Has Greater Anglia Improved Their Mk. 3 Coaches?
I went to Ipswich today, with the aim of seeing the Olympic Torch Relay in either Woodbridge or Felixstowe, so I travelled out of Liverpool Street in a rake of forty-year-old Mk 3 coaches, pushed by a thirty-year old Class 90.
I haven’t been on one of these trains for a couple of months and the ride quality seemed to have improved. At one point, I walked a couple of coaches to get a coffee and it was easier than last time. I also talked to a mother sitting on the floor with her young child and she said it was very comfortable. Why she was sitting on the floor, I do not know, the train wasn’t very full.
They have been improving the track through to Norwich, so it was probably that or something to do with new balls in the wheel-bearings of the coaches.
On the other hand my balance could have been better?
On the other hand, Greater Anglia certainly haven’t improved their Ipswich to Felixstowe services, as the train I wanted to catch had gone AWOL. So I missed the Olympic Torch Relay.
So I came home in another excellent Mk. 3 coach. Is there rail vehicle in service as good as the Mk. 3?
The Felixstowe Ipswich Rail Route
It is reported in the latest Modern Railways, that work has started on a new rail terminal at Felixstowe. It will be able to handle trains of 30 wagons carrying 90 x 20 ft. containers.
It also appears that the port would like some passenger trains on the branch replaced by buses. As the port had agreed to double-track the branch to increase the capacity, this is a bit of a cheek.
I used to live in Felixstowe and as a teenager, getting back from Ipswich after about five was impossible, due to the appalling bus and train services, which stopped around six or seven.
So do Hutchison Ports want the people of Felixstowe to return to those dreary times I had to suffer. At least, now the last midweek trains leave Ipswich at around 22:30.
There is a petition on the Government’s e-Petition site to get the line dualled.
Beccles Station and the Start of the Construction of the Loop
On the way to football at Ipswich, I went via Beccles station, to see how the loop is progressing.
As you can see, there hasn’t been much done yet.
I hope that they improve the station as well as the track. I was there just after a very rainy morning and there was only one dry place to sit; a small patch of low concrete wall. Passengers started turning up about half-an-hour before the train and a couple were quite a bit older than me. There wasn’t even a pub or a cafe nearby.
I’ve been to quite a few unmanned stations in East Anglia, but Beccles must surely be one of the worst, if not the worst!
The Scheduler Strikes Again
After yesterday’s problems getting to Ipswich, I have vowed that I’ll always travel in a proper train again.
However next Monday, Ipswich play Leicester at home and guess what. It is the usual Newbury Park detour with a coach. So that’s a match I’ll miss unless I want to have a very bad arm after the journey.
On the other hand, they’re putting on another train for Norwich supporters to get to Tottenham.
Improving Ipswich Station
This photo shows the two major changes at Ipswich station.
Improving Ipswich Station
The bridge with lifts means that it is now easy for those with difficulties, buggies or heavy cases can now get across to the other platforms.
It also shows how they have changed the track layout, so that they can split the main platform to get two trains there at the same time.
The biggest change will come, when the new track layout, where the Felixstowe branch joins the main line, will mean that freight trains from and to Felixstowe will not have to reverse in the station.
A Proper Map at Ipswich Station
I’ve never really checked out Ipswich as to how easy it is to get around by walking or public transport, so I checked on Saturday.
A Proper Match at Ipswich Station
There is no excuse for maps of this quality and size to not be displayed at the railway station. And probably several other places in the town or city as well.
Note that the map has a five minute walking ring and an index to all the streets. The tourism information office is also properly shown.
About the only thing not on the map is the hospital, which is some way on the other side of the town from the station. To be fair to the hospital, they have a page, which describes how to get there by train.
One thing that is different at Ipswich station to many I’ve visited in the last few weeks, is that you walk out of the station and you can see the town in front of you.
Ipswich Town Centre from the Station
The picture, shows the bridge over the River Gipping, the council offices and the football group. You are naturally drawn the right way towards the town centre.
I know, I know Ipswich well, but few towns I’ve visited draw you in in a purposeful way from the station. Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Wolverhampton do to a certain extent. One of the best was Huddersfield, which also had a free town centre bus. But others such as Bristol, Manchester and most of the new towns haven’t got their acts together. Burnley was one of many places where a simple map, some fingerposts and a bit of thought could really improve things.
The Prince of Pace
I have been meaning for some time to photograph the statue of Prince Alexander Obelensky in Ipswich and finally got to do it last Monday, when I was in the town.
It is rather unusual and celebrates both his rugby and his short and tragic flying career in the RAF.
I also think it is the only public statue in Ipswich of anybody with a royal title.
I like it.
Ipswich Nimbys Object to Swimming Pool
Most Nimbys usually object to something large and of great importance to the nation like a new railway or port, a power station or refuse incinerator or new housing. But not in Ipswich. According to this report in the East Anglian Daily Times, they are objecting to the reopening of a swimming pool. Their main reasons seem to be concerns about car parking, which means my sympathies are with the swimmers. Not that I can swim, but I know of many who have enjoyed the pool at Broomhill. Especially, as the pool seems to have a lot of architectural merit.
The Little Trains are Popular
At least something is booming amongst all the gloom. According to this report, all the small branch lines are popular and are showing substantial increases in traffic.
And it’s not just the traditional branch lines. Recently, I’ve travelled a couple of times on the secondary line between Cambridge and Ipswich. It used to have some of the worst rolling stock in Europe. Now it has much newer and larger, Class 170 trains, and traffic is rising fast. The newer trains are typically ten years old, but this is nothing compared to some of the rubbish, like Pacers, operating in parts of the UK.
Obviously, there is a need for more and better services on a lot of these lines. Hopefully, this will be rectified in the next few years, as the most suitable trains, the Class 170s are fairly numerous and a lot are used for fairly long distance services, where longer and larger trains are needed. So the new trains would go to these services and the current units would be relocated. But remember a new carriage costs the best part of a million pounds, although in this country, we are very good at rebuilding old ones to a modern standard.
The Man In Seat 28
The title is a direct crib from that excellent train website, www.seat61.com. Use it if you want to find out how to get anywhere by train.
I did get my sandwiches, after failing at the Angel this morning, in Liverpool Street station, and here they are laid out on the table that I didn’t have to share, as I sat in Seat 28 in Standard Class.
Marks and Spencer's Gluten Free Sandwiches
I should say that Liverpool Street now has three Marks and Spencer food stores and I got my lunch from the one in the Broadgate or western entrance.
They are certainly going to make football a lot easier for me, as now I won’t have to worry about lunch or supper. Especially as until now, Ipswich was a virtual gluten free desert. The Marks there is listed as selling gluten-free sandwiches, but I haven’t checked yet.
Seat 28, also gave a very good view of the Olympic Park, as it was on the left side going towards Ipswich. The seat also has a full window.
The Olympic Park from Seat 28
Unfortunately, if you want the best view, you’ll have to be up front with the driver. I’ve done this once and it’s the only way to travel.
I should say that the jouney home wasn’t as pleasant. I had deliberately taken a later train and I took a table seat in an almost empty carriage. But then three obese middle-aged men joined me, hemmed me in by the window and proceeded to talk loudly amongst themselves all the way to London. They talked mainly about rugby and beer. I may have interest in the first, but I certainly have no interest in the sort of beer they droned on about. I also didn’t like the way they talked about their long-suffering wives.
In the end I decanted from the train at Stratford and took the North London Line home. Perhaps, next time I don’t want to be disturbed, I’ll book First.
Today’s trip and my last one to Plymouth and Bristol illustrate that train catering is getting more and more irrelevant for many people. I haven’t bought anything except coffee, Coke or perhaps a water for months now. I either take everything with me, buy something from Marks in the station or make sure I eat well before travelling. As for example there is a Carluccio’s either in or close to St. Pancras, King’s Cross and Liverpool Street, it can’t be long before most large stations have a sensible gluten-free cafe. Most stations too have a coffee shop at least up to Starbucks standard.
I suspect that train catering will disappear completely within a few years. At the Zoo Late, you could pre-order Gordon Ramsey picnics. How long before someone does luxury picnics, that you pre-order and pick up at the station before you travel? They could even be delivered to your seat in First Class!
If you are a food supplier, the great thing about train passengers, is you get at least two goes to sell them food. Obviously, I bought my picnic today before I got on the train and I could even have bought a glass of decent wine in a plastic glass at Marks. But suppose, I’d been going to Brighton to walk on the promenade, I might have brought my lunch when I arrived. And if you’re changing trains at say Liverpool Lime Street, you could buy your food between trains.
So if you run a dedicated train catering service, you’ve got real competition!
So I think that in a few years, the food available to rail travellers will be very good and probably lightly alcoholic if you want a drink. The catering will certainly be better than that on the roads, where everything is over-priced and over-curled.
I think that some of the new trains are even prepared for the revolution. The new trains, I used to get to Cambridge a couple of weeks ago, are built with trays for laptops and/or snacks. All it needs is to make sure the litter is either taken out by the passengers or cleaned up at the end of each leg!
The Anonymous Widower 