Great Western Coffee Shop

Forum rumour elsewhere has it that National Express East Coast has entered into discussions with Angel Trains on lease arrangements for Class 180 trains.

Anyone would have thought that there were about 50 180s...

A bit like the HST situation. :D

With all the TOCs after them.....

And the same for 170s (a few years back before desiros came along)! ::)

I would imagine that the arrangement would involve Angel Trains spending some money on them to make them more reliable as I cannot understand why NatEx would want to take them on if that didn't happen. I do hope this not to replace the planned running of 90s and Mk3s to Leeds/York from 2009/10!

Quote from the link below :
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s18-ecml-NEX_sum_280308.pdf

Another example of a franchise commitment changing before the franchise is barely up and running?

Of course, by taking 180s they will reduce the opportunities for the Open Access operators competing with them on the ECML to use them.

To my mind the most sensible solution for Lincoln would be to electrify the line. For the sake of 17 miles of electrification, a 2 hourly service of around 137 miles could be electrically powered instead of diesel powered. That way the Class 90s could be mainly restricted to the Lincoln route, and with their better acceleration than a 91+9, could broadly keep pace as far as Newark. 

       

Two train operators - Hull Trains and National Express (East Coast) - have asked the rail regulator for permission to run a service every two hours between Harrogate and London (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7358052.stm

and NEX have also implied that the Lincoln service could start a year early.

Indeed (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/7359175.stm

Whilst one can be rather cynical about the reasons for NEX's motives, and disappointed at the decision to drop the Class 90 + Mk 3 stock revival, this nevertheless represents an astonishing proposal given the environment of recent years, reinstating regular through services to London from several places. However, they will need to manage capacity carefully, as passengers on the southern part of the route will not care whether they catch a 5 coach train or a full size train (until they've discovered the hard way).

If it goes ahead then it leaves one path an hour for OA operators, but probably puts paid to GC's hopes to expand further.   

That bit makes me laugh. At what, exactly? Causing train delays along with Grand Central? They make quite a good delay team!

Oh, I dont know, swlines. Their top man did use to be Chairman of the SRA.....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2663117.stm

How ironic life is at times  ;D

RAIL magazine claims that FirstGroup is in talks to take on the Class 180s, with a view to splitting them between Hull Trains and TransPennine Express.

This won't please NatEx one little bit if it happens as taking the Adelantes was a short cut to their franchise commitment of providing extra trains in the form of class 90s and Mk3 stock which IMHO is much better stock anyway!

Good! Windermere will get a proper service again!

And less overcrowding on Preston to Manchester!

And loco hauled trains on ECML!
 ;D

I still think there is an issue, in that ATW will require some 180s or similar if they obtain the running of the new Cardiff to Holyhead express services. 

Then again, taking say 4 to ATW would still leave sufficient for Hull Trains and First TPE surely?

I don't think ATW can make effective use of the 180s.  They already have the junior versions in the form of the 175s and even those are "too fast" for most of the Newport-Crewe section which is all 90 mph maximum or less.

Let's build some more and give some to al TOCs! ;D

Can't understand why somebody like Chiltern or Wrexham & Shropshire don't go after the Adelantes - properly maintained they'd go well between Wrexham/Kiddie & Snow Hill/Marylebone.

Plans detailed this week include 25 new direct services to and from London, creating at least 7,000 extra seats a day on the East Coast route from December 2009. Among these are new routes, such as a two hourly service to and from Lincoln, additionally serving Market Rasen, Grimsby and Cleethorpes once a day, a two hourly service between London and Garforth, Leeds, Horsforth, Pannal and Harrogate, an extra service every hour direct from London to Bradford Forster Square by extending some Leeds services, and possible extra services to Skipton and the Aire Valley, subject to electricity supply issues being resolved by Network Rail (link below.)
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5049

Some of the plans, such at the Lincoln service, were included in the franchise agreement with the government signed last year. However, other proposals to serve new destinations in the north east appear designed to spoil plans by open access train operator Grand Central, which recently announced its intention to bid for paths to Grimsby, Scarborough and Huddersfield.

To run its proposed additional services, the company would lease Class 180 Adelante diesel trains, capable of 125mph running, in addition to its existing fleets of refurbished diesel and electric trains.

The company has formally submitted an application to the Office of Rail Regulation to run 25 new services to and from London from December 2009. However, the new services are subject to regulatory approval and face competition from open access operators Grand Central and Hull Trains for the limited available track capacity from Yorkshire southwards.

Hull Trains were recently crew training on a 180 set.  I believe that they now have 2 of these and plan to have 5 in service by Christmas 08

I can imagine NEX would like them for their proposed new through service to Lincoln