Greater Anglia has announced that the first of its new Class 720 electric trains has made its first journey from London Liverpool Street.
The new trains will be used on lines into London from Essex, Cambridge, Hertfordshire and Ipswich.
The British-built train successfully completed a test run and technicians were checking how the new train works with the signalling system.
The train will have to travel over all of the electrified network at least twice in various different conditions, and as part of the tests, the train has also been on West Anglia line up to Cambridge and Kings Lynn.
The train has also been to Norwich. However, all the 111 trains from Bombardier will be mainly used south of Norwich.
What did the officials say?
Ian McConnell, Greater Anglia franchise and programmes director, said:
“We are continuing with our new trains programme during the coronavirus outbreak because we still need to replace all of our old trains.
“The new trains have much better accessibility features than our existing trains, as well as all the mod cons that 21st rail passengers expect – and more seats.
“We are very grateful to the drivers, engineers, technicians, depot staff, control staff, the project team and our colleagues in other railway organisations who are coming to work everyday in these worrying times to carry out this important work.
“We are following all Government guidelines to keep them safe during the coronavirus outbreak while they are at work.”
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I was under the impression the updated 321s were being kept on the Clacton Branch and also running out of Manningtree as the new 5 car trains don’t fit in the bay platform.
Absolutely Anthony Davenport. It’s also the same problem with Platform 1 and Platform 4 at Wickford station as well.
22 Class 720/1 10-Car and 89 Class 720/5 5-Car
720101-720122 10-Car
720501-720589 5-Car
Which will replace the Class 317, Class 321, Class 360 and Class 379 EMUs and to operate on the West Anglia services, Hertford East service, Great Eastern services and local branch lines in Essex. Including Wickford-Southminster, Manningtree-Harwich Town, Colchester-Walton-on-the-Naze and Colchester Town and Stratford-Meridian Water shuttle.
Plus c2c have placed a order of 6 Class 720/6 (formerly Class 711) 10-Car
720601-720606 (formerly 711001-711006) 10-Car
Which will replace the Class 387/3 EMUs used on London Fenchurch Street-Shoeburyness, Southend Central, Basildon, Laindon, Pitsea, Leigh-on-Sea and Grays peak time services. (sometimes will operate limited services to/from London Liverpool Street).
With the prosperity of the Class 379 and Class 387/3 cascaded to Gautrain in South Africa. And Class 360 cascaded to East Midlands Railway. Or Class 387/3 cascaded to Heathrow Express or Gatwick Express and Class 379 cascaded to GWR/Heathrow Express or Great Northern.
The Class 317 will eventually end up getting scrapped or to be stored for possible conversion to Bi-mode “Flex”, Battery-Electric or Hydrogen multiple units and the Class 321 to be be stored and possibly converted into Hydrogen, Battery-Electric or Bi-mode “Flex” multiple units.
British built or British assembled!!!!