Brand new Greater Anglia trains will be stored on the Mid-Norfolk Railway prior to entering traffic.
GA has signed a £3 million deal with the heritage line. Once the new sets are in traffic, the trains they displace will then be stored at the MNR.
The Stadler-built trains will be stabled at the MNR during their testing and commissioning. GA plans to have around 20 trains in the UK prior to the May timetable change next year.
Under the scheme, new sidings will be installed near Kimberley Park station. These will be left in place once the GA trains are in traffic and the off-lease stock has been disposed of.
The money will also be used to complete the 1.85-mile double-track section between Hardingham and Kimberley Park, and a connection into a private yard at Hardingham station.
GA Franchising and Programmes Director Mike Kean said: “It’s an ideal option. Not only is the location convenient for our Crown Point depot in Norwich, where the new Stadler trains will be based, it’s great to be able to work with a local heritage railway in our region and deliver a scheme which will result in a legacy benefit of additional facilities for the MNR and the local community.”
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 857, published on July 18, and available digitally on Android/iPad from July 14.
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Railfan Gig - 03/07/2018 16:51
Great news for the heritage railway l just hope that the location will be secure and staffed 24 / 7 as vandalism is a big problem these days.
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AndrewJG8918 - 03/07/2018 18:13
Sounds good. At least the new trains will be replacing the trains that are like 30-40 years old and needs replacing as part of the Greater Anglia upgrade. Northern or GWR could accept having the Class 153's and Class 156's or possibly transfer them to ScotRail. Whilst the Class 170's will be cascaded to KeliosAmey Wales. And the Class 360's could also be cascaded to Northern or possibly cascaded to ScotRail or KeliosAmey Wales. With the exception of the Class 379's that could be cascaded to either ScotRail, West Midlands Trains, KeliosAmey Wales or GTR Great Northern. Or perhaps Greater Anglia might aswell retain the Class 379's so that they use them on branch lines services and peak time & off peak commuter services such as: Wickford-Southminster "Crouch Valley Line" Colchester-Colchester Town/Walton-on-the-Naze "Sunshine Lines" Manningtree/Ipswich-Harwich Town "Mayflower Line" London Liverpool Street/Stratford-Hertford East and Bishop's Stortford London Liverpool Street-Norwich (Semi-fast/Stopper), London Liverpool Street/Stratford-Cambridge/Cambridge North (Semi-fast/Stopper), London Liverpool Street/Stratford-Ely/King's Lynn (Off peak Semi-Fast). London Liverpool Street/Stratford-Stansted Airport (Semi-fast/Stopper) Cambridge/Cambridge North-Stansted Airport Aswell operating some of the Class 379's on London Liverpool Street-Braintree, Colchester, Witham, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Southend Victoria, Southminster and Ipswich services during rush hour.
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