Construction of the first Class 720 Aventra vehicles for Greater Anglia is well under way, with bogies fitted to the first bodyshell and underframe.
The first of the electric multiple units are due to enter traffic next March, running initially on the Great Eastern Main Line.
They are being built by Bombardier at Derby Litchurch Lane. Financed by Angel Trains, there is a deal for 89 five-car and 22 ten-car sets for GA. These will replace all the existing EMUs in traffic with GA apart from the Class 379s, which will be replaced by ten 12-car EMUs built by Stadler.
Two production lines are being set up, with the first ‘720’ in various stages of construction. The aluminium pre-glazed bodysides, roofs, floor and cabs are manufactured, wired, fitted out and painted before being bolted together on the line.
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AndrewJGwilt1989 - 17/04/2018 20:54
Much prefer the Bombardier Class 720’s than the Class 745/755 that Stadler are manufacturing for Greater Anglia.
AndrewJGwilt1989 - 18/04/2018 00:01
The Class 720's will replace the Class 321's and Class 360's used on the Great Eastern routes. Whilst the Class 745's will replace the Class 90's Mk3 used on London-Norwich Intercity and Class 317's & Class 379's used on the West Anglia and Stansted Express routes. And the Class 755's will replace the Class 170's, Class 153's and Class 156's used on regional routes in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk & Suffolk and the Marks Tey-Sudbury line. But the Class 379's could be retained because GA might use them on Wickford-Southminster, Manningtree/Ipswich-Harwich Town, Colchester-Colchester Town and Colchester-Walton-on-the-Naze branch line services and used during peak times between London Liverpool St-Southend Victoria, Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town and Ipswich.