It's the latest variant of Bombardier's hugely successful Electrostar series, designed to operate the Stansted Express service which connects the eponymous airport with London's Liverpool Street station.
And yes, I know that was Stafford station, far away in the northern reaches of the West Coast mainline: that's where these trains are being tested before entering service way down south -- here's one basking in its new home, at Liverpool Street.
Intended for operation in pairs or triplets, giving 8 or 12 car formations, these units will also be used on London-Cambridge via Harlow services (the old Great Eastern route). This route is much slower than King's Cross-Cambridge but is heavily used by commuters to The City -- and hence the rather swanky levels of 1st class accommodation:
The peak units will operate in 12-car formations, and building works are currently underway at Cambridge to accommodate them (including the construction of a new island platform -- until now Cambridge has been one of the few stations left where all through services, in both directions, operate from a single platform face. An artist's impression follows...).
Peasant Class looks much less inviting than 1st, though I am a fan of those cool greys:
Actually, I suppose as these trains are mainly intended for airport duties it's fitting that they have a high proportion of airline-style seating. Fortunately for those of us who are taller than midget-size, not all of it is like that:
These air-conditioned units represent something of a step-change in quality and comfort compared to the old 317s they are replacing.
These 120 carriages represent one-tenth of the new coaching stock we have been promised again and again: so, where's the rest?
4 comments:
I suppose it would be difficult for them not to be a significant upgrade on the dated and spartan 317s, but they look rather cheap and unattractive to me.
I don't know whether it's the livery of the overall design of them.
Maybe it's both.
I agree, the exterior "styling" is unadventurous and they do have an air of cheapness about them (the equivalent Siemens EMUs such as the Class 360 are vastly better-looking and feel rather more solid, too).
The inside is such a huge improvement on the 317s that I find it difficult to cavil.
I wonder what's in store for Merseyrail? The present 750v DC third rail stock is simple and very reliable if not particularly attractive, and of course it would be impossible to convert to overhead due to the underground sections - from the reliability point of view I'd say thank goodness! As the Chester-Liverpool-Southport area is not usually much prone to much snow third-rail is hardly a drawback
Hi. I love the new CLass 379 used on the Stansted Express, King's Linn, Cambridge & Hertford East services but I wish that Bombardier could have built more 379's for London Liverpool Street-Southend Victoria, Southminster, Colchester & Braintree services to replace the Class 321 because most people that use these services are getting sick & tired of the Class 321 even during rush hour where there is no seats. So Im writing to say that the Class 379's are amazing but I just wish that Bombardier could built more 379's. :)
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