NOTE - Link in report to actual review does not (yet?) work. I understand:
All train to be bimodes
Cardff 2019
Temple Meads 2020
Oxford later
no mention of when for Newbury
Let's see how accurate that is I'll give you a 1 out of 10, Graham
Looks like the Newbury and Oxford spurs have not faced the
CP5▸ chop as many predicted, but will be delivered by the end of 2018 along with Didcot to Bristol/Cardiff. As expected this is a delay on the original timescales, and is about a year later than Paddington to Didcot towards the end of 2017. Cardiff to Swansea does slip into
CP6▸ .
Bi-modes will, I expect, initially be used on services from Paddington towards both the North and South Cotswold routes, including
PAD» -
OXF» fast services, as the route characteristics will suit them. I reckon other services to Bristol/Cardiff will then slowly go over to Bi-mode's, but some
HSTs▸ will continue to operate them, possibly until the end of 2018. I can see a Didcot to Oxford shuttle
DMU▸ service operating for around a year, feeding into a largely
EMU▸ Thames Valley service from Didcot via Reading to Paddington from the end of 2017. I can see the hourly Turbo service from Paddington to Bedwyn continuing until Newbury gets finished in at the end of 2018. Let's see how accurate that is