The Anonymous Widower

What Is The Operating Speed Of Class 710 Trains?

So far, five classes of Aventra trains have been allocated TOPS numbers and their own Wikipedia pages.

• Crossrail – Class 345 trains – 145 kph
• London Overground – Class 710 trains – Speed not disclosed
• Greater Anglia – Class 720 trains – 160 kph
• South Western Railway – Class 701 trains – 160 kph
• c2c – Class 711 trains – 160 kph

The other orders for West Midlands Trains are given as 145 kph for the Cross-City Line and 180 kph for longer distance trains, in Wikipedia.

Looking at these speeds, I think that the operating speed of the Class 710 trains, must either be the 145 kph of the Crossrail trains or the 160 kph of the suburban trains. Or they could be the 121 kph of London Overground’s Class 378 trains.

But it has not been disclosed.

As probably most Aventras use similar running gear and electrical and control systems, I wouldn’t be surprised that maximum operating speed, is just a setting in the train’s control computer.

London Overground’s Aventra Routes

Timings on London Overground’s routes, that will be run by Class 710 trains are as follows.

• Euston – Watford Junction – 47 minutes – 15 stops
• Liverpool Street – Cheshunt – 39 minutes – 15 stops
• Liverpool Street – Chingford – 27 minutes – 6 stops
• Liverpool Street – Enfield Town – 33 minutes – 13 stops

Comparing the new Class 710 trains to the current Class 315 and Class 317 and Class 378 trains, there are or may be performance differences.

• Class 315 and Class 378 are slower trains with a 121 kph operating speed.
• Class 317 trains have an operating speed of 161 kph.
• Dwell times mat be less on the new trains compared to some or all of the existing types.

So how will these differences effect the various routes?

Euston – Watford Junction

There seems to be long turnrounds on this service and I’m fairly certain faster trains could run this service more efficiently, which may mean that the same number of trains could run at a frequency of four trains per hour (tph).

Liverpool Street – Cheshunt

This service is based on a six minute turnround and I suspect could be run more efficiently, if a faster train could get each way in under thirty minutes.

Liverpool Street – Chingford

It looks like this four tph service is run pretty efficiently, but there is a ten minute turnround at Chingford.

Liverpool Street – Enfield Town

The Liverpool Street to Enfield Town service  waits nineteen minutes before returning, so small savings in dwell times and a faster train, might allow a two tph service to be setup, where trains depart on the half-hour, using just two trains.

Four tph, which is planned to start on this route in 2019, would need just four trains.

Summery Of London Overground Routes

Faster trains with shorter dwell times will certainly improve the timings and frequency of London Overground’s services, that they intend to run with Class 710 trains.

I’m pretty certain, that they will enable the following.

• Four tph – Euston to Watford Junction
• Four tph – Liverpool Street to Enfield Town

They will also improve timings on Liverpool Street to Cheshunt.

Conclusion

But what will be the operating speed of the Class 710 trains?

I said it will be somewhere between 145 kph (90 mph) and 160 kph (100 mph)

Or it could be the 12kph of the current Class 378 trains.

Consider.

• I think that 145 kph, will be able to handle the two planned increased frequencies of four tph.
• 145 kph is identical to the Crossrail trains.
• 160 kph is identical to the Greater Anglia trains.
• 121 kph is identical to the London Overground Class 378 trains.
• 160 kph seems to be the speed of suburban Aventras.

It’s a difficult one to call!

March 19, 2018 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Aventra, Class 378 Train, Class 710 Train, London Overground, Watford DC Line