The first two new Greater Anglia ‘Stansted Express' trains have now entered service between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport.
Ian McConnell, Greater Anglia franchise and programmes director, said: “We're very pleased to have started the roll out of our new Stansted Express trains into passenger service.
“They provide significant benefits for both airport travellers and other customers travelling to or from London from stations such as Bishops Stortford and Harlow Town.
“This milestone marks the start of the final phase of the programme to introduce the new trains being built for us by Stadler.
“All 38 bi-mode regional trains and ten 10 electric intercity trains are already in passenger service. Over the next six to nine months we will replace all the current trains on the Stansted Express services with new trains, as part of our phased programme for bringing our new trains into service.
“As we do so, we will be able to progressively transfer the current Stansted Express trains on to other West Anglia services, enabling some of the older trains to be withdrawn from service.
“This means many more passengers start to see the benefits of better trains, in advance of the introduction of our new commuter trains on West Anglia services, which is expected to begin in the latter half of 2021.”
The new, longer Stansted Express trains have 767 seats.
Steve Griffiths, Managing Director for London Stansted Airport, said: “The start of the introduction of brand new Stansted Express trains is fantastic news for all users of the service, including airport passengers, staff and local commuters as they travel between the airport and London, significantly enhancing the onboard journey experience and providing a real boost to our proud record as the UK's number one airport for public transport use by passengers.”
Leandro Haggenmacher, technical project manager for Stadler, said: “The start of the roll-out of trains for the Stansted Express route is a significant landmark, as we enter the final stages of the project to supply 58 new trains for the Greater Anglia network. We are very pleased to have reached this point, recognising the important role Stansted Airport plays in the regional economy, boosting economic growth and supporting jobs.”
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Good to see that Stansted Express have gradually started introducing the Class 745/1s in service that will replace the Class 379 Electrostar units on the Stansted Express route.
And therefore Greater Anglia to keep hold onto the Class 379s to be used on Liverpool Street-Hertford East, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, Kings Lynn, Broxbourne, Harlow Town and Bishops Stortford. Stratford-Hertford East, Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town, Broxbourne, Cambridge North and Meridian Water. That the Class 379s will ultimately replace the Class 317s.
Well it wasn’t a good start for Stansted Express because of the 2 Class 745/1s have experienced some technical problems and were sent back to Norwich Crown Depot. Hopefully the problem has been fixed and all 10 Class 745/1s to be transferred to Stansted Express to operate on the London Liverpool Street-Stansted Airport service. And to replace the Class 379s but Greater Anglia should retain them for the Liverpool Street & Stratford-Hertford East, Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town, Cambridge and Cambridge North and Stratford-Meridian Water shuttle.