Two production lines are in place at Derby Litchurch Lane for the Greater Anglia Class 720 Aventras.
There are 89 five-car and 22 ten-car sets on order (665 vehicles). The shorter electric multiple units are being built first and by July 6 ten vehicles had been assembled, although the first two ‘720/5s’ had not yet been formed.
GA plans to use the Class 720s on all suburban services and on Great Eastern Main Line expresses and Standard Express trains. They will replace Class 317, ‘321’, ‘360’ and ‘379’ fleets on the West Anglia Main Line. They will also operate a third train per hour between Norwich and London Liverpool Street.
The Class 720s feature 24-metre-long vehicles and are owned by Angel Trains.
Testing is due to start in the autumn. The trains will be based at Ilford, with GB Railfreight contracted to deliver them.
GA is due to put them into traffic from March next year.
- For more on Greater Anglia's new trains, read RAIL 807, available digitally Android/iPad.
- For more about Greater Anglia's new Stadler trains, read RAIL 853, available digitally on Android/iPad.
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AndrewJG8918 - 12/07/2018 20:36
I’m looking forward to seeing these new Class 720 trains that are replacing the Class 317, Class 321, Class 360 and Class 379 EMU’s in service from next year.
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AndrewJG8918 - 12/07/2018 23:44
I reckon that KeliosAmey might inherit the Class 379 Electrostars so that they can operate them on certain suburban services in the Cardiff area. And the Class 360's (aswell Heathrow Express/TfL Rail Class 360/2's) that could be cascaded to KeliosAmey Wales, West Midlands Trains or Northern to operate them on various services. Or transfer the Class 379's & Class 360's to ScotRail to replace the Class 318's on certain routes in the Glasgow area.
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