Greater Anglia’s Class 720 breaks new ground on test

TESTING of Greater Anglia’s initial Class 720 ‘Aventra’ set

No. 720509 has now seen the unit visit Norwich and London Liverpool Street.

GA has ordered 22 10-car and 89 five-car sets, a total of 665 vehicles, which make them the most number of EMUs in the region, and will replace Classes 317, 321, 360 and 379 which work on the suburban routes.

The EMUs testing is extensive because of their widespread use across many of GA’s electrified routes, and will continue for several weeks before driver training begins.

Testing includes signalling immunisation and platform clearance checks.

Bombardier has built around half the sets on order, but software problems have delayed their entry to service by more than 15 months.

A phased introduction is planned for later this year.

KEITH PARTLOW ‘Aventra’ set No. 720509 on Belstead Bank, Ipswich, working 5Q05, the 11.30 Norwich-Liverpool Street test run on April 8.