On May 23 2019, passengers travelled on a Class 710/2 between Gospel Oak and Barking for the first time.
A brand new electric train, assembled in Britain and running on a recently electrified railway, with twice the number of carriages than the diesel train it replaced.
This is what new rolling stock should be about - capacity benefits and an all-round improved service. But problems with the introduction of the new trains on the Gospel Oak-Barking route merely exemplifies a poor recent record across the UK.
In July 2015, Transport for London ordered 45 four-car Class 710s for London Overground, having already ordered Class 345s for Crossrail. These orders with Bombardier were to use the Canadian manufacturer’s new Aventra platform, designed to replace the Electrostar that had first been introduced in 1999.
The Aventra is a modern, lightweight train available in various specifications, and it quickly proved popular with subsequent orders coming from Greater Anglia, South Western Railway, c2c and West Midlands Trains. TfL also exercised an option for a further nine ‘710s’ from Bombardier.
However, TfL had initially advertised that the Class 710s would enter Gospel Oak-Barking traffic from March 2018, with all services operated by the trains from that May.
The Class 710s would replace eight two-car Class 172/0 diesel trains, and when Abellio was awarded the West Midlands franchise in 2017, it was confirmed that LO’s displaced Class 172s would move there, with plenty of time to send them for refurbishment and the fitting of toilets ahead of their new careers.
But delays to the ‘710s’ meant TfL was unable to release the older diesel units. It eventually agreed to sub-lease the ‘172s’ back from WMT, but this was a short-term measure. In the meantime, user groups expressed concern about the delays.
To cover a shortfall, five-car LO Class 378 electric multiple units were reduced to four-car formations and redeployed on the Gospel Oak-Barking (GOBLIN) route.
In January, the first shortened Class 378 was tested on GOBLIN. Three were eventually converted for these duties and used to keep the line running, but that was not enough. Services were cut, buses replaced cancelled trains, and passengers were advised to seek alternative routes.
On the day of the launch, TfL Director of Rail Jon Fox said the new ‘710/2’ trains were using the 34th variation of the initial Train Control Management System (TCMS). He added that while this was acceptable for Gospel Oak operations, it would need to be further upgraded for operation of the AC-only Class 710/1 fleet serving London Liverpool Street, as well as for the DC route between London Euston and Watford Junction. Fox would not put a date on their introduction.
Bombardier spokesman Will Tanner explains: “In terms of Aventra lessons, it’s really two areas: securing sufficient standardisation and ‘read across’ from one project to another, so that we and our customers reap the benefits of the platform; and working more closely, and earlier, with our customers to determine software-based functionality and then undertake the software development itself, as early as possible.”
There has been a knock-on effect, with Greater Anglia due to be the next recipient of the trains. GA has 111 Class 720 Aventras on order from Bombardier, with 89 five-car and 22 ten-car trains due to have entered traffic from March 2019.
The manufacturer showcased vehicles in September 2018, at Derby Litchurch Lane. But until the beginning of May this year, none had moved to Old Dalby for testing, even though the GA franchise agreement stated that the first set was to arrive at Ilford for testing no later than January 2019, and that passengers would be using them from March.
On May 20, GA Managing Director Jamie Burles said the operator’s Aventras were “behind the queue” of Class 345s and ‘710s’, and that it had been viewing its order in a “glass half empty” manner. He said that Bombardier had been struggling with its Train Control Management System, but added: “Two weeks ago, Bombardier made a breakthrough, so it has re-planned the delivery map. It’s now at 90% of what we need, and could yet be 100%. Three months ago it was proposing a very small percentage.
“We are definitely aiming for the trains to be in service this year. I’d like to think October, and they should be with us for several months before that. That is still to be firmed up.”
However, clearly there will not be enough in traffic, as older trains go off-lease.
Burles explains: “Effectively we have some wiggle room. The Class 360s, Renatus ‘321s’ and ‘379s’ are all compliant , and 27 Class 317s will be by the end of the year. The ‘379s’ will replace the non-compliant ‘317s’ as the Stansted Stadler trains enter traffic.
“It would be fair to say we are working up a contingency plan for late-notice work, to make trains compliant if needed. But the message from the Office of Rail and Road and Department for Transport is no derogation. Plan A is to do the right thing.”
GA has 58 Stadler trains on order (38 bi-modes and 20 EMUs). They were contracted to enter traffic from May, but that is now likely to be the end of June (as this issue of RailReview went to press).
GA and Network Rail are working together to sort out the majority of the issues. A senior NR source close to the project explains: “As part of introducing any trains onto the network, the proponent of the change (in this case Stadler working with Greater Anglia), the rolling stock company is required to demonstrate compatibility with the existing infrastructure or to pay for any modifications as required.”
Some £270 million has been spent on the project, but the infrastructure has caused problems: “This is particularly common with gauging, where the train manufacturers take our asset data to analyse whether their train will ‘fit’ on the track. If any issues are found, this information is then used to design and implement modifications, such as changes to the shape of platforms, and slightly moving track.”
One problem was that while NR photographed the entire Anglia network from the air, the junction at Liverpool Street proved impossible - because an office block had been built above it in the late 1980s.
