Class 745 Stadler FLIRTs

[fat_boy_pete]

Update from Richard Clinnick on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Richard_rail/status/1237286603342655489?s=19

The fifth @greateranglia Cl.745/0 has entered traffic today. 745009 has made its debut, meaning 4 are in service today, with a 5th spare. Those in traffic are: 745002/006/007/009/010. Three more are at Crown Point (004/005/008).

 

[BrettSy96]

On 745009 on the 12:30 Norwich to Liverpool Street, just passed through stowmarket on the wrong line as 745008 has appeared to have failed outside Stowmarket as it had a 37 AND a freightliner 66 on it, shortly down the line after we had gone onto the right side of the line we have passed another 37 dragging a 755/4 by the looks of it

 

[samuelmorris]

On 745009 on the 12:30 Norwich to Liverpool Street, just passed through stowmarket on the wrong line as 745008 has appeared to have failed outside Stowmarket as it had a 37 AND a freightliner 66 on it, shortly down the line after we had gone onto the right side of the line we have passed another 37 dragging a 755/4 by the looks of it

745008 isn't supposed to be in service. Was it definitely 008? If so, could be a mileage accumulation gone wrong?

 

[BrettSy96]

745008 isn't supposed to be in service. Was it definitely 008? If so, could be a mileage accumulation gone wrong?

Yeah think it must have been on mileage accumulation! Pretty sure it was 008

 

[86246]

Yeah think it must have been on mileage accumulation! Pretty sure it was 008

Presumably on this this going to Bounds Green

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/99964/2020-03-10/detailed

 

[Pyromaniac]

Assuming only the 745/1's have dual Greater Anglia and Stansted Express branding, I saw 745/1 on test through Witham at approx 12:30pm today. RTT suggested it was on 5Q74 to Stowmarket DGL - which explains why it said Stowmarket on the front LED. I assume this would've been mileage accumulation?

 

[samuelmorris]

Presumably on this this going to Bounds Green

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/99964/2020-03-10/detailed

Do the units travel to Bounds Green on their on power, or are they loco dragged? If the latter, is it possible the issue was with the loco hauling it?

 

[Shunter_69]

The mention of a 66 as well as a 37 certainly implies the failure was with the loco rather than the unit.

 

[damian]

I quite liked the Modern Railways article this month about class nicknames. It mentioned GAs as

755 Short Hare
745/0 Long Hare
745/1 Ryan Hare

The latter is particularly clever.

With the Norfolk dialect some of them are 'hare a bit late'

 

[dk1]

With the Norfolk dialect some of them are 'hare a bit late'

And when we finish we can go for a couple of 'bears'

 

[Taylorgb19]

Have any 745 had name plates yet or etc on them

 

[Railperf]

Reports that four units 002 - 007 - 009 and 010are out today on the 05.00, 06.00 06.48 and 07.40 diagrams starting from Norwich.

 

[trebor79]

What's the thinking behind having one spare? Surely if one if them fails, the train is either cancelled or replaced with a displaced hauled set?
Might as well have as many 745s out as possible, surely?

 

[trebor79]

No idea what class of train I'm on, but it's from Norwich and its brand new.

And all I can say is - it's disgraceful that in this day and age, a train can be purposely designed to be so uncomfortable and uninviting.

First Class seats don't recline, majority of windows are at least partially obstructed by thick emergency exit hinges or electronic displays. Sitting next to the toilet you hear the sloshing around of God knows what, as well as not having a view from that side of the coach. When someone actually uses the toilet you can hear everything, (seat B30/31).

Seats force you into a very uncomfortable posture, totally unsuitable for actually using a laptop etc without hunching over / leaning forwards.

Totally retrograde.

Actually I find the Mk3 first class seats to be useless for working on a laptop, particularly if sitting on an aisle seat as they are too far back from the table.
They also don't recline and are set at some weird angle halfway between sitting and slouching that I personally find uncomfortable.
Given there appears to be more room between seat and table in the 745 first class it's possible that the laptop end up too far away to work comfortably, but I'd expect the more upright seat back to compensate for that. I'm interested to try out the 745 first class.

 

[Abbo]

You are very much in the minority on this but everyone is of course entitled to an opinion.

I have yet to ride ( or even see )a 745 in traffic but guessing that the seats are the same as those in the 755 the great bonus for the majority who don't travel first class is the absence of that horrible, dangerous and unwanted fixed armrest between the seats. I would support replacement on that ground alone !!!

 

[D.K.TAYLOR]

Reported on another forum
1P01 No10
1P05 No 7
1P11 No 9
1P15 No 2

 

[dk1]

I have yet to ride ( or even see )a 745 in traffic but guessing that the seats are the same as those in the 755 the great bonus for the majority who don't travel first class is the absence of that horrible, dangerous and unwanted fixed armrest between the seats. I would support replacement on that ground alone !!!

Yes same seating. Slightly different in 1st class. Great improvement I agree.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Reported on another forum
1P01 No10
1P05 No 7
1P11 No 9
1P15 No 2

Just for the record, 745002 was declared a failure prior to working 1P15 (traction motor related issue I'm told). It retired to Crown Point leaving just the 3 745s in service for the day.

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder this thread is to discuss Class 745 Stadler FLIRTs

If anyone wishes to discuss anything else, such as headcodes, other train types etc please create a new thread (or use an existing one if applicable) in the appropriate forum section.

Thanks.

 

[dk1]

Just for the record, 745002 was declared a failure prior to working 1P15 (traction motor related issue I'm told). It retired to Crown Point leaving just the 3 745s in service for the day.

Only 3 in traffic today 0648/0900 caped.

 

[Railperf]

So no spare unit today then?

 

[dk1]

Doesn't look like it. Maybe something will come good in time for 1P33 at 11:30.

 

[ashkeba]

Just a gentle reminder this thread is to discuss Class 745 Stadler FLIRTs

If anyone wishes to discuss anything else, such as headcodes, other train types etc please create a new thread (or use an existing one if applicable) in the appropriate forum section.

Thanks.

We were discussing why the 745s should display headcodes! I got notification that my post had been moved to another topic, ok, but clicking that topic says it is not found, not ok. Is all discussion of including codes on the Flirt displays forbidden?

 

[samuelmorris]

We were discussing why the 745s should display headcodes! I got notification that my post had been moved to another topic, ok, but clicking that topic says it is not found, not ok. Is all discussion of including codes on the Flirt displays forbidden?

In fairness, it was straying way off-topic, not specific to the 745s and I wasn't helping.

Doesn't look like it. Maybe something will come good in time for 1P33 at 11:30.

So presumably this means there are two units out? Do we know what happened to the other one, and which is affected?

 

[Railperf]

Looks like it. Seems the whole diagram cancelled today as a result unless they can get another loco hauled set or unit to deputise. Ironically on a day the first 90 - 90015 announced as going off lease.

 

[Railperf]

Looks like a pair of 321s on the 15.30 Norwich (NRE) to Liverpool Street (LST).
EDIT and a 745 on the 16.00 NRW to LST

 

[Carlgoss]

Interesting.. has anyone else heard the change in the sound of the traction motors/battery/electrical gubins cupboard area since day one? Might be a different unit I guess but honestly I've noticed a distinct change to the sound of drive. More whiny. Maybe running in? Still loving the acceleration!

 

[Railperf]

Interesting.. has anyone else heard the change in the sound of the traction motors/battery/electrical gubins cupboard area since day one? Might be a different unit I guess but honestly I've noticed a distinct change to the sound of drive. More whiny. Maybe running in? Still loving the acceleration!

I was on a 755(421) that sounded more whiney than usual yesterday sitting above the front bogie. It was also running on 3 engines only. Not sure if that was due to a fault - or a deliberate decision to save fuel / maintenance.
The 745 (006) was accelerated very well. 0 to 60 in less than 40 seconds and 100mph in well under 2 minutes. Very impressive. I make this the UK's fastest accelerating Intercity train??? Though some might argue that as it does not do 125mph..it isnt an Intercity train at all.
These things rip the timetable to shreds arriving 2 to 3 mins early at each station. Mind you - a hard driven 90 in the dry can also arrive early at most stops too. It will be good to see if timings north of Colchester can be reduced in the short term. Sitting at Ipswich Stowmarket and Diss for a combined 10 minutes is ridiculous. And still arrive at Norwich 2 or 3 early!

 

[trebor79]

I was also on a 755 last week that was much noisier than normal above the bogie. Sounded like some kind of resonance effect as it seemed to appear at a certain speed.

 

[Railperf]

I was also on a 755 last week that was much noisier than normal above the bogie. Sounded like some kind of resonance effect as it seemed to appear at a certain speed.

I have not noticed this on any 745.