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

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robert west

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4 Apr 2013
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207
I make it 18 delivered (720511, 515, 517, 522, 536 - 540, 543, 548, 550, 552, 553, 556, 558, 562 and 564). 720549 & 551 were at Ilford but returned to Wembley on 15/2 and have since been out on WCML test runs.
Of the 18 at IL, I believe that only 522 & 562 are awaiting GA acceptance, so that makes 16 theoretically available. However, at least four are on driver training duties (two at Orient Way for WAML and two at Parkeston for GEML). Any advance ....
506 and 509 been on geml but back at worksop i believe
509 failed at Hatfield Peverel whilst on test and was dumped in witham down loop overnight at the start of the 1st lockdown
 

cactustwirly

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10 Apr 2013
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UK
As said above, plug doors will never match the speed of pocket doors. I would agree that these are probably the fastest I've seen, a little faster than those on Electostars and far faster than the Desiro UK.

They're nowhere near as fast as Networker plug doors
 

Goldfish62

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14 Feb 2010
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Networker doors are air operated. All modern units have electric motor operated doors which seem slower.
I thought they had either air or electric depending on whether they were built by MetCam or BREL.

Electric doors are faster. That's why London Underground switched over to them.
 

Alfie1014

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Reported elsewhere that 556 and another are at Clacton for tomorrow morning’s 05:20 to Liverpool St, even it was allowed I don’t think I’ll be getting up for it!
 

Class 170101

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Reported elsewhere that 556 and another are at Clacton for tomorrow morning’s 05:20 to Liverpool St, even it was allowed I don’t think I’ll be getting up for it!

Plenty of opportunity if it follows the RTT schedules inclusive of platforms, it will be back 15:44 to 16:05.
 

Railperf

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Reported elsewhere that 556 and another are at Clacton for tomorrow morning’s 05:20 to Liverpool St, even it was allowed I don’t think I’ll be getting up for it!
Still on a Class 321 timings...so likely to be driven v gently all day to avoid running too early :p
 

47584Suffolk

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1 Feb 2021
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Ipswich
720522 and 562 on 1348 london liverpool street to braintree and 1500 return
Understand that this pair made its passenger debut this morning with 04:00 Southend - Liverpool St.

They seem to be as booked at the moment (1418 ex Liverpool St.).

Based on FB reports so far and RTT, seems that diagram covers 2N01 05:20 Clacton to Liv St, 2Y06 07:06 to Ipswich, 1Y33 08:52 return to Liv St, 2F36 10:38 Liv St to Colchester Town, 2F37 12:00 Colchester Town - Colchester & 2F40 12:20 return, 2F39 12:35 Colchester Town to Liv St, 1N26 14:18 Liv St to Clacton, 1N47 16:05 Clacton to Liv St, 1Y34 18:02 Liv St to Ipswich, 1Y61 19:52 return to Liv St, 2F06 21:38 Liv St to Colchester Town, 2F11 23:00 Colchester Town to Colchester, 5N86 23:24 ecs Colchester to Clacton.
 
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Railperf

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515 spotted heading towards Stratford down the Lea Valley line through Tottenham Hale
 

norbitonflyer

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With the "stay local" restrictions being eased from Monday, and not having been anywhere on a train for 400 days come next Wednesday, next week seems a good time to ride a 720 for the first time, but I don't want to loiter at Liverpool Street or Stratford for very long waiting for one to turn up. How many diagrams are running at present?
 
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With the "stay local" restrictions being eased from Monday, and not having been anywhere on a train for 400 days come next Wednesday, next week seems a good time to ride a 720 for the first time, but I don't want to loiter at Liverpool Street or Stratford for very long waiting for one to turn up. How many diagrams are running at present?
I will be doing the same as you, as feels like a year since I last been on a train. If you go for either the Southend Victoria or Braintree services you will had a good chance of riding a 720, my estimate is that between 25% and nearly half of Southend services are 720s. I don't know how many diagrams are running unfortunately.
 

samuelmorris

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Brentwood, Essex
I will be doing the same as you, as feels like a year since I last been on a train. If you go for either the Southend Victoria or Braintree services you will had a good chance of riding a 720, my estimate is that between 25% and nearly half of Southend services are 720s. I don't know how many diagrams are running unfortunately.
There is a site that's able to tell you the number of carriages each service is formed of - if it's a multiple of 5 you'll know it's a 720. Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to find it at the moment, I'm sure someone else here will know.
 

Railperf

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There is the one diagram starting at Clacton as above
And at least 4 other diagrams running to/from Southend and Braintree.
At least 1 720 per hour between London and Shenfield.. But in some cases two or three in each direction

There is the diagram starting at Clacton as above
And at least 2 to 3 diagrams running to/from Southend and Braintree.
Does this work better?

Out of interest, does anyone know how many GE diagrams there are for the mon to fri, saturday, and sunday services.
The majority on Sunday at present seem to be 4-car - presumably to allow for maintenance, and reflecting the current leisure travel restrictions.
 
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robert west

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4 Apr 2013
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207
There is the one diagram starting at Clacton as above
And at least 4 other diagrams running to/from Southend and Braintree.
At least 1 720 per hour between London and Shenfield.. But in some cases two or three in each direction


Does this work better?

Out of interest, does anyone know how many GE diagrams there are for the mon to fri, saturday, and sunday services.
The majority on Sunday at present seem to be 4-car - presumably to allow for maintenance, and reflecting the current leisure travel restrictions.
720551 and 549 were on an Clacton to Liverpool street test run today.
Also 720553 was with 720547 on 1952 Ipswich to Liverpool street tonight
 

221101 Voyager

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Went on a 720 for the first time yesterday and noticed there was quite a noticeable creaking noise coming from somewhere are they all like this or was it just a dud unit I went on? :D
 

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