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Greater Anglia / TfW Class 755 & Class 756 FLIRT Units

Rhydgaled

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Rhydgaled

Rhydgaled

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I just noticed a e-mail from Hattons showing an early engineering sample supposedly of Hornby's Greater Anglia class 755 bi-mode FLIRT units. However, it doesn't look like a class 755 to me, so I went to the Hornby website to see if they had more/clearer images and found similar images on this Engine Shed post. However, it still doesn't appear to be a class 755. Have Hornby accidently let slip that the have a TfW class 756 FLIRT in the works?

 

There is a pantograph, so it isn't an example of TfW's other FLIRTs (class 231) which are diesel-only at present. However, the driving vehicle Hornby have shown has two sets of passenger doors (as TfW have on their FLIRTs), rather than the one set on the Greater Anglia (GA) units. That said, how many exhausts are there on a class 756? The diesel module car on the sample Hornby have shown has four exhausts as far as I can tell, but I think the class 756s only have one diesel engine, while the GA FLIRTs have 2 engines (3-car units) or 4 engines (4-car units) in there. I suspect the class 231s also have 4 diesel engines.

Edited by Rhydgaled
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scouse889

scouse889

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Definitely a 756 and not a 755 in Hornby’s samples - one of the most obvious differences is that the former have two sets of doors in the driving cars and the latter have only one. Let’s hope they do have both in development and we don’t end up with a GA 756……

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wombatofludham

wombatofludham

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Apparently the tri-mode Class 756 diesel is rated only at 640hp whilst the batteries have a rating equivalent to 1700hp, half the output on 25kV, which does suggest the diesel may be more of a hybrid booster, or for charging the batteries on longer trips away from the wires, although the 231s will be better suited for long runs away from the wires.

It is curious that Hornby have shown a Welsh FLIRT whilst having launched the unit as a GA unit.  Along with others I hope it isn't a sign of a common bodyshell but confirmation they have tooled up both variants.

Edited by wombatofludham
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Hroth

Hroth

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The May Engine Shed shows a "kit of parts" for the Flirt, labelling it as 755/3 and 755/4.  The text says that "There will be more to follow.", which is apparently what the August Engine Shed is.

 

https://uk.Hornby.com/community/blog-and-news/engine-shed/streamlined-salmon-wagon

 

Its right at the bottom, under a stack of Salmons and Macaw Bs.....

 

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stonojnr

stonojnr

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On 28/08/2023 at 11:52, Adam1701D said:

Looks like Hornby have inadvertently spilled the beans on one of their 2024 releases 😇

 

but why would they already have a running sample for a release they havent announced yet ?  when theyve only just a few months back said theyve recently got the tool mouldings for something they announced best part of 18months ago and have been working on for 2 years, the timeline doesnt make sense, either theyve been working on both all along, in which case why not announce it at the same time ?

 

 

and then look what we missed on the screen when they released this back in December :(  which also covers a 4 engine/2 engine design.

 

 

 

 

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St. Simon

St. Simon

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23 hours ago, stonojnr said:

 

but why would they already have a running sample for a release they havent announced yet ?  when theyve only just a few months back said theyve recently got the tool mouldings for something they announced best part of 18months ago and have been working on for 2 years, the timeline doesnt make sense, either theyve been working on both all along, in which case why not announce it at the same time?


Hi, 

 

It is very common for manufacturers to tool up several different variations of a loco, coach or wagon in one go, yet only announce one variation at a time. This is for several reasons, mostly it’s a ‘keep them wanting more’, but it can also be cost, production capacity or simply so they don’t run out of stuff to announce in the future.

 

It isn’t really any different to intending to produce all livery variations, but only doing a few at a time..

 

The current 37 and 47 models from Accurascale and Bachmann are very good examples. They have both tooled multiple versions at the same time, but are only announcing a couple at a time, same with the Hornby Black 5, 9F and P2.

 

In this case, either intentionally or unintentionally, Hornby have revealed they are producing both GA and TfW versions without a formal announcement, albeit in a slightly clunky way. I, along with others in this thread, assume the formal Class 756 will come at the next set of announcements.

 

With the FLIRT, there is no mechanical difference (in model terms) between the GA and TfW versions, so it doesn’t matter which body shell is sat on top. Maybe the message of ‘don’t photograph that one’ got there too late!

 

Simon

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The Stationmaster

The Stationmaster

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Or maybe 'someone' has slipped in the old 'Engine Shed' habit of 'look what might be coming which we haven't told you about'?   Managerial changes might even have a bearing on that so it might not be 'a mistake'?

 

As it happens the only ones I've seen are the Welsh ones but usually they're going too fast when they pass through Bristol Parkway to check out any details and I never seem to be in the right place to get a photo of one.

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No Decorum

No Decorum

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On 10/01/2024 at 14:19, JackB95 said:

Pictures published by Hornby Magazine of the decorated samples! 

 

Looks absolutely gorgeous. 

 

 

FB_IMG_1704896026507.jpg

252355.jpeg

252353.jpeg

It does look superb. I hope the red electrical fittings on the roof are painted – unpainted red plastic tends to look translucent.

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Pint of Adnams

Pint of Adnams

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Once again the 2024 Hornby catalogue confounds by describing the FLIRT train family as '...and overhead power supply only'.

 

When grabbing the sound files did that include diesel and AC operation, and the changeover in each mode whilst in motion? They are quite noisy, especially so when running on diesel which they did even on the OHLE sections of the GE main line in their earlier days. The first train to pass our residence is a FLIRT at around 05.20 - no need to check the bedside clock!

 

Servo-controlled raising and lowering pantographs on changeover next?

 

Quite often seen on the GE main line in pairs or even triples, and mixed /3 and /4 formations.

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Pint of Adnams

Pint of Adnams

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On 14/01/2024 at 09:28, adb968008 said:

I’m wondering whats above the flirt, i’m hoping its not the TPE 800!

 

but the 755 looks good.

 

Looks very much like the TPE 802/2 in the catalogue.

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stonojnr

stonojnr

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5 hours ago, Pint of Adnams said:

Once again the 2024 Hornby catalogue confounds by describing the FLIRT train family as '...and overhead power supply only'.

 

When grabbing the sound files did that include diesel and AC operation, and the changeover in each mode whilst in motion? They are quite noisy, especially so when running on diesel which they did even on the OHLE sections of the GE main line in their earlier days. The first train to pass our residence is a FLIRT at around 05.20 - no need to check the bedside clock!

 

Servo-controlled raising and lowering pantographs on changeover next?

 

Quite often seen on the GE main line in pairs or even triples, and mixed /3 and /4 formations.

 

maybe its just degrees of noise, I grew up listening to double header 37s that used to shake ornaments off shelves past our house, the flirts even on diesel seem whisper quiet to me in comparison.

 

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ruggedpeak

ruggedpeak

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On 15/01/2024 at 21:22, stonojnr said:

 

maybe its just degrees of noise, I grew up listening to double header 37s that used to shake ornaments off shelves past our house, the flirts even on diesel seem whisper quiet to me in comparison.

 

Not if you stand in the narrow corridor in the power car bit its not!!

 

At Ipswich the two times I have travelled on one when it transitioned from electric to diesel to go to Cambridge they had to literally reboot the train. We were kept away from it on the platform whilst they literally turned it off and on again, indeed on one occasion the staff told us that was what they were doing so we didn't get on as they weren't sure it would turn on again and we'd be locked inside......

 

Is that in the sound files? 🤣

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