Abellio Greater Anglia Class 755s (Regional Trains)

[306024]

Flask and newspaper? Presumably not the normal Saxmundham (Sizewell!) flask....

Would keep you warm and glowing

 

[dk1]

Finally tried it. The restaurant is tapas style, not cheap, but very good quality for a casual, or more formal meal out. The bar has good local beers too. Many years ago when the old pub used to have a beer festival, there were additional calls put in some Sheringham services.

Yes remember that. Reedham Beer Festival had the same additional calls. Glad you had a good time.

Always strikes me as a weird one that job. Are there crew facilities at Saxmundham? Or is it a flask and newspaper job?

The lovely signallers always welcome us to use their facilities if needed. It’s just an operational stop & cannot be booked as an official PNB point.

 

[Railperf]

Are the 755s still being diagrammed on Liverpool Street services? If so..was it the 755s that failed yesterday at Ingatestone or a 745?

 

[Shwam3]

Are the 755s still being diagrammed on Liverpool Street services? If so..was it the 755s that failed yesterday at Ingatestone or a 745?

755s still run to Liverpool St and more diagrams will start in May 2023.
Yesterday's failure was 745009 caused by debris on the overhead line.

 

[StephenHunter]

When do they run? I don't generally see them going down there when I'm using the GEML.

 

[dk1]

When do they run? I don't generally see them going down there when I'm using the GEML.

Only 1P33/34 if anyone can be bothered. More trouble than it’s worth to most.

 

[Trainfan344]

Have they signed off 2 x 755s for passenger service yet?

 

[dk1]

Have they signed off 2 x 755s for passenger service yet?

About a year ago.

 

[Shwam3]

Have they signed off 2 x 755s for passenger service yet?

Yes, 2x coupled started in service on 25th April. This will increase to 3x 755s coupled (planned 3 car + 3 car + 4 car) from Monday 28th on the same 1P33/1P34 diagram.

 

[Railperf]

Yes, 2x coupled started in service on 25th April. This will increase to 3x 755s coupled (planned 3 car + 3 car + 4 car) from Monday 28th on the same 1P33/1P34 diagram.

Seems to make sense. Even 2 x 4 car 755s can be pretty full on those diagrams

 

[chubs]

Would make more sense to use a 745.

Is availability really still that low even with the Stansted Express STILL running at a reduced frequency?

 

[Railperf]

Would make more sense to use a 745.

Is availability really still that low even with the Stansted Express STILL running at a reduced frequency?

Clearly the 745's have not yet reached the reliability figures that the previous Class 90/ mk3 sets did. Though Modern Railways reliability figures suggest the Class 745/1 ' Stansted' sets struggle for reliability more than the 745/0. Not sure if that is infrastructure or service pattern related.

 

[43096]

Clearly the 745's have not yet reached the reliability figures that the previous Class 90/ mk3 sets did. Though Modern Railways reliability figurss suggest the Clasd 745/1 ' Stansted' sets struggle for reliability more than the 746/0. Not sure if that is infrastructure or service pattern related.

Or length of time away from home depot?

 

[87015]

Would make more sense to use a 745.

Is availability really still that low even with the Stansted Express STILL running at a reduced frequency?

I think they are now the only class in the country with a dedicated thunderbird, even the Welsh 769s have had that dispensed with but ROG have a loco contracted to rescue broken Stadlers in Anglia.

 

[43096]

I think they are now the only class in the country with a dedicated thunderbird, even the Welsh 769s have had that dispensed with but ROG have a loco contracted to rescue broken Stadlers in Anglia.

There's still 67s at Bounds Green and Doncaster dedicated to Thunderbird work. And aren't there still a handful of 57s DRS provide on the West Coast?

 

[trebor79]

Is it not more to do with the fact that the northern end of the GEML doesn't have a lot of freight, so there isn't a loco depot anywhere near to provide rescue locos?

 

[Trainbike46]

Is it not more to do with the fact that the northern end of the GEML doesn't have a lot of freight, so there isn't a loco depot anywhere near to provide rescue locos?

There's the freightliner depot in Ipswich, closer by than many other places

 

[dk1]

GEML especially the northern half is often easier to rescue a 745 with a 755.

 

[Richard Scott]

Clearly the 745's have not yet reached the reliability figures that the previous Class 90/ mk3 sets did. Though Modern Railways reliability figurss suggest the Clasd 745/1 ' Stansted' sets struggle for reliability more than the 746/0. Not sure if that is infrastructure or service pattern related.

If that's true then you're saying these new Swiss devices are less reliable than old banger UK built machines? Oh dear.

 

[StephenHunter]

I think they are now the only class in the country with a dedicated thunderbird, even the Welsh 769s have had that dispensed with but ROG have a loco contracted to rescue broken Stadlers in Anglia.

Which loco is it?

 

[XAM2175]

If that's true then you're saying these new Swiss devices are less reliable than old banger UK built machines? Oh dear.

I wouldn't be too smug given the heap of new UK-built devices that are currently too unreliable to even be accepted by their ordering TOC.

 

[Richard Scott]

I wouldn't be too smug given the heap of new UK-built devices that are currently too unreliable to even be accepted by their ordering TOC.

Not being smug just pointing out that these Swiss built units are supposed to be so good but are worse than what they replace.

 

[Energy]

If that's true then you're saying these new Swiss devices are less reliable than old banger UK built machines? Oh dear.

Not being smug just pointing out that these Swiss built units are supposed to be so good but are worse than what they replace.

Not really, the MTIN will be lower for the first few years while the depots are gaining more experience.

 

[306024]

This thread is for class 755s, which are performing reasonably well from my experience. Their availability isn’t stretched at all as some of the services they were ordered for haven’t materialised. That’s why they are being tested in multiple formations to make up for class 745 availability.

The class 745 fleet was ordered on the basis the GEML timetable could simply be re-written to require 8 diagrams for the core Norwich service. A somewhat optimistic assumption given that the current timetable requires 10 diagrams.

 

[trebor79]

Not being smug just pointing out that these Swiss built units are supposed to be so good but are worse than what they replace.

Have you actually travelled on one? They are superb, the best new trains in the UK for a long time IMO. Coming home from Cardiff to Norwich it was a relief to get onto the comfortable, quiet Stadler after enduring 2 hours on the noisy and horrifically uncomfortable 80x into Paddington.
The knackered old Mk3's they replaced were hardly reliable - almost every set was short-formed for a couple of years before they went, and a couple of sets were running around with coaches locked out of use or with a random assortment of first and standard class vehicles with the "extra" first class coaches declassified (it was OK when one of those sets rocked up ). Even worse was substitution with a 321, and if you were really unlucky a Renatus refurbed one.

Back to the 755's, again way better than the 170s and knackered old Sprinters in every respect.

 

[dk1]

You only have to follow Modern Railways magazine TIN watch to see the ever increasing reliability of the GA Stadler fleet.

 

[chubs]

Not being smug just pointing out that these Swiss built units are supposed to be so good but are worse than what they replace.

They're really not, the mk3's were clapped out junk that failed constantly when they came from Virgin. The minor spruce up they got made do for the next decade and a bit but they were long overdue for their visit to the razorblade factory. The 745's and 755's are a dream to travel in from a passengers perspective, incomparable to the junk they replaced.

This thread is for class 755s, which are performing reasonably well from my experience. Their availability isn’t stretched at all as some of the services they were ordered for haven’t materialised. That’s why they are being tested in multiple formations to make up for class 745 availability.

The class 745 fleet was ordered on the basis the GEML timetable could simply be re-written to require 8 diagrams for the core Norwich service. A somewhat optimistic assumption given that the current timetable requires 10 diagrams.

But with the Stansted Express still running a reduced service should there not be spare 745/1's to cover? The 755's are great for the routes they were ordered for and it's also good they can work in multiple and cover a 745 if needed but it's a bit annoying if they're already regularly diagrammed on 745 services.

 

[306024]

But with the Stansted Express still running a reduced service should there not be spare 745/1's to cover? The 755's are great for the routes they were ordered for and it's also good they can work in multiple and cover a 745 if needed but it's a bit annoying if they're already regularly diagrammed on 745 seservices.

Quite Agree, yes four 745/1s should be spare. But it's worth testing class 755s in multiple formations now for when Stansted Express returns to a 15 minute service, which will then stretch the 745 fleet.

 

[dk1]

Modern Railways Spanner Awards just announced

755/4 won a GOLD

745/0 won a SILVER

755/3 won a BRONZE


Excellent work from all involved at GA/Stadler in constantly improving this brand new fleet of trains to the UK over the last 2-3 years. TfW have lots to look forward to.

 

[RailWonderer]

Modern Railways Spanner Awards just announced

755/4 won a GOLD

745/0 won a SILVER

755/3 won a BRONZE


Excellent work from all involved at GA/Stadler in constantly improving this brand new fleet of trains to the UK over the last 2-3 years. TfW have lots to look forward to.

Absolutely, congrats to the people at Crown Point for all the work done on them. For the first of their kind in the UK Stadler have certainly done very well. They are always such a joy to travel on, although I still trip up now and again in the sloped aisles because of the low floor high floor layout. Great for level boarding though.

Quite Agree, yes four 745/1s should be spare. But it's worth testing class 755s in multiple formations now for when Stansted Express returns to a 15 minute service, which will then stretch the 745 fleet.

Isn't 4tph overkill for the Stansted route post-Covid, post austerity era?