A mock-up of the Greater Anglia Class 720 Aventra fleet was unveiled at Derby Litchurch Lane on September 11.
The life-size mock-up was of the interior of the brand-new Bombardier-built trains that will enter traffic from 2019. GA has 89 five-car and 22 ten-car of the electric multiple units due to be delivered.
The replica of a carriage interior of an Aventra shows seating, lighting, a toilet and the general carriage layout.
The trains will run between London Liverpool Street and Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Ipswich.
They will serve key commuter towns along the West Anglia route, including Harlow, Hertford, Bishops Stortford and Cambridge, the Great Eastern Main Line, including Chelmsford, Witham, Braintree, Colchester, Clacton and Harwich, and the line to Southend Victoria.
They will also supplement the Norwich to Liverpool Street Intercity service with a third train an hour between Norwich and London.
Stakeholders including rail user groups, disability representatives, customer panels, passenger watchdogs, rail unions and representatives from local authorities and business organisations have visited the mock-up to give feedback to GA about the design to inform and shape the final specification.
Over 1,000 other people, mainly GA customers, have also taken part in an online consultation about the design of the rail company’s new trains.
The new trains will all have air conditioning, plug and USB points and free, fast Wi-Fi.
They will also have more seats, with a ten-car train having 1,150 seats. They will have walk-through gangways, and while there is currently no first class facility, GA confirmed that could change.
Overall, Greater Anglia is investing £1.4 billion on 169 new trains, of which £900 million is being spent on the Class 720s.
Mike Kean, GA Deputy Managing Director, said: “We’re very excited about our new trains, as they will transform journeys for everyone. We’ve consulted widely to make sure the trains are suitable for all of our customers and we have received very positive feedback and helpful comments.”
A further 58 trains are being built for Greater Anglia by Stadler, in Switzerland, for Greater Anglia’s Intercity, Stansted Express and regional services.
- RAIL 836, published on September 27, carries a full report from the event
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AndrewJGwilt1989 - 14/09/2017 02:47
The Class 720's will replace the current rolling stocks used on the London-Norwich intercity and Great Eastern services whilst the Class 745's will replace the current rolling stocks used on the Stansted Express and West Anglia services and Class 755's to replace the current Diesel Multiple Unit rolling stocks used on the regional routes and Marks Tey-Sudbury line.
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Alistair Kewish - 14/09/2017 15:28
Any investment in new rolling stock is very welcome. However, the knock on effect does not automatically remove Pacers from the network. Their design was for me a huge embarrassment. I shall be glad to see the end of them. We deserve better. We also want all our trains manufactured here.
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John - 19/09/2017 10:54
Looks like a few more windows would be in order?
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