HS2

Lutz   08/02/2017 at 19:32

What happened to the "Norwich in Ninety" and where do these proposals sit in relation to those in the former?

Andrew Gwilt   08/02/2017 at 21:33

What about a new passing loop at Cressing on the Braintree Line to allow 2 trains to pass with one coming from London Liverpool Street or Witham and one from Braintree.

Andrew Gwilt   08/02/2017 at 21:42

Not to mention a new proposed Beaulieu railway station in Chelmsford to be built in 2020/2021 with new park & ride, car park spaces, 3 new platforms, waiting room, toilets, ticket kiosks, ticket machines, ticket barriers and local bus connection into Chelmsford City Centre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaulieu_railway_station And also improvements to Colchester North station with a refurbished new entrance and other improvements at other stations such as installing new LED information screens at stations including Ingatestone, Rayleigh, Hockley, Rochford, Prittlewell and station improvements at Southend Victoria station.

Andrew JG   09/02/2017 at 03:04

One thing I can not wait is the new trains that are to be built from 2019 to replace the older rolling stocks units used on the GA network including replacing the Class 153's, Class 156's and Class 170's "Turbostar" Diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains on the regional lines in East Anglia and to replace the Class 321's, Class 317's, Class 360's "Desiro" and Class 379's "Electrostar" Electric multiple unit (EMU) trains used on the West Anglia (Stansted Express) and Great Eastern "Ipswich & Essex" routes and the Class 90's "Mk3" Intercity rolling stock trains used on the London-Norwich service that takes around 90 minutes. I love the way that Greater Anglia are to spend £millions on improving the network. I'm fareness. I live in Essex and I'm sick of so many delays and disruptions that is causing so much of a headache to all commuters and passengers who use Greater Anglia to get & from London and East Anglia which has been like it for years including signaling problems, overhead wiring problems, track defects, disruptive passenger, fatalities on the railways, trespassing and yes it's a nightmare. Plus work is still continuing on the overhead wiring renewal works and Crossrail works which at weekends you have to use replacement buses or find alternative arrangements if you are planning to go to London on a Saturday or Sunday and it's a nightmare because of engineering works. But I do hope this will end once the whole engineering works and Crossrail works is completed.

Noam   09/02/2017 at 09:29

So do I understand this right? Abellio signed up to improvements as part of the franchise deal, but now say they can't deliver them without these uncommitted upgrades?

Andrew G   09/02/2017 at 20:15

Greater Anglia has now received 10 Class 321's being transferred from Great Northern (with 2 Class 321's being transferred to Scotrail to be renumbered as Class 320's) as GN are now using 29 Class 387's aswell the current Class 365's which is also due to be replaced very soon if GA may transfer the 30 Class 379's to GN as new trains are to be ordered for GA. Which means GN could be able to replace the Class 365's to be transferred to another operator such as GWR which they are also ordering 45 Class 387's to be used on Paddington-Newbury/Reading Thames Valley services and other services such as Reading-Gatwick Airport (if the DC 750v 3rd rail electrification gets the go ahead to electrify some parts of the North Downs Line). With some of the Class 387's now in service operating between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.

Richard   09/02/2017 at 23:11

Noam has read the writing on the wall with this "Announcement". We now know the excuses that will be peddled when all the promises fail to materialise in the new Franchise. Already new money has had to be brought in by bringing in a "Partner" (a Bank?) and anyone with any realism will know that all these required upgrades will never happen, as much as we'd like them. So essentially new trains, with many services losing 1st class, the customary rocks for seats which are new train standard these days and a complete loss of the Inter-City standard, will be it. Journey times effectively unchanged and frequency increases capped by capacity restraints. By the way AndrewG (or Andrew JG dependent on comment) I believe your theorytical stock transfers are somewhat awry of reality!

Andrew JG   10/02/2017 at 11:32

Fair point Richard.

Anglia Man   10/02/2017 at 13:44

Although the Kennett–Ely line (currently known as Ipswich–Ely line or formerly known as Ely and Newmarket Railway) is to be upgraded to double track. Soham is planning to have a railway station to be reopened possibly in few years time as Soham used to have a railway station which opened on 1st September 1879 and closed on 13th September 1965. Possibly due to the Beeching Axe. Network Rail has released a five-year upgrade plan, which includes the reopening of the brand new Soham railway station as part of improvements to the Kennett-Ely line with new ticket kiosks, station concourse, 2 new platforms with footbridge and 2 lifts, ticket machines, car park spaces and local bus connection to nearby villages and to introduce a 1 1/2 hourly service between Ipswich/Bury St. Edmunds and Peterborough via Ely. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soham_railway_station

M   12/02/2017 at 10:42

Noam - that would depend on what infrastructure works were listed as being "assumptions" in the Franchise Tender documents. If the bidders were required to base their franchise plans and business model on these works taking place by certain dates, then it is quite reasonable for the franchisee to put pressure upon the DfT (as both franchisor and owner of Network Rail) for those works to go ahead within the timescales required for the franchisee to deliver its part of the contract, else it will be up to the DfT to renegotiate the franchise agreement to take into account the lack of delivery of these works.

Anglia Man   13/02/2017 at 00:54

I would like to see a new passing loop built at Cressing to allow 2 trains to pass and to operate a 1/3 hour-1 hourly service between London Liverpool St and Braintree if the passing loop does get the go ahead to be built.

Mr Essex Lad   17/02/2017 at 15:18

I do hope that the passing loop on the Braintree line does get approved because it will improve the branch line with 2 trains running to/from London Liverpool St, Witham and Braintree with a 1/3 hourly service to be introduced once the new loop at Cressing is built just like at North Fambridge on the Wickford-Southminster line. Please build a new passing loop on the Braintree line to introduce extra trains to operate between Braintree and London. Or a hourly service.