GA’s four-car bi-mode being tested at Velim
Greater Anglia unveiled 755404 on test at Velim in the Czech Republic on September 6.
The four-car bi-mode unit is one of 24 that GA has on order from Stadler, and which will enter traffic from next spring.
Currently five ‘755/4s’ are built, with 755404 at Velim, 755405 due to be unveiled to the press at the Innotrans trade event in Berlin on September 20 (after this issue of RAIL went to press), two at Faurei in Romania for pantograph and brake testing (755401/403) and 755402 in Switzerland for running behaviour tests.
When RAIL attended the Velim testing, the ‘755’ carried out trips in both diesel and electric mode. This was for noise and electro-magnetic current (EMC) tests. Once it has finished its tests at Velim, 755404 will follow its classmates to Faurei for pantograph tests.
The first Class 755 is due to arrive at Norwich Crown Point in October, with RAIL sources quoting October 1 as an arrival date. It’s expected to be either 755404 or 755405, and it will be delivered by rail.
Main line testing will begin in January with a targeted entry into passenger traffic of May 2019. The first routes have yet to be decided, but it is known they will be used on through Lowestoft-London Liverpool Street trains that start in May, and on the first NorwichLondon trains with a 90-minute journey time (also due to start in May).
The first five sets are pre-series trains, with 755406 onwards standard production trains that will enter traffic following mileage accumulation.
While they are delivered through the early part of next year, they will be stored at various locations - including six newly laid sidings at Norwich Crown Point, and at the Mid-Norfolk Railway. When they enter traffic, the ‘legacy’ fleets they replace will be stored at the same location (apart from 12 Class 170s that transfer to Transport for Wales).
The 24 four-car sets have 229 Standard Class seats including 27 tip-ups seats, while the 14 threecar sets (755301-755314) will have 167 seats including 23 tip-up seats.