‘720/5’ MILEAGE TESTING
The first Greater Anglia Class 720/5 has arrived at Wolverton Works, ready for testing on the West Coast Main Line.
To speed up their introduction into traffic, manufacturer Bombardier is moving the fivecar and ten-car electric multiple units straight to the Gemini Rail Services site, from where they will complete mileage accumulation on the WCML ( RAIL 908).
The first to arrive at Wolverton was 720537, delivered on June 26 by GB Railfreight.
The 18 GA Aventras currently stored at Worksop (720505507/510/512/520/522-530/532/ 533/535) will all return to Derby Litchurch Lane to be fully fitted out internally before then heading to Wolverton for testing.
Once mileage testing is complete, the ‘720s’ will move to Ilford to complete testing before being put into traffic.
Meanwhile, testing of the pairs of five-car sets has begun on the GA network. The Office of Rail and Road has already given authorisation for the trains to carry passengers in five-car formations, but GA is now working on gaining authorisation for ten-car trains.
To achieve this, one pair has been running between London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria and another between the capital and Ipswich. Five ‘720s’ have so far been delivered to Ilford, with four in use per day.
The ’720s’ were due to begin service from March 2019, with all 89 five-car and 22 ten-car sets meant to be in traffic by now.
Their delay means GA has had to continue to run trains that do not comply with accessibility regulations that came into force in January, with dispensation granted by the Department for Transport.