More ‘317s’ removed from service

Six more units sent to Ely Papworth for storage

THE number of Class 317s still in service with Greater Anglia has been reduced to just 19 sets, which continue to see use on West Anglia services out of Liverpool Street, as well as on the Stratford-Meridian Water/Bishops Stortford route, sharing workings with Class 720s.

Six sets have recently arrived at

Ely Papworth for storage. On March 15, No. 57310 Pride of Cumbria arrived with the 5G46 14.10 Cambridge Sidings-Ely Papworth, conveying Nos. 317344/882, which had been taken out of traffic earlier in the month. March 15 also saw Nos. 317512/883 run from Ilford to Cambridge in advance of them being hauled to Ely Papworth by the same ‘57’ the next day. A further move took place on March 17, No. 57310 hauling Nos. 317341/885 from Cambridge to Ely Papworth. These two ‘317s’ had been stored at Aldersbrook Sidings since late February, running to Ilford on March 15 and then to Cambridge the next day.

Sent for scrap on March 10 were Nos. 317729/732, the pair undertaking their final journey, the 5Q87 09.51

Ely Papworth-Eastleigh Works, behind No. 37884 Cepheus. A further scrap movement on March 18 saw No. 57310 take No. 317709 from Ely Papworth to Sims Metals at Newport.

■ The ‘317s’ also occasionally cover for other units. For example, February 26 saw Nos. 317337/347 work the 1B49 11.42 Stansted Airport-Liverpool Street ‘Stansted Express’ vice the booked Class 745.

David Palmer Less than 20 Class 317s were in active service in March. One of the fortunate few was No. 317884, seen with a sister unit running parallel with the New River, approaching Ware station with a Hertford East-London Liverpool Street service on March 15.