All CHANGE on the West Anglia Main Line?

A look at the West Anglia Main Line featuring the now withdrawn Greater Anglia Class 170s, Class 317s and Class 379s, and the new build Class 720s, Class 745s and Class 755s which replaced them. I will also look at the freight, RHTT and other special working that operate over the line.

The West Anglia Main Line is one of two mainlines running from London Liverpool Street. It runs in a northerly direction through the Lea Valley towards Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow and Cambridge with branches serving Hertford East and Stansted Airport.

Over the past few of years the types of traction operating over the line has changed dramatically with new trains replacing the old and not so old.

The Class 317 EMUs were first introduced onto the line in the mid 1980s. They were constructed by British Rail Engineering Limited in two batches with 48 sets constructed between 1981 and 1982 and a further 24 sets constructed between 1985 and 1987.

The final scheduled Class 317 workings took place on 16th July 2022 and all of the units would be withdrawn soon afterwards.

The Class 379 Electrostar EMUs were built by Bombardier Transportation between 2010 and 2011.

They started working on the West Anglia Main Line in early 2011 primarily on the Stansted Express trains from Liverpool Street but they would also work services to Cambridge and Ely.

The entire fleet was withdrawn from service in February 2022 and the units placed into storage with an uncertain future.

The Stansted Express services from London Liverpool Street have now been taken over by the new build Stadler FLIRT Class 745 EMUs.

All other Greater Anglia passenger services originating from London Liverpool Street and Stratford over the West Anglia Main Line are now worked by the new Class 720 Aventra EMUs.

Until late in 2019 the Greater Anglia services between Norwich and Stansted Airport were worked by Class 170 DMUs. These have now been replaced by the new bi-mode Stadler FLIRT Class 755s.

Cross Country also operate services to Stansted Airport using Class 170 DMUs.

There are a couple of regular freight flows over the line, these include the return 6M04 empties from the landfill site at Barrington.

In addition there are regular deliveries of stone to the terminal at Harlow Mill.

The line also serves as a useful diversional route on occasions.

During the autumn leaf fall season rail head treatment trains work out of Broxbourne. In 2023 these were operated by GBRf Class 69s.

Railtours and other special working are quite rare but do occur from time to time.