There is uncertainity in the NXEC▸ franchise as it will be taken over the government in a few months until a new operator is found. NXEC did seem to prefer 180s over shorter loco hauled trains as it would enable portion workings, but then it won't be NX for much longer.
I don't think there is as much uncertainty about the
ECML▸ franchise as you might expect. The additional services to Lincoln, and Bradford via Leeds, are a key part of the 6 tph clockface timetable for the ECML, and were a SLC2 franchise requirement. If the
DfT» was to let itself off the planned improvements on the ECML, surely all other franchisees would have a good case to go back and request that their future commitments are revisited? If you go back to the time
GNER▸ were in their 'management contract' phase, having already thrown in the towel, they still carried on with the half hourly Leeds improvements, despite a lot of suggestions that it would be abandoned.
What is possible is that DfT's company may alter the rolling stock plan - indeed Tony Miles of Modern Railways has been saying as much in uk.railway. My suggestion is that NewECMLCo should do a swap with
GC» - 180s for
HSTs▸ (which would need lengthening)! Whatever changes are made the Lincoln service at least will require diesel power - perhaps they should consider
LHCS▸ with 67s for Lincoln and 90s for Bradford? Loco change wherever the route diverges from the mainline?
But the 180s that are with Northern could be a sticking point, maybe they would have first dibs if they don't go to the ECML? Also, there is still the fact that
FGW▸ spent a couple of years telling everyone who'd listen that the 180s were a bag of bolts and they wanted rid - would they be prepared to eat the necessary humble pie?
Paul
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