GreaterAngliaClass 720sget ORRapproval
CHRIS MILNER
APPROVAfLor the useof the five-carClass720/5'Aventra' EMUsby GreaterAngliawas givenby the OfficeofRail and Road(ORRo) n June8.
Derby-basedBombardieris building 89 five-carand 22 10-carsets(720/1)for Greater Anglia(GA)w, hichwill replace the Class317,321,and 360 EMU fleets.
Constructionof the Stadler Class745and 755fleetshave recentlybeencompleted.Some setsarestill to enterservice,but when all'720sa' reoperatingit meansGAwill havecompletely transformedits fleet.
TheORRapprovalcoversthe completefive-carfleet and will allow GAto step up its driver training programmew, ith an introductioninto serviceof setsexpectedtowardsthe end of summeror earlyautumn, althoughthis will be dependent on the Covid-19situation.
Whenintroduced,the'720s' will serveKing'sLynn,Ipswich, Clacton,Harwich,Waltonon-NazeS, outhendVictoria, Southminsterand Braintree.
Bymid-Junemorethan half the fleet had beenbuilt, and four setswereat llfordfor driver training (720509/11/15/17)s;ets 720503/05-0/710/12/19/20/ 22/24-33/35were in storeat Worksopa; nd 720501/08/13 wereat the Old Dalbytest track.
TheORRapprovaldoescome with somecaveatsi,ncluding prohibitingthe setsrunning in multipleas10-carsets,and the guarddoor controlpanels in passengesraloonsnextto passengedr oorsmustbe locked out of use.
EachClass720setfeatures 48 priority seats,13ampplug and USBsocketsat eachseat, fold down seatbacktableswith groovesfor proppingup tablets and iPadsc, learerpassenger informationsystemsa, nd wide inter-connectingcarriage connectionswith no doors.
ThecarriageLEDlight adjustsaccordingto external lighting,andthe setshave full air conditioningaswell as underfloorheating.
Thereis alsoa symbolon the front of one cabto denote whetherthe wheelchairspace isat that end,with the carriage containingthe spacemarked with a broadblue line abovethe windows.
Therearetwo wheelchair spaceson a five-carset,with a plug and USBsocketT. hecycle areais denotedby a green externalstripeand a symbol.
Theexternaldoorsareattuned to be particularlysensitiveto bagstrapsand other obstaclesto makethe platform/traininterface safer.
Thefive-carsetshavelonger 24-metrebodyshellsw, ith 540 seatsandspacefor 145standing passengers.