Electrification

[whole diary]

[Northerner]

Sorry to change the topic again. BUT if the turbos are limited in where they can go then the midland main line ought to be electrified because doing that would put more capcity on cross country, nottingham-cardiff, liverpool-norwich, portsmouth-cardiff and birmingham-stanstead. Plus think about what all the 158 & turbostars from there could do. This would be done by sending the long merdians & hst on the mml to xc, voyagers replaced by HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) & short merdians to the routes above. SURLY then that is better than having the constrated turbos even of it does not benefit the west as much.

[Electric train]

Sorry to change the topic again. BUT if the turbos are limited in where they can go then the midland main line ought to be electrified because doing that would put more capcity on cross country, nottingham-cardiff, liverpool-norwich, portsmouth-cardiff and birmingham-stanstead. Plus think about what all the 158 & turbostars from there could do. This would be done by sending the long merdians & hst on the mml to xc, voyagers replaced by HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) & short merdians to the routes above. SURLY then that is better than having the constrated turbos even of it does not benefit the west as much.

By the time the Government fund route electrification much of the current rolling stock will be either life expired 165/6 or half life, it is not until 2017 ie CP 6 that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) thing the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road, formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) will fund such a venture

[Northerner]

How old are the 158s now. just over 20 years old and are providing capacity boost for such franchises as northern. How about the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))? They are 25-30 years old and most have just been re-engined putting another 20 years life in them. I'm sorry but does this not show that if we re planing to get rid of trains built in 2003ish (meridians) & 2002ish (voyagers) in 2203 and 2202 then will we not have capcity problems there and is it not wastefull?

[Don]

How old are the 158s now. just over 20 years old and are providing capacity boost for such franchises as northern. How about the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))? They are 25-30 years old and most have just been re-engined putting another 20 years life in them. I'm sorry but does this not show that if we re planing to get rid of trains built in 2003ish (meridians) & 2002ish (voyagers) in 2203 and 2202 then will we not have capcity problems there and is it not wastefull?

I'm hoping that they keep refurbishing the HSTs.  I would be much happier if they chuck out the noisy, vibrating toilet-smelling Voyagers,  before the calm, quiet, relaxed (and 30-year-old) HSTs.

I vote for a new batch of HSTs, with power cars at the end and not underneath, and if electrification happens to occur. New or refurbished electric power cars sound like a great option.

[Northerner]

How old are the 158s now. just over 20 years old and are providing capacity boost for such franchises as northern. How about the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))? They are 25-30 years old and most have just been re-engined putting another 20 years life in them. I'm sorry but does this not show that if we re planing to get rid of trains built in 2003ish (meridians) & 2002ish (voyagers) in 2203 and 2202 then will we not have capcity problems there and is it not wastefull?

I'm hoping that they keep refurbishing the HSTs.  I would be much happier if they chuck out the noisy, vibrating toilet-smelling Voyagers,  before the calm, quiet, relaxed (and 30-year-old) HSTs.

I vote for a new batch of HSTs, with power cars at the end and not underneath, and if electrification happens to occur. New or refurbished electric power cars sound like a great option.

Your right a re-engined/refubished train is in some ways as good as (if not better) than a new one. Look at the Welsh Assambaly goverment express. That seems nicer than the voyagers which operate the London service.