

[dk1]

153s seemed the most reliable of the lot of DMUs recently as well!

38 short forms showing and 22 cancellations at the moment on JourneyCheck, that is very high considering that is all off-peak trains pretty much.

One loco hauled diagram cancelled until afternoon peak, at least one set replaced with 321s (with no toilets at all) and the short forming has now made it to the line to Sherringham and the Sudbury line which hasn't been effected until now.

One of those days then

 

[supervc-10]

A brick was thrown shattering a windscreen on a 153 last night to whilst working a Yarmouth service. More problems.

Some people really are scum.

What happened to the FLIRT to knock back the fault-free running? Anything major? Or just routine teething troubles?

 

[F Great Eastern]

Some people really are scum.

What happened to the FLIRT to knock back the fault-free running? Anything major? Or just routine teething troubles?

Sadly there are people who will do idiotic stuff, once I was leaving Lowestoft on a 156 and someone ran onto the railway as we were pulling out of Lowestoft station and giving the the driver a load of stick f rom the front of the train and I've also been on a train with stones being thrown at it.

 

[adrock1976]

How do you ticket that journey? Season ticket via Shenfield or an excess? Thunk, are Brentwood & Shenfield in the same TfL fare zone?

I believe there is a doubleback easement between Brentwood and Shenfield, with the proviso that Shenfield is for interchange purposes only and that you may not leave the station.

 

[dk1]

Some people really are scum.

What happened to the FLIRT to knock back the fault-free running? Anything major? Or just routine teething troubles?

There have been several issues of varying scale. I'm not personally hopeful for a July launch.