A look forward in the South West?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/liberal-democrat-election-humiliation-spells-5832732

Former Liberal Democrat areas which got cash for pet projects because of the party^s clout in the ^Coalition now face being starved of investment.

Funding cuts will bite in areas such as the South West, a former stronghold which lost every Lib Dem seat at last month's general election.

A leading Tory promoted in the reshuffle said: ^The South West is going to get f*** all.^

[ChrisB]

Very short-sighted if they want to keep the seats!

[ellendune]

Very short-sighted if they want to keep the seats!

Agree that would be a sure way to ensure that they all went back to Lib Dem next time.

[JayMac]

Made up comment surely?

If The Mirror really do have a Tory minister on record saying that, they'd have published his/her name.

[devon_metro]

Two words. The Mirror.

It's like the Daily Mail running a negative story about Labour - probably heavily biased!

[Chris from Nailsea]

"probably" ??   

[onthecushions]

AT300's don't count as investment, I suppose.

OTC

[Rhydgaled]

AT300's don't count as investment, I suppose.OTC

In a lot of respects I consider the AT300s for Plymouth/Penzance an inferior option to refurbishing the IC125s with plug doors etc. For the 9-car ones, you could argue a capacity benifit but so many of the proposed fleet are 5-car units that it looks to me like cutbacks. Say what you like about enhance frequency local and regional services, but they (I assume) would be delivered regardless of whether the AT300 option is approved (I hope only the 9-car sets are approved and 17 or 18 IC125s are kept).

[JayMac]

In lots of respects I consider brand new trains a must now. We can't keep on refurbishing 35-40 year old stock. New trains with a 30+ year lifespan are what's needed. Not Trigger's Broom.

[ChrisB]

And there's NO point in 9cars going all the way to PNZ....capacity would be way over the top!

[grahame]

And there's NO point in 9cars going all the way to PNZ....capacity would be way over the top!

Does your maths look like this, Chris?

Using HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) (8 car seating + 2 power cars):
12 hour round trip (PNZ), train every 2 hours, 6 trains of 8 carriages - 48 carriages from London

Using 5 car units (effective 4 of seating):
12 hour round trip (PNZ), train every 2 hours, 6 trains of 4 carriages - 24 carriages from London
6 hour round trip (PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)), train every hour, 6 trains of 4 carriages, 2 trips each - 48 carriages from London

* One third increase in capacity London to Plymouth
* One half decrease in capacity Plymouth to Penzance

Very much simplified - showing principle of getting seats where it's suggested they may be better filled.  Clearly add on top of this the other workings that don't stretch beyond Plymouth, and couple up the various units so that they're not eating up paths and crews on the runs into / our of London!

[ChrisB]

Very simplified - I'm guessing many will be 2x5car to PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains), splitting there.

[broadgage]

Whilst I can see the theoretical advantages of shorter trains for the extremities of a route and of adding another unit when nearer to London, I fear that the practical result of such a policy will be a significant downgrade in quality.

Firstly, if the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) has the "flexibility" to run short trains, then when availability falls short of that expected, short trains will run over the whole route resulting in gross overcrowding at the London end.

Secondly, if some special event or disruption results in unusually large passenger flows in the far west, then lengthening the trains wont be an option due to lack of rolling stock. 5 car DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) instead of the night riveria, or on the Golden Hind anyone.

Thirdly, two half length DMUs coupled together are less satisfactory than a full length train, first class will be in two different and presumably random locations. In the unlikely event that Pullmans survive the downgrade to DMU operation, in which unit will it be located ?

And finally, after a few years of speculation I expect that the new shorter DMUs for far west services will be a similar downgrade to the IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) with no buffet, minimal first class, mainly bus seats without tables, and higher density seating.

[ChrisB]

Surely, better a 5car runs full than a 9car gets cancelled....?

(Assuming you are referring to breakdowns)

Actually adds flexibility, not lacks it.

You're creating issues....they could exist with 9car units too. When running normally, which is the plan & does more than 85% of the time, this really makes definite sense.

[broadgage]

Surely, better a 5car runs full than a 9car gets cancelled....?

(Assuming you are referring to breakdowns)

Actually adds flexibility, not lacks it.

Not certain that I agree. Whilst an overcrowded half length unit is preferable to a cancelled full length train, this presumes that the two events occur at a similar frequency.
In practice I expect grossly overcrowded half length trains to be far more frequent than cancellations of full length trains.
If a train is cancelled then the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is liable for substantial penalty payments, this provides a powerful incentive to avoid cancellations if at all possible.
With the flexibility of DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), there is no such incentive to avoid short formations. If the train for the XX-30 is unavailable, then simply divide the train intended for the XX-40 into two portions and run two half length units in the rush hour.
Nothing cancelled, no penalties payable. I expect this to happen regularly.