Contingency plans in place for Greater Anglia's main line fleet

By Richard Clinnick
|
7 June 2017
News

In the event that the Stadler electric multiple units are not ready, or that the infrastructure is not in place to support the new trains, Greater Anglia will use Class 360 and Class 379 EMUs as cover, with the Class 90-hauled Mk 3 sets withdrawn by the end of 2019 as planned.

GA Deputy Managing Director Mike Kean told RAIL that although recently refurbished, the Mk 3s do not meet disability access requirements for the December 31 2019 deadline. The coaches need plug doors as well as passenger information systems and more grab rails. There are no plans for this work to be carried out.

Kean explained that the GA franchise has an extended lease for the ‘360’ and ‘379’ fleets until August 2020, which is a contingency in case of any delays. Both fleets meet the December 31 2019 deadline requirements. GA has 21 four-car Class 360s and 30 four-car Class 379s.

For the latest on Greater Anglia's new trains, read RAIL 829, published on June 21.

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Author: Richard Clinnick

Head of News (Print and Digital)

[email protected]

Our Head of News, Richard joined RAIL in 2005 from local press, where he had been working since 2002. He covers all aspects of news for the magazine and website, specialising in operations and rolling stock.

Comments (4)

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AndrewG1989 - 07/06/2017 12:24

Wouldn't mind if Bombardier could of built more Class 379's Electrostars to operate on the London Liverpool Street-Southend Victoria, Braintree, Colchester, Colchester Town, Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich Town, Ipswich, Norwich, Walton-on-the-Naze and Southminster services. But it's good that Bombardier are building the new Class 720 Aventras to operate on West Anglia, Intercity, Great Eastern and Stansted Express routes to replace the Class 90's Mk3's, Class 321's Class 317's, Class 360's and Class 379's EMU's. Along with the Class 745 and Class 755 Stadler Flirts fleets that are also to be manufactured and to replace the Class 153's, Class 156's and Class 170's DMU's aswell the other rolling stocks. Class 360's Desiro could end up in South Wales once electrification is completed or possibly Northern could use some of the Class 360's to operate on Doncaster-Leeds service with the rest to be cascaded to Heathrow Express. Great Northern could use the Class 379's to work alongside the Class 387's on London King's Cross-Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Linn services to replace the Class 365's.
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- GE-Commuter - 07/06/2017 15:20
  
  Why would Bombardier have built more 379's? They're fitted out for Airport runs, not the heavy commuter loads that the Great Eastern lines carry on a daily basis. After just a few years they're looking worn (and sounding rattly) so I for one am very glad they're not on the GE outers. Also, the Aventra's aren't really replacing the 90/Mk3 rakes - I think there'll be one service a day (as per the current 321-operated service) The rest of your comment is pure speculation.
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- AndrewG1989 - 08/06/2017 01:41
  
  2 dislikes. Oh come off it. Don't like my opinion. Then why the dislikes.
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- K - 12/08/2018 16:07
  
  I'll miss the class 90's :(
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Geoff - 08/06/2017 08:06

I cannot understand why rolling stock that entered service when I was serving my apprenticeship at Stratford in the 1970's is still operating. I am now retired but the rolling stock rolls on albeit after many refurbishments.
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- FrankH - 10/06/2017 10:49
  
  I take it you mean the class 90's and MK3 stock. Nothing suitable to replace them, and no requirement on the franchisee to replace them either. The new emu's won't be much quicker Norwich - London but will need less maintainance, be disability compliant and have toilet retention tanks.
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Gizzy - 13/06/2017 16:07

Aventras are not replacing the rolling stock used on Intercity and Stansted services. Those are being replaced by the Stadler units....
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William Webb - 01/08/2017 00:24

Maybe the class 379s could be transfered to Great Northern as they would be more suitable for the London Kings Cross - Kings Lynn express services via Cambridge than both the class 365 & class 387s. Maybe London Midland could get the Class 360s from Greater Anglia but they would have to modified with front end corridor connections to match Class 350s. Like South West Trains when they rebuilt their class 458/5s with former Class 460 units from Gatwick Express.
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