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Thursday 17 January 2019

Flirt-ing around at the Coast

As regular readers will have seen Greater Anglia are in the process of renewing their complete fleet of rolling stock,which is as it says is the complete lot!

   The first to arrive for testing and training are the 4 car sets designated Class 755/4 or "Ironmans" as some have dubbed them. These are bi-mode units which will utilise the 4x V8 diesels for non electric main line work to Cambridge etc, and will be followed by the 755/3 3 car bi mode which have 2x V8 engines.Both types will be able to run under the wires on the GEML but the 3 car will predominantly be for the Wherry/Bittern and East Suffolk Lines to replace the 1,2 and 3car units already in service.
755406 and possibly 405 at Crown Point last week,

There has been some overnight testing on the GEML between Diss and Norwich but your intrepid reporter learned that 755406 was to make it's first foray onto the branchlines to Yarmouth. So armed with thermals and camera I duly waited on P2 and was there when it arrived and felt quite chuffed (and cold) to see 
P2 looking rather shiny
                                                         
I was joined by 2 other hardy souls or as we realised mad fools lol, the Community Rail Officer for Norfolk, Martin and a driver, Hayden who is itching to get his hands on the new stock.

The testing to Lowestoft is still not sorted as I believe the gauging for the swing bridges is being looked at, but rest assured your reporter will be there.




And finally...the video had to be taken and presented here as we find that these new machines have LOUD horns!!



7 comments:

  1. Will the timetables be sped up a bit when the new stock has settled down ?

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  2. I doubt the new trains themselves will bring any appreciable difference in overall journey times.

    It's the signalling that dictates capacity.

    Maximum speed limits won't change as the track and its condition won't change.

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  3. Some More Bus Cut's. Not much information on them but all appear to be minor routes operating one or two days a week

    JONATHAN ROBERT JOPLIN, THE GARAGE, CLAY HILL, TITTLESHALL, KING'S LYNN, PE32 2RQ Operating between Fakenham Lorry Park and Kings Lynn given service number PE 1 / effective from 07 April 2019.

    JONATHAN ROBERT JOPLIN, THE GARAGE, CLAY HILL, TITTLESHALL, KING'S LYNN, PE32 2RQ Operating between Tittlesham and Kings Lynn given service number PE1 (Fri) / effective from 07 April 2019.

    MICHAEL JOHN PERRY, OAK TREE LODGE, WARREN LANE, WOOLPIT, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, IP30 9RT Operating between Woolpit and Woolpit given service number 472 / 473 effective from 29 March 2019.

    MICHAEL JOHN PERRY, OAK TREE LODGE, WARREN LANE, WOOLPIT, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, IP30 9RT Operating between Elmswell and Woolpit given service number 474 / effective from 29 March 2019.

    Ipswich Bus has also canceled their Open Top Tour service although I guess they may re register the service later in the year

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  4. Latest Bus Cuts

    Beeston's are now cancelling the 236. The last day of operation being the 5th of April

    No indication of a replacement service. One has to wonder how long the 91 service will last

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  5. Luxembourg to scrap fares on all trains, trams and buses from 2020

    Luxembourg is a very small country. Perhaps having a simple flat fare in the UK for local journeys might be sensible

    he first country in the world to scrap fares on public transport nationwide has revealed the date when tickets will be abolished – and how the system will work.

    “Free day” for Luxembourg’s buses, trams and second-class rail will be 1 March 2020. Starting on that Sunday, only passengers travelling first class on trains will pay for public transport.

    The cost of scrapping fares is estimated at €41m (£36m) annually – a tiny sum compared with the €1bn (£875m) cost of running Luxembourg’s high-quality transport system.

    The cost of scrapping fares is estimated at €41m (£36m) annually – a tiny sum compared with the €1bn (£875m) cost of running Luxembourg’s high-quality transport system.

    The Grand Duchy is thriving economically, but has severe problems with traffic.
    The number of workers who cross from Belgium, France and Germany to Luxembourg each day is approaching 200,000 – in a country with fewer than 600,000 people.
    While cross-border trains from nearby towns and cities will continue to levy fares, they will be reduced in line with the proportion of the journey in Luxembourg territory.
    The mobility ministry is pursuing a “no-emission” objective, with the introduction of an all-electric fleet of buses by 2030.

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  6. The new bi-mode trains are due to commence testing in Ipswich and Colchester from next week. I assume the Lowerstoft and Sudbury branches probably overnight certainly the Sudbury branch does not have the capacity to test them during the day

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  7. An interesting article as to how the railways are run in Japan

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/rail-privatisation-the-uk-looks-for-secrets-of-japan’s-success/ar-BBSPvia?ocid=spartandhp

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