Greater Anglia MK3 Update

As stated last December, 7 catering coaches at Abellio Greater Anglia were to be overhauled and converted. FORM COACH H ON NORWICH TO LONDON LIVERPOOL STREET LINE.

Reducing the size of the kitchen area to just a counter and stock storage has meant that more seating has been added... 600,000 more seats each year. Rather than having just 24 First Class seats, each of the 7 carriages now have 54 standard seats due to the additional space.

Far end of the catering MK3, facing the Buffet Counter.
Note: Wheelchair area and addition of Standard Seats. 
Full details of the project are here, known coach numbers so far of the converted coaches below.....
  1. 104XX (ex-10200) - AGA livery - Coach H (Buffet)
  2. 10412 (ex-10203) - AGA livery - Coach H
  3. 10413 (ex-10214) - AGA H - Back from Doncaster Overhaul 25th Feb 2016.
  4. 10414 (ex-10216) - AGA - Coach H
  5. 10415 (ex-10223) - AGA livery - H (Buffet). 
  6. 104XX (ex-10228) - AGA livery - Coach H
  7. 10417 (ex-10247) - AGA livery - Coach H.

10401-10406 were already in the 24 Standard Seats + Small Kitchen Area since 2008 so didn't need conversion (only internal refresh). Coach 10229 will apparently go off lease in October as it's not needed. 

Meanwhile, NOW ALL of the other AGA MK3 carriages have undergone an internal overhaul (toilets / carpet / lighting / seat covers / tables) and are ALL now in AGA colours.  CET tanks are also still being trialled and should be rolled out by October to avoid waste being flushed onto the tracks - a few 321s will then have their own project to achieve this as well.

Overall, 12000 metres of carpet, 4500 plug points, 7686 seat covers and 23,000 metres squared of fabric overall later and the MK3 overhaul project is done. 57409 apart of a class 156 of the AGA fleet currently sits as a lone carriage next to the Norwich Crown Point depot, with the latest of these refurbished MK3s stated keeping it company.

As stated, the ex Virgin set is also being dismantled from the usual set. This is in preparation for a refurbishment of its own and going to Transpennine Express (rumoured once again, as stated before). 

LEFT: note the previous layout of these Buffet Cars, 10200, with a larger kitchen area (two narrow windows, with the red banner) and the First Class seating (yellow banner above windows). However, many coaches have a different way of how the windows are positioned (some don't have any window at all looking into the catering area, some have one window) depending on previous use. Then on the Aisle side of the carriage, as seen by the middle image, all windows let in light.

Plus, due to a new supplier, free WiFi is being installed to this stock by October. The new Stadler FLIRT (Intercity and Stansted Express Lines) fleet will ALL feature free Wi-Fi too, when the MK3s go elsewhere. 
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