New Units revisited

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

You then have to consider the 150's given back to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))).
The 142's which will probably go as well
the cascaded 150's from LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise)
and the retirement of 143's

anyone like to make a table up to show how that fits in with the 'plan'?

The rolling stock plan?  That doesn't currently include any 142 or 143 retirements. That is the aim of 'New Generation DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)', which is planned for after CP4^▸ (Control Period 4 - the five year period between 2009 and 2014), the 2009-14 period:

"A feature of CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) is that there are fleets of EMUs^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) and DMUs that will be approaching the end of their planned lives. This will provide a further opportunity for the introduction of the next generation multiple units."

However I don't disagree that FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s loaned 150s and 142s will probably go back where ever they came. What has never really been 'put to bed' is whether or not they are included in FGW's current fleet numbers, but I suspect not.

Paul

[Btline]

Why do FGW^▸ (First Great Western) run the North Downs line? It should be SWT^▸ (South West Trains), and it should be electrified.

[G.Uard]

Why do FGW^▸ (First Great Western) run the North Downs line? It should be SWT^▸ (South West Trains), and it should be electrified.

Why SWT?  I would have thought that Southern would be a more appropriate owner, especially as historically, this was the old SER line from London Bridge to Reading, with no LSWR^▸ (London South Western Railway) involvement, apart from running powers between Wokingham and Reading for the latter's Waterloo service, pre 1923. 


Geographically,  SWT appears in its own right at Guildford and Dorking, but both stations are on the easternmost fringe of the franchise  Additionally, before the Gatwick connection was 'discovered', the route was operated as a link between Reading and Tonbridge in Kent by the old hybrid 206 'Tadpole' units, themselves comprising stock from the east of the Southern Region.

It is probably in the FGW fold because of the proximity of maintenance facilities and route familiar crews at Reading.  (Post Tadpole but before Turbos, the service was run with Reading based 1st generation DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)).

But... certainly, it needs electrification, particularly as its generous loading gauge would make a useful alternative route to the Channel Tunnel portal.

[Btline]

Yes, I suppose Southern would be better. (I was basing SWT^▸ (South West Trains) on geography as you say)

We could then have Reading to Ashford and Reading to Tunbridge Wells services.

And please - let's speed up the Gatwick trains!

[paul7575]

Surprisingly then, getting back to the numbers, Roger Ford's latest article has the following:

8 x 4 car FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Thames Valley
7 x 3 car FGW Thames Valley
11 x 4 car Cardiff - Portsmouth
and then
12 x 3 car TPEx
23 x 3 car Northern

The text explains that FGW will probably now use the displaced 158s in the Bristol area, and the former LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) 150s will all go to Northern instead, and also suggests that FGW appears to have become the lead TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) for introduction of new DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), again rather than Northern.

Sounds good to me, his articles have a fairly accurate track record over the last few years...

Paul

[devon_metro]

The text explains that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will probably now use the displaced 158s in the Bristol area, and the former LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) 150s will all go to Northern instead, and also suggests that FGW appears to have become the lead TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) for introduction of new DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), again rather than Northern.

Fantastic, its grim up North and should stay that way 

[willc]

Surprisingly then, getting back to the numbers, Roger Ford's latest article has the following:

8 x 4 car FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Thames Valley
7 x 3 car FGW Thames Valley
11 x 4 car Cardiff - Portsmouth
and then
12 x 3 car TPEx
23 x 3 car Northern

All seems to make sense - just so long as all FGW's sets are fitted out in 2+2 style, with adequate luggage space, to provide something slotting in quality-wise between Turbos/158s and an HST^▸ (High Speed Train), making them suitable for Portsmouth-Cardiff and off-peak work on the Oxford fasts and Cotswold Line. Just a pity there's a couple of years to wait for them - and no tombstone seats, thanks.

And overcrowding on trains around Leeds and Manchester is grim too - it doesn't really matter who gets the new trains first, just that they are delivered as quickly as possible and work out of the box.

[paul7575]

And overcrowding on trains around Leeds and Manchester is grim - it doesn't really matter who gets the new trains first, just that they are delivered as quickly as possible and work out of the box.

AFAICT^▸ (as far as I can tell), Northern should get additional trains first, if RF/MR^▸ (Midland Railway) is right about the ex-LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) 150s, because their replacement 172s are already in build. Unless they are shared out north and south temporarily, which is always there as another possibility...

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

AFAICT^▸ (as far as I can tell), ...

You're just testing me, now!  I've added it to our acronyms list (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/acronyms.html), anyway. 

[paul7575]

AFAICT^▸ (as far as I can tell), ...

You're just testing me, now!  I've added it to our acronyms list (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/acronyms.html), anyway. 

YMTT,ICPC 

pAUL

[welshman]

NYJBS

[Btline]

 

[welshman]

NYJBS = Now you're just being silly.   

[willc]

Announcement from DafT about how the trains will be bought and leased to the operators - effectively they are setting up their own leasing company for the short-term, which they will then try to sell on.

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=394539&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False

[paul7575]

And just to keep the pot boiling, the latest Network Rail route plans still include the possibility of gauge clearance work to allow 165/166 use on Cardiff - Portsmouth services...

Paul