Published on: Tuesday, 8 March 2022
Last updated: Monday, 4 September 2023
Above: A new train at Cambridge station. Credit: Greater Anglia
New longer ten-carriage trains are now running between Cambridge, Bishop’s Stortford and London Liverpool Street - and Greater Anglia is advising customers to check which carriage they need to use to get on and off because at some stations trains are longer than platforms.
Greater Anglia is introducing new ten-carriage commuter trains which in some cases are longer than the platforms they stop at.
The hi-tech trains have special door opening software which means that doors only open where there is a platform and other doors remain shut – although there is also a programme to extend platforms at some stations.
Greater Anglia has devised posters for each station affected to show customers where to get on or off the train depending on their journey.
There will be announcements on trains and graphics on passenger information screens on trains and platforms to show passengers which carriage they should travel in.
The information is also available online https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/station-information , to help people to plan their journeys in advance if they want to.
Stations where trains will be longer than the platforms on the Cambridge-London Liverpool Street route are Hackney Downs, Seven Sisters, Roydon, Harlow Mill, Elsenham, Newport, Great Chesterford and Shelford.
Trains are also longer than platforms at Littleport and Watlington stations, which will only be served by five-carriage new trains.
Passengers should check posters on platforms and listen out to announcements when travelling to or from these stations so that they board the train in the right section so they can get off at their destination.
On ten-carriage trains - which are made up of two five-carriage trains joined together - wheelchair-users should let the member of staff who is assisting them know where they’re getting off to ensure they can get off at their destination.
The wheelchair area has a blue stripe with a wheelchair icon on the outside of the train so people can see at a glance where it is.
Ten carriage trains also have two bike areas for full size bikes in each five-carriage train, so cyclists should use the right half of the train so they can take their bike off the train at their destination.
Cycle areas are marked with a green stripe with a bike icon on the outside of the bike.
Restrictions apply on taking full size bikes on Greater Anglia trains during the rush hour – details are on the Greater Anglia website.
Andrew Goodrum, Greater Anglia’s client and programme director, said: “As is the case with many trains on other railways, our new commuter trains are longer than the platforms they will be stopping at, especially when they are ten carriages long.
“The trains’ on-board computers are programmed so that doors will only open onto a platform.
“We will do everything we can to make sure customers know which part of the train they need to be on to get on and off at the start and end of their journey.
“Anyone unsure about which carriage to travel in can ask a member of station staff or contact us using the assistance button on ticket machines which will put them through to a member of staff based in Norwich who will be able to help or tweet @GreaterAnglia.”
Greater Anglia is replacing every single train on the network with new longer trains with more seats, plug and USB sockets, fast free wifi, air conditioning and better passenger information screens.
They also have much better facilities for disabled customers, including wheelchair areas with seating for non-wheelchair users too so families and friends can travel together and an accessible toilet on every train – two on ten-carriage trains.
The new trains also have many more environmental features including regenerative braking which puts electricity back into the network during braking and lighter, more aerodynamic chassis which make trains more energy efficient.