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Greater Anglia Bombardier Aventras (Class 720): Technical discussion and introduction

Bletchleyite

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If it's separate statements and different voices, I agree. No harm in that. Using the same voice for <recording A>"This is the service to" <recording B> "Destination", <recording A>"Calling at" <recording B> "list of stops", <recording A> "safety notice", <recording B> "rest of safety notice", it's just terrible :D

Yes, if that's what they've done I would agree it's poor.
 
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samuelmorris

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Something like that, yes. I don't recall the exact format it used, but it was certainly enough to get my attention. What's odd is that on the first videos of the units in service, they're just using the old audio recordings, which still sound fine. I'm not sure whether the units I travelled on have different software or they're still experimenting.
 

Peter Sarf

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If it's separate statements and different voices, I agree. No harm in that. Using the same voice for <recording A>"This is the service to" <recording B> "Destination", <recording A>"Calling at" <recording B> "list of stops", <recording A> "safety notice", <recording B> "rest of safety notice", it's just terrible :D
Actually that prompts a thought. This is like two people interrupting each other. The listener is likely to naturally attempt to filter out one of the two voices while trying to focus on the other. That will lead to hearing only a nonsense. Plain useless.
 

fat_boy_pete

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How many diagrams in regular service now? If as reported, they are planning to scrap 4 X 321 units a week, they will need to get a wiggle on to replace them with 720's.
 

Gulf1159

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GA currently running a modified Saturday service so at present they have spare capacity to release 321’s for scrapping. Fun and games start when the lockdown is over and they reintroduce the peak services. They have a couple of months to get the 720’s in service. Plenty have been built but they need commissioning and fault free running
 

fat_boy_pete

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GA currently running a modified Saturday service so at present they have spare capacity to release 321’s for scrapping. Fun and games start when the lockdown is over and they reintroduce the peak services. They have a couple of months to get the 720’s in service. Plenty have been built but they need commissioning and fault free running
Well the last two lockdown easing steps are (allegedly) May 17 and June 21, so I would expect a fairly full timetable planned from end May, even if realistically the big commuting crowds are unlikely until September onwards. So they need to be in a fairly steady roll-out of new units by April at the latest, since they said they wanted to complete the East side unit replacement by the autumn. Take as many handfuls of salt as you want with that completion date, but the last information on here was 3 x 10 car formations running. Therefore I expect that to grow at least by one a week from now on to meet that time-scale. So is it happening or is it stalled?
 

dmncf

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Is this train movement today a Class 720, and would it be under its own power?
For those unfamiliar with Realtime Trains, I should highlight that at the time of writing, there's no guarantee that the movement shown will take place.
Thanks in advance.
 

py_megapixel

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Is this train movement today a Class 720, and would it be under its own power?
For those unfamiliar with Realtime Trains, I should highlight that at the time of writing, there's no guarantee that the movement shown will take place.
Thanks in advance.
I would guess that this is a 360 returning after the 110mph mods, though I can't say for certain
 

221101 Voyager

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I would guess that this is a 360 returning after the 110mph mods, though I can't say for certain

Is this train movement today a Class 720, and would it be under its own power?
For those unfamiliar with Realtime Trains, I should highlight that at the time of writing, there's no guarantee that the movement shown will take place.
Thanks in advance.
This is a 720, seen this working before.



360's only usually come from Northampton. :)
 

iphone76

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I noticed the other day that there was a bit of rubbish strewn around the train I was on. Then noticed there appeared to be no bins. Was I not looking correctly or are there really no bins on these new trains (except in the toilets I presume)? On my Southend Line I think that is asking for trouble.
 

Railperf

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How many diagrams in regular service now? If as reported, they are planning to scrap 4 X 321 units a week, they will need to get a wiggle on to replace them with 720's.
It has been two daily diagrams so far subject to unit availability - mainly Southend Victoria but also the odd Braintree and evening Southminster.
I'm hearing 10 units should be available.
Do we know how many have been accepted now?
 

Dave1987

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I noticed the other day that there was a bit of rubbish strewn around the train I was on. Then noticed there appeared to be no bins. Was I not looking correctly or are there really no bins on these new trains (except in the toilets I presume)? On my Southend Line I think that is asking for trouble.
Bins are being retrofitted
 

Roger B

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14 of 16 accepted as of Monday
Sorry, I don't understand - I thought GA have 44 720/1s and 89 720/5s on order. Be great if you could give a list of which ones have been accepted to date - and date each one was accepted, if you have the info, please.
 

samuelmorris

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Sorry, I don't understand - I thought GA have 44 720/1s and 89 720/5s on order. Be great if you could give a list of which ones have been accepted to date - and date each one was accepted, if you have the info, please.
I interpret that as 16 (of 133) units having been delivered, of which 14 have been accepted for service.
 

Shunter_69

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I interpret that as 16 (of 133) units having been delivered, of which 14 have been accepted for service.
This is correct.

Sorry, I don't understand - I thought GA have 44 720/1s and 89 720/5s on order. Be great if you could give a list of which ones have been accepted to date - and date each one was accepted, if you have the info, please.
See post 1009

The order has been amended and will only be 720/5’s
 
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I noticed the other day that there was a bit of rubbish strewn around the train I was on. Then noticed there appeared to be no bins. Was I not looking correctly or are there really no bins on these new trains (except in the toilets I presume)? On my Southend Line I think that is asking for trouble.
I distinctly remember the then HR Director being laughed off the then shortly afterwards closed GA staff facebook group for proudly declaring there wouldn't be any bins because it was easier to just pick up all the rubbish off the floor. We all pointed out that that would be fine if the units got cleaned at each turnaround and the general public were as clean and polite as the director seemed to think they were.....they should have have a trip on a friday/saturday night stopper out of Liverpool St. Anyway, glad to hear that common sense has prevailed.....several years later.
 

Roger B

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Sorry, I don't understand - I thought GA have 44 720/1s and 89 720/5s on order. Be great if you could give a list of which ones have been accepted to date - and date each one was accepted, if you have the info, please.

I interpret that as 16 (of 133) units having been delivered, of which 14 have been accepted for service.

This is correct.


See post 1009

The order has been amended and will only be 720/5’s

They'll all be 5 cars, but 720101-122 became 720101-144, instead of becoming 720501-633 as the c2c units have already claimed the 720601-606 range

Thanks all for your input, and for confirming the set numbers. The explanation re 14 / 16 - seems obvious now, just couldn't see it at first! Can anyone help re the second part of my query - can anyone provide a list of the sets delivered / accepted so far, and delivery and acceptance dates for each set delivered to date. Thanks again.
 

Energy

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I distinctly remember the then HR Director being laughed off the then shortly afterwards closed GA staff facebook group for proudly declaring there wouldn't be any bins because it was easier to just pick up all the rubbish off the floor. We all pointed out that that would be fine if the units got cleaned at each turnaround and the general public were as clean and polite as the director seemed to think they were.....they should have have a trip on a friday/saturday night stopper out of Liverpool St. Anyway, glad to hear that common sense has prevailed.....several years later.
Some TOCs ask the passengers to leave the rubbish on the tables as its easier to pickup than an overflowing bin, the floor isn't easier...
 

Domh245

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Ironically they are replacing “Dusty Bins”!

Isn’t the specification more TOC-lead? It’s not like the Thameslink or IEP procurements.

TOC led, but DfT would have set the targe0ts that the train specifiers had to try and meet (ie - as many seats as physically possible into Liverpool St. between 0700-0900 and 1700-1900)
 

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