Yet another fleetfor GWR▸ land?
I was thinking further ahead until some of the current stuff could do with replacement - 2022 onward, and with something like the pacers going off lease; the 150/0s will be going, and will the 150/2s, 153s or West Country Turbos be running 15 years from now?
Isn't a possible scenario that the Greater Western area could get the
DMUs▸ that Greater Anglia are casting off?
32 Class 170 carriages (8x 3car, 4 x2xcar), just 15 years old and recently refurbished with power sockets and WiFi, could be very useful.
However, the trend on refranchising at the moment is to include in bids large orders for new trains, so it's possible the next Greater Western franchisee might order new DMUs or regional bi-modes like those ordered by Abellio for Greater Anglia.
The shift to ordering new trains rather than
PRM▸ modifying, or cascading existing stock, is down to new
ROSCOs» entering the market. Also, train builders across Europe are offering suitable products for the
UK▸ network. New trains are becoming cheaper (provided the
DfT» stays away from specifying - hello
IEP▸ ) and ever more efficient to operate too.
There is also a shift toward homologous fleets too. As witnessed by the Greater Anglia and South Western new train orders. Replacing disparate stock types with one type, or a family of sub types. In
GAs▸ case dumping trains that are just 16 years old (Class 170). In
SWR» 's case dumping trains that are almost brand new (Class 707).
There will shortly be a surfeit of
EMUs▸ in the UK that aren't life expired. Consequently the older established ROSCOs will be looking to the franchises that still have large aging DMU fleets. Offering them either new build DMU, or possibly EMUs that are converted to diesel operation.
Despite the government's utterances on diesel I don't think there is any prospect of more electrification in the medium term, so its DMUs for the foreseeable.
Four franchises with large diesel fleets are up for retendering soon. Wales and Borders, East Midlands, Cross Country, and Greater Western. It wouldn't be a surprise that the winning bidders offer new build over cascade, refurbish or repurpose. With proper ROSCO competition for the first time thanks to three new entrants in the train leasing business, and a buoyant passenger train building market in Europe making ever more efficient trains, new build is the most attractive option for franchise bidders.
I do hope the next Greater Western franchise doesn't include cascades, converted EMUs or those god awful ex-LU Class 230s. Vivarail have tried and failed thus far to find anyone silly enough to place a large order for their LU train with van engines bolted on.
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