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

Mikey C

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Agreed to some level but then there is nothing stopping units being moved around to these said TOCs if and when its really and truly determined that said TOC will have a surplus for an unhealthy amount of Time. Could be interesting to see nonetheless what happens with them.
High density 24m stock doesn't really suit the operators who need additional or replacement units like Southern or Southeastern though. You could move some 720s to C2C and then cascade some 357s south of the river (assuming they can be converted to operate on 3rd rail), but that would then split the 357s and create yet another Electrostar variation for Southern or Southeastern...
 
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yorkie

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Just a gentle reminder that this particular thread is for technical discussion and introduction updates.

W do absolutely welcome speculation on where any surplus may end up, or whether peak additional services may return, but we do ask that these be posted in the appropriate forum section, please.

Thanks :)
 

Adrian1980uk

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Not convinced there's going to be massive numbers of 720s spare, given the number that are and will be needed to support standard express services. Once the tables are fitted to the 745s I see another one added to the intercity services instead of the 755s and therefore 2 more 720s required to covered Stansted services, I recon that will take the number needed up to 6 (of course variable based on availability of 745s).

The extra units will also be used to strengthen existing services as judging by how busy GA trains generally are, we'll soon be in a position where extra units will be required
 

Peter Mugridge

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I wonder - how soon could it be in service ?. There cannot be much work required to get this ready as Willesden have only just received 730025 & 730034 yesterday.
Withy 702 502 having arrived on Monday, I wonder if we're now going to very quickly get all the outstanding 720s in place?
 

Peter Sarf

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Withy 702 502 having arrived on Monday, I wonder if we're now going to very quickly get all the outstanding 720s in place?
Looks possible. And there was me thinking the last dozen-ish 720s might really be hard to get commissioned as they are predominantly the first ones built so have festered in sidings for the longest (years) on top of what was originally wrong with them.

But I suppose that would be ignoring what work has recently been done on them at Old Dalby etc.
But then again what is the purpose of Wllesden if these 720s are ready to work ?.

What do outsiders like me know apart from the very obvious time many new units have spent festering in sidings risking damp etc.
 

720144

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Looks possible. And there was me thinking the last dozen-ish 720s might really be hard to get commissioned as they are predominantly the first ones built so have festered in sidings for the longest (years) on top of what was originally wrong with them.

But I suppose that would be ignoring what work has recently been done on them at Old Dalby etc.
But then again what is the purpose of Wllesden if these 720s are ready to work ?.

What do outsiders like me know apart from the very obvious time many new units have spent festering in sidings risking damp etc.
I suspect that all of the 720s haven’t been built or registered in order etc 501 wasn’t the first unit to be built, 511-515 were the first to receive in late 2020 for the first southend vic test run.
720 139 has been delivered to Willesden today - hauled by 69 008.
Nice only left with 12 to go including 137 & 516. 139 has to do fault free mileage testing before entering ps.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K18944/2024-09-12/detailed#allox_id=0
 

Peter Sarf

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I suspect that all of the 720s haven’t been built or registered in order etc 501 wasn’t the first unit to be built, 511-515 were the first to receive in late 2020 for the first southend vic test run.

Nice only left with 12 to go including 137 & 516. 139 has to do fault free mileage testing before entering ps.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K18944/2024-09-12/detailed#allox_id=0
Why would EMUs not be built in numerical order ?. There is no easy way that could accidentally happen and no reason for it deliberately. Far more likely they were built in numerical order (within subclass) but then not introduced in numerical order as those that failed to be completed successfully were sidelined (Worksom, Doncaster , Gascoigne Wood etc) plus the early examples would have no seats and fittings but maybe weights for type testing.

This is normal for a new fleet but has happened on a far more obvious scale with Bombardiers last offerings (including 720s) which are now of course a problem for new owners Alstom.
 

Wivenswold

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Not convinced there's going to be massive numbers of 720s spare, given the number that are and will be needed to support standard express services. Once the tables are fitted to the 745s I see another one added to the intercity services instead of the 755s and therefore 2 more 720s required to covered Stansted services, I recon that will take the number needed up to 6 (of course variable based on availability of 745s).

The extra units will also be used to strengthen existing services as judging by how busy GA trains generally are, we'll soon be in a position where extra units will be required
Yeah, agreed. We certainly need a few more on Clacton services. The first "cheap day" train to London is still 5 car and I've noticed a few other 5 car services during the day that get rammed.
 
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Of note is that during the transition period from 321 to 720, 8 car 321 diagrams mostly became 10 car 720 diagrams, and most "pure" 720 diagrams were 10 car.

Successive timetable changes have ensured that off peak, most diagrams return to 5 cars, even though they were 10 cars during the transition period.
 

720144

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Noted 720144 delivered to Willesden today by 47727.
At last I’m glad that’s the last ever unit being delivered before the earlier ones built, I recon 534 & 143 will be the last ones to roll out to ps.
 

Pinza68

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At last I’m glad that’s the last ever unit being delivered before the earlier ones built, I recon 534 & 143 will be the last ones to roll out to ps.
My money is on 104 being the last, as it lost its Pantograph coach to, I think 583 about a year ago
 

720144

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Milo T.K

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I thought it would be 140.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K11491/2024-09-18/detailed

Saw 139 at SOV last night on P4. Either 140 or 139 is to be the next ones
 
Last edited:

47584Suffolk

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Yeah, agreed. We certainly need a few more on Clacton services. The first "cheap day" train to London is still 5 car and I've noticed a few other 5 car services during the day that get rammed.
Perhaps shockingly, a study of RTT shows that no fewer than 18 trains arriving at Liverpool St between 07:00 and 10:00 are formed 5-cars only. This includes such trains as the 07:46 and 08:13 ex Witham which no doubt are heaving after the Chelmsford stop. The Down peak is not so bad with 13 x 5-car trains leaving the terminus between 16:30 and 19:30. Surely there are sufficient spare 720s to make at least some these trains up to 10-cars.

Saw 107 at SOV last night on P4. Either 140 or 107 is to be the next ones
107 entered service over two years ago. Assume typo for 137?
 
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Perhaps shockingly, a study of RTT shows that no fewer than 18 trains arriving at Liverpool St between 07:00 and 10:00 are formed 5-cars only. This includes such trains as the 07:46 and 08:13 ex Witham which no doubt are heaving after the Chelmsford stop. The Down peak is not so bad with 13 x 5-car trains leaving the terminus between 16:30 and 19:30. Surely there are sufficient spare 720s to make at least some these trains up to 10-cars.


107 entered service over two years ago. Assume typo for 137?
At least 2 of those are direct Southminsters so they won't be upgraded. Agreed though, there should be more 10 cars, especially on Cambridge services (at the weekend too)
 

JonathanH

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Perhaps shockingly, a study of RTT shows that no fewer than 18 trains arriving at Liverpool St between 07:00 and 10:00 are formed 5-cars only.
Is it actually shocking? If the services are flighted reasonably, and station calls spread correctly, a pattern of 5-car and 10-car services can work. Regular passengers get to know which trains have capacity and which don't. The practical issue is not having a formation between 5-car and 10-car but clearly that decision was taken many years ago. Historically it wasn't the case that all trains had 12 cars.
 

Milo T.K

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Perhaps shockingly, a study of RTT shows that no fewer than 18 trains arriving at Liverpool St between 07:00 and 10:00 are formed 5-cars only. This includes such trains as the 07:46 and 08:13 ex Witham which no doubt are heaving after the Chelmsford stop. The Down peak is not so bad with 13 x 5-car trains leaving the terminus between 16:30 and 19:30. Surely there are sufficient spare 720s to make at least some these trains up to 10-cars.


107 entered service over two years ago. Assume typo for 137?
Corrected
 

720144

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Perhaps shockingly, a study of RTT shows that no fewer than 18 trains arriving at Liverpool St between 07:00 and 10:00 are formed 5-cars only. This includes such trains as the 07:46 and 08:13 ex Witham which no doubt are heaving after the Chelmsford stop. The Down peak is not so bad with 13 x 5-car trains leaving the terminus between 16:30 and 19:30. Surely there are sufficient spare 720s to make at least some these trains up to 10-cars.


107 entered service over two years ago. Assume typo for 137?
Yes, it must be 140 or 139 because 137 went back to derby about a month ago unless it’s returned. 107 entered service in August 2022. 515 must be back in passenger service.




At least 2 of those are direct Southminsters so they won't be upgraded. Agreed though, there should be more 10 cars, especially on Cambridge services (at the weekend too)
There was a full house of 10 cars to Cambridge north via Seven Sisters a few weekends ago. Mainly on Sundays they run all 10 cars to Ipswich & Clacton as most other services run as a shuttle eg. Walton to thorpe le soken, Braintree to witham. Colchester town isn’t served on Sundays which I haven’t got to the conclusion why.
 

800001

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Yes, it must be 140 or 139 because 137 went back to derby about a month ago unless it’s returned. 107 entered service in August 2022. 515 must be back in passenger service.





There was a full house of 10 cars to Cambridge north via Seven Sisters a few weekends ago. Mainly on Sundays they run all 10 cars to Ipswich & Clacton as most other services run as a shuttle eg. Walton to thorpe le soken, Braintree to witham. Colchester town isn’t served on Sundays which I haven’t got to the conclusion why.
720137 returned Derby 5th August.
 
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Yes, it must be 140 or 139 because 137 went back to derby about a month ago unless it’s returned. 107 entered service in August 2022. 515 must be back in passenger service.





There was a full house of 10 cars to Cambridge north via Seven Sisters a few weekends ago. Mainly on Sundays they run all 10 cars to Ipswich & Clacton as most other services run as a shuttle eg. Walton to thorpe le soken, Braintree to witham. Colchester town isn’t served on Sundays which I haven’t got to the conclusion why.
It needs to be like that all the time, or at least at the weekend peak
 

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