4. Trip to Norwich-13.10.20

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2020 > 101. Holiday in Norfolk-10-16.10.20 > 4. Trip to Norwich-13.10.20
Our customary trip to Norwich on the train from Sheringham (Network Rail) station was enjoyed, despite the rain, giving my wife and I the chance to sample travel on one of Greater Anglia's 755 bi-mode built by Stadler. I found Norwich completely transformed in terms of the trains observed.
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755327, 09.44 Sheringham-Norwich (2S09, RT), Sheringham station My first view of a Stadler Class 755 combined with an opportunity to travel on one. My wife and I took the 09.44 from Sheringham to Norwich worked by Greater Anglia's 755327. Prior to departure, the smart-looking unit is seen with its engines switched off at Sheringham's recently extended station complete with plenty of new facilities including an electronic ticket machine that we walked straight past! Keywords: 755327 09.44 Sheringham-Norwich 2S09 Sheringham station Stadler
Interior 755327, 09.44 Sheringham-Norwich (2S09, RT) The interior of 755327 working the 09.44 Sheringham to Norwich service. The seats were comfortable and not as hard as some others fitted to recent new trains. The interior was light and airy with excellent information screens and automated announcements but was a long message from the guard also needed which was merely doubling up and possibly leading to information overload - one or the other, please! The main feature of these trains was their eerie silence! Unlike all other units with diesel engines over recent years, these three or four-car units do not have underslung engines but rely on a what is referred to 'power pack vehicle' containing two (two-car) or four (four-car) Deutz V8 16 litre diesel engines. An unusual design feature is the passenger corridor through this motor vehicle but when the train is in motion and under load it is a noisy and hot place to pass through. The other strange thing that my wife noted was the low slung seating position of the main passenger cabin. This was obviously permitted by the absence of underfloor engines but also permits step-free access at all stations. Keywords: Interior 755327, 09.44 Sheringham-Norwich 2S09
745010, LE 15.30 Norwich-London Liverpool Street (1P49, 1L), Norwich station All change at Norwich! Since my last visit to Norwich some two years ago the station has been transformed at least in terms of the trains. Gone are the rag-bag collection of units and, of course, also gone are the BR era Mk.IIIs hauled by Class 90s shuttling to and from Liverpool Street. In the place of the latter are the Class 745 Stadler units that are now in squadron service. The rear of the 15.30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street 1P49 leaves Norwich in the pouring rain worked by 745010 with the guard taking in the view from the rear cab unable to undertake his usual ticket checks due to COVID restrictions. Keywords: 745010 15.30 Norwich-London Liverpool Street 1P49 Norwich station
745007, LE 16.00 Norwich-London Liverpool Street (1P51, 2L), Norwich station There is no denying that the Stadler built FLIRT units look very smart in their Greater Anglia livery even in the pouring rain as seen here at Norwich! The Class 745 units are composed of twelve cars and were introduced to this route in January of this year (2020) with squadron service having come very quickly allowing the elderly Mk.III/Class 90 sets to be withdrawn. 745007 will soon work the 16.00 to Liverpool Street with one of its Stansted Express cousins stabled in the adjacent siding. Keywords: 745007 16.00 Norwich-London Liverpool Street Norwich station stadler FLIRT
755419, LE 14.57 Lowestoft-Norwich (2J81, RT), Norwich station One cannot deny the continental appearance of these Stadler built modular Class 755 units with there low slung passenger cabins. With the 'power pack vehicle' car third in the formation, 755419 works the 14.57 Lowestoft to Norwich into its destination. I cannot help feeling that there is a distinct similarity to the design of the British Railways Class 205 DEMUs dating from 1957 with them also having their engines mounted at passenger level but the technology and sophistication are light-years apart. However, it's strange how things come around again! Keywords: 755419 14.57 Lowestoft-Norwich 2J81 Norwich station
755329, LE 15.36 Norwich-Great Yarmouth (2P26, 2E), 755406, stabled & 158846, EM 15.48 Norwich-Liverpool Lime Street (1R54, 10L), Norwich station The two new Class 755 units do make 158846 look very old as they stand side by side on the blocks at Norwich station. Dating from 1990, the Class 158 will soon work the 14.58 to Liverpool Lime Street running as 1R54. Next to the BR era Express Sprinter are the newcomers in the form of 755406 that is stabled between duties and 755329 that is about to leave working the 15.36 to Great Yarmouth. Keywords: 755329 15.36 Norwich-Great Yarmouth 2P26 755406 158846 15.48 Norwich-Liverpool Lime Street 1R54 Norwich station East Midlands Railway Greater Anglia
Cab, 755419, LE 15.50 Norwich-Lowestoft (2J82, 3E), Norwich station The interior of the driver's cab of 755419 standing at Norwich station. Soon to work the 15.50 to Lowestoft this cab would be at the rear of the train. The controls look rather minimalist and functional with everything monitored on the VDUs located away to the driver's right as he would sit at his seat in a rather commanding position. Keywords: Cab 755419 16.50 Norwich-Lowestoft 2J82 Norwich station Stadler Flirt Greater Anglia
755333, LE 15.45 Norwich-Sheringham (2S24, RT), Sheringham station Having travelled back from Norwich to Sheringham on Greater Anglia's 755333 my wife and I have alighted and I have turned my camera back towards the train. The newly installed information screen is already showing that the train is ready to work back again as the 16.49 service. In the years that I have been coming to Sheringham, this view has changed in many ways. The station has been turned from a lowly wooden platform protected by a broken picket fence and with no facilities to speak of into this new fully disability compliant facility as it is today. The tumble-down flats that were once on the right have now gone to be replaced with a pedestrian plaza and a controversial Tesco store. And, of course, the track in the foreground is now connected across the High Street behind me to the North Norfolk Railway seeing occasional use. This is before I have even made mention of the changes in relation to the stock! Keywords: 755333 15.45 Norwich-Sheringham 2S24 Sheringham station GA Greater Anglia
Tickets, Sheringham-Norwich-Sheringham Our return tickets from Sheringham to Norwich were bought from a table set up at Norwich station just in front of the barriers. With no ticket inspections taking place on trains due to COVID working practices we should have bought our tickets at the newly installed machine at Sheringham station. I have to admit that we both walked straight past it only noticing it on our return! With our two-together discount loaded, it worked out at a very reasonable £12. Looking at these paper tickets it is clear that they are not as durable as the card types that appear to be becoming increasingly rare now with the scanning of QR codes replacing the physical passing of tickets through a gate machine. Keywords: Tickets Sheringham-Norwich-Sheringham

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