Can Greater Anglia Run Four-Car Class 755 Trains On Most Services?
Greater Anglia will eventually have the following fleet of Class 755 trains.
- 14 x three-car
- 24 x four-car
Note that only four-car trains are in service.
How Many Trains Are Needed For Each Route?
A rough calculation gives theses trains for various routes.
- Colchester and Peterborough – four trains
- Ipswich and Cambridge – four stains
- Ipswich and Felixstowe – one train
- Ipswich and Lowestoft – three trains
- Norwich and Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft – two trains
- Norwich and Sheringham – two trains
- Norwich and Stansted Airport – four trains
- Sudbury and Colchester Town – two trains
This makes a total of only twenty-two trains. And Greater Anglia have a fleet of twenty-four!
I have seen it written that the Sudbury and Colchester Town service will be run using three-car trains.
Trains North Of Ipswich And Cambridge
Sp it looks like all trains North of Ipswich and Cambridge can be four-car trains, as there are enough trains.
It also gives operational advantages for services to Norwich.
- I took a train from Cambridge to Norwich and noticed, that after unloading passengers at Norwich, it picked up a load more for Cromer and Sheringham and reversed out of the station.
- Norwich services to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft weave a pattern between the City and the coast all day.
- A spare can be based at Norwich Thorpe Depot, in case a train fails.
- I assume that one Class 755 train can act as a Thunderbird or rescue locomotive for a stalled train.
Ipswich station could see a major sort-out.
- Only three services to and from Cambridge, Felixstowe and Lowestoft, will terminate and go North at the station.
- Will eventually all these services turnback in the bay platform 1?
- Through services going South from Norwich and Lowestoft would use Platfoirm 2
- The new Peterborough and Colchester service will use Platform 2, when going South.
- All Northbound through services would use Platform 3.
- Terminating services from London will use Platform 4.
It looks like Greater Anglia’s proposed timetable simplifies operation at Ipswich and means no new building there.
I suggested that the three services from Cambridge, Felixstowe and Lowestoft all terminate in Platform 1.
- Platform 1 can handle a four-car Class 755 train.
- Three trains per hour (tph) could easily be accommodated in one platform.
- There is space around the platform to improve the passenger experience.
There may be the possibility to use the trains more efficiently.
- Ipswich and Lowestoft currently takes 91 minutes
- Ipswich and Cambridge currently takes 81 minutes
The Class 755 trains will shave a few minutes off these times, but they will still result in a long wait at terminals.
Combining the two services with a reverse at Ipswich might be advantageous.
- Greater Anglia could need less trains for the service.
- Passengers would have extra route choices.
There are some interesting possibilities.
Where Will The Three-Car Trains Be Used?
I believe and I have tried to show the possibilities, that Greater Anglia will use four-car trains efficiently on all their core routes, with the exception of Sudbury and Colchester Town, where three-car trains will be used.
So where will the other three-car trains be used?
New Services
Greater Anglia, Network Rail and politicians have talked about the following new services.
- A direct service between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth via Reedham.
- Reinstatement of the March and Wisbech service.
- Partial reopening of the Aldeburgh Branch if Sizewell C is built.
In recent years Greater Anglia, Network Rail and others have used the Mid Norfolk Railway, which is a heritage railway for various purposes.
- Storing rail maintenance equipment.
- Moving light tanks for the Army by train.
- Training emergency services.
- Rail enthusiasts tours, including one in an HST,
- Storing trains for Greater Anglia. This was a £3.25million. deal.
I feel that because of the train storage deal, Greater Anglia will explore the possibility of a local Norwich service to Dereham, which is a town of just under 19,000 people with no National Rail connection..
- It could be a joint venture between Greater Anglia and the Mid Norfolk Railway.
- Norwich and Dereham would take under thirty minutes.
- Services could use the Mid-Norkfolk Railway’s stations at Wymondham Abbey, Kimberley Park, Thuxton, Yaxham and Dereham as appropriate.
- Felixstowe, a similar sized town to Dereham attracts 200,000 passengers per year.
The service could be a nice little earner for both companies.
Capacity Increases
With new trains on all Greater Anglia’s services, I suspect that Greater Anglia believe they will see a substantial increase in passengers.
- There will be a large increase in train capacity.
- Services should be faster.
- Services will be more frequent.
But some services will need more capacity.
So will we see pairs of three-car trains working on some services, where a four-car train is not big enough?
Sub-Leasing To Other Companies
It does seem that either Greater Anglia is going to have a large expansion of services or they have acquired too many trains.
Unless of course, they hope to make some of the Class 755 trains available to other companies.
Conclusion
In answer to the title of this post, the answer is yes!
But Greater Anglia must have expansion plans using their three-car Class 755 trains.
Class 755 Trains Are Now Running Between Ipswich And Cambridge
According to this article on the East Anglia Daily Times, the new Stadler Class 755 trains are now running between Ipswich and Cambridge stations.
The article also makes these points.
- The Class 153 trains will be retired at the end of this week.
- More Class 755 trains wll come into service in the coming weeks.
There is a software problem that restricts full operation, which should be fixed in a couple of weeks, which is described like this.
A new piece of software is due to be installed within a few weeks – but until then passengers heading east from Elmswell and west from Kennett are being taken by bus to the next station.
Both Elmswell and Kennett are simpler stations, with short platforms.
This Google Map shows Elmswell station.
And this Google Map shows Kennett station.
I wonder, if with these stations, selective door opening is needed the on one platform and the layout doesn’t fit the original software.
When you write software to work in a large number of situations, it’s difficult to make sure you cover everything.
Greater Anglian’s solution of a bus to get around the problem is not an ideal solution, but it should work, until the software is fixed.
A Freight Train With Four Locomotives
Every time, I go through Ipswich station, there are usually at least one pair of Class 86 locomotives stoating about.
But these pictures show four locomotives, bringing a train into Ipswich Yard.
Much of the train was empty, so I suggest it was some kind of positioning move. It also looks like only two locomotives had their pabtographs up.
It seems that Freighliner must like the locomotives, as increasingly, I see pairs at Ipswich and going along the North London Line, with a heavy freight train in tow.
Wikipedia says this about their current use by Freightliner.
However, the class does still remain in use with the company, with Freightliner retaining a core fleet of 14 locomotives in service as of 2019, ensuring the class has been in service well over 55 years after first being introduced.
British Rail were obviously better at making locomotives, than sandwiches.
A pair of Class 86 locomotives, which each have 2685 kW, is a powerful pair and more than the 4,000 kWQ of the modern bi-mode Class 88 locomotive.
Freighliner also have ten Class 90 locomotives and will acquire another thirteen locomotives from Greater Anglia in the near future.
- These locomotives have a power output of 3,730 kW.
- They have an operating speed of 110 mph, which must be very useful on the higher speed main lines.
- For most operations, they probably don’t need to be used in pairs.
With all these electric locomotives, it looks like Freightliner are looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
A First Close-Up View Of A Class 745 Train
I was standaing on Stowmarket station and this Class 745 train came through.
These twelve section trains will replace stakes of Mark 3 coaches, sandwiched between a Class 90 locomtives and driving van trailers.
Note.
- When I first saw the train, I thought it was a Class 755 train., as they look so similar. So I had to read the plate between the trains to check.
- Unlike most UK trains the number on the cab is not a full number and just the last three digits.
- If you look at the top of the train, it appears that the energy bus appears to be along the middle of the roof.
- Like most modern trains, they were quiet. Does this suggest efficient aerodynamics.
It bcertainly appears that Stadler have a selectio of sections, that can be connected together to create the trains.
The One Station I Never Use Coming Home Is Highbury & Islington
I am typing this post in Highbury & Islington station as my Overground train, skipped all stations North of Whitechapel, diue to congestion.
I always avoid this station, as getting between my house and the station is difficult as there is only one crowded 30 bus, every fifteen minutes. There used to be twice as many buses, as the 277 bus used to serve the route as well. But nearly a year ago, it was cut back to Dalston Junction making it as useful for me, as a chocolate tea pot.
So now after a ten minute wait, I’m taking the two stops back to Dalston Junction to get a bus home. That is only three routes now, due to the cutback of the 277.
I find it interesting, that North East London appears to have got more bus cuts, than Sadiq Khan’s patch of South London. And it was all to pay the bribe of the fare freeze, that got him elected.
So in the next Mayoral election, I shall be voting more a Mayor, who lives in the North.
We certainly, did better under Boris, who lived a mile towards the City of London.
There’s Something About Felixstowe
I turned up at the station and the bar there had no decent real ale or low-alcohol beer.
In the end, I bought a hot chocolate in a cafe, which didn’t take cards. Luckily, I had some cash!
Felixstowe seems stuck in the 1960s. And boy, was it dull!
Record Drop In Coal Use As Rich Nations Go Green
This is an article in today’s Times.
Twice-Yearly Jab Could Replace Statins For Millions
This is an article in today’s Times.
As I have four B12 injections year, that would fit well with my health care.
More Expensive Promises From The New Monster Raving Loony Party
Every day we get more expensive promises from Corbyn and his loony friends.
Are they intending to get over a message that they will bankrupt the country?
But we’ve not seen the last big money promise from Corbyn’s Department of Silly Ideas.
It is so sad, that Screaming Lord Sutch has passed on, because he would be having fun at Corbyn’s expense to our delight! Now he did believe in silly policies.
- Lowering of the voting age.
- Abolition of dog licences
- Passports for pets.
- Longer pub opening hours.
This election is being fought by one party with a promise of Get Brexit Done and the other with a promise of Spend Spend Spend.
Unfortunately, the Labour Party might find government in the real world more difficult, than in their silly fantasies.
Evereybody should prepare themselves for Ed Milliband’s mansion tax and a wealth tax.
The NHS And Prices For US Drugs
On the BBC’s Wake Up To Money this morning, an NHS expert; Helen Buckingham, from the Nuffield Trust, talked about the NHS and the prices for drugs, developed and produced in the United States. These are points Helen made.
- Various people in the US, would like the UK to pay the US price.
- The UK price is determined because the NHS is a bit customer and tends to buy centrally.
- In the US, it is illegal for hospitals and health organisations to deal as a group.
- Countries like Australia get their drugs at a good price from the United States under the recent trade deal.
Obviously, this is how I read, what Helen said, so if you’re really interested listen to the podcast.
The Anonymous Widower 