211 retired from the Utsunomiya and Takasaki Line?

[gmat]

Yesterday I spent most of the day at Omiya Station and don't remember seeing any 211s passing through. 

 

This was taken this Tuesday. 

 

 

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[Densha]

I browsed a bit through the railfan japan website and the wrapping train you spotted is for commemorating the 130 years since the opening of the Takasaki line. Considering it says it will run around in the wrapping until the end of December I doubt they retired.

http://railf.jp/news/2013/07/07/074800.html

Edited July 13, 2013 by Densha

[bronzeonion]

I'm confused, with the introduction of the E233's they seemed to be withdrawing all the 211 series trains over the past 2 years but theyre holding onto that one till December?

[bikkuri bahn]

There seem to be a couple (?) of 211 sets still running on the Takasaki Line.  On the Utsunomiya Line, there are 211's running between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso.  No Utsunomiya Line 211's run into Ueno anymore.

 

http://ssline.hobby-site.org/unyou/

Edited July 14, 2013 by bikkuri bahn

[gmat]

Thanks, BikkuriBahn. Gotta travel that way when I get my summer Seishun 18 ticket.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[Kabutoni]

When I visit the parents-in-law, I do occasionally see 211-1000/3000s on these lines. Not many, but there are some. However, they don't seem to penetrate deep into the Metropolitan area any more, as I don't see them around Shinjuku. The places where I usually see them are Ōmiya and Oyama. I'll keep an eye out for them next month when we'll be hanging around in Ibaraki in the summer vacations.

[gmat]

The 211s seemed to have stopped coming to Tokyo on the Tokaido Line from April and haven't been on the Shonan-Shinjuku Line thru Shinjuku since I started shooting trains four years ago. Or I never saw one when I stayed frequently at Shinjuku. 

In April, the 211s leaving Ueno seemed to have dropped the single level Green Car and only carry two bi-level cars. 

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[bronzeonion]

Oh I see, makes sense then I didn't realise the pools for each line were quite so segregated. I thought all the Shonan coloured stock was shared quite freely between the 3 lines that use them.

[Sacto1985]

I remember seeing some YouTube videos showing JR East phasing out most 211 trainset operations north of Ueno and Omiya. I believe that most commuter trains heading north from Omiya are mostly E231-1000 "suburban" trainsets with a SaRo E231-1000 bi-level Green Car in the middle car.