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

[webbstar11]

I'm going into Manchester tomorrow, a week after having seen my first GA 720s in the flesh last Friday around Ilford and Stratford. However, I can't answer as to what it's doing up here.

mod note - for speculation as to whether Northern could do with a fleet of Class 720s see:

Could Northern do with a fleet of Class 720s?

Maybe Northern will procure a fleet of them and they're using it to test the lie of the land. 5-car would be good for many services here, with an occasional 10 in the peaks midweek even if some coaches in the rear unit are locked out of use due to platform lengths.

www.railforums.co.uk

509 is the latest arrival at Ilford im told from Wembley weekend. Was delivered but had serious issues so returned to Derby or Woksop 2 years ago

 

[Peter Sarf]

509 is the latest arrival at Ilford im told from Wembley weekend. Was delivered but had serious issues so returned to Derby or Woksop 2 years ago

The low numbered 720/5s that have not been delivered yet are going to be the most "interesting" to see finished. They have lain around forgotten about for so long, a number of years not months !.

 

[Railperf]

Are 720's running the 19.02 Norwich services?

 

[dk1]

Are 720's running the 19.02 Norwich services?

Certainly not. No 720s operate north of Ipswich.

 

[Railperf]

Oh. Tiger indicating a 5-car formation showing on that tonight! Unless it's a 2 x 755 combo with coaches locked out?

 

[dk1]

Booked for a 745/1 tonight.

I witnessed 1P53 leaving Norwich tonight and it was an Airport unit.

 

[Railperf]

Booked for a 745/1 tonight.

I witnessed 1P53 leaving Norwich tonight and it was an Airport unit.

thanks. just checking. I guessed Tiger description was off

 

[robert west]

thanks. just checking. I guessed Tiger description was off

720128 in service last night.

not sure when it entered service though

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

720128 in service last night.

not sure when it entered service though

Came here to say just that. On it right now!

 

[Geml246]

720128 in service last night.

not sure when it entered service though

There is an earlier post from November with a picture of it in service.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Now on 135, which I haven’t seen reported as entering service yet?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There is an earlier post from November with a picture of it in service.

I had 720 128 for haulage on 20th November.

Now on 135, which I haven’t seen reported as entering service yet?

I had 720 135 on 12th December - after it having previously eluded me twice; it was out on 13th November but a signal failure foiled an attempt to bash it that day.

 

[Wivenswold]

I had 135 on the 5th October.

 

[robert west]

I had 135 on the 5th October.

134 and 136 are apparently also in service as well.
they entered service before 128 i believe

 

[Terry Williams]

And 137 hasn't entered service yet?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

134 and 136 are apparently also in service as well.
they entered service before 128 I believe

They are; I've had both... and yes, they did.

 

[The_Train]

134 and 136 are apparently also in service as well.
they entered service before 128 i believe

Does anybody know (roughly) when 134 entered service please?

 

[Defiance149]

Does anybody know (roughly) when 134 entered service please?

Reported in service on 3/10.

 

[The_Train]

Reported in service on 3/10.

Thanks

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Have any further units been put into service in the past month?

 

[Milo T.K]

509 was the latest iirc

Have any further units been put into service in the past month?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thanks; I thought that was still on test... I'll keep an eye out...

 

[Russel]

May have already been asked, but what is the difference between the 720 1 and 5 subclasses?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No difference at all; the /1s were originally going to be ( half as many ) ten car units.

Then they changed to all five cars but the numbering was by then set in stone because the /6 was used for the c2c units.

 

[Bikeman78]

Begs the question though, if the pandemic hadn't have happened what state would GA be in, probably 720s cropping up everywhere

The 317s would have lasted a fair bit longer. July last year they struggled to cover five Stansted diagrams with 745s. There seems to be a booked pair of 720s on Stansted Express now. How many 745 diagrams are there (on both routes) and how many are they consistently turning out?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There's been two pairs on Stansted runs since the December timetable change.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

No difference at all; the /1s were originally going to be ( half as many ) ten car units.

Then they changed to all five cars but the numbering was by then set in stone because the /6 was used for the c2c units.

Not that they need to have their own subclass for what is twelve of exactly the same train

 

[samuelmorris]

Not that they need to have their own subclass for what is twelve of exactly the same train

At least they have a different seating layout. That's more than has separated some subclasses in the past, no?

 

[Kite159]

Not that they need to have their own subclass for what is twelve of exactly the same train

At least it was just a different sub-class (which isn't anything new, just look at the 375s & 377s) and not a different class (i.e. class 721).

 

[Chiltern006]

I think it’s probably to do with the class stating off as Class 711