Class 180 Adelantes - discussions, including their return to FGW

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

I must admit I thought the earlier post was just badly phrased, and what he really meant was that Chiltern were going to fit power doors on the mark 3s (like on the Irish ones) that they were buying...

Brackets to the rescue...

Paul

[matt473]

I think the information that has been given is rumours from industry insiders that has been posted on the wnxx forum. Information can not obviously be copy and pasted without permission from posters of course and the forum can not be read without signing up so would only really reccomend it for people with a genuine interest in the railway and not the casual rail user. It is a good source of information as well as rumours if you know how to tell the difference between what are obvious lies.

(Btw not advertising the forum but giving an insight into where certain people get information from as well as letting people know it is not viewable to non-members like this site. If there is a problem with the post feel free to edit/delete mods)

[Timmer]

From BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Wiltshire:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wiltshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8977000/8977230.stm

[JayMac]

I have now listened to the Mark Hopwood interview on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Wiltshire a bit more carefully and the Class 180s are indeed mentioned. Mr Hopwood actually replies to a specific question about the Adelantes.

He makes the point that there are rumours but people often put two and two together and get the wrong answer. He goes on to say that there is no deal in place, and it is just one option that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are looking at to increase capacity.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p009qv9v/Mark_ODonnell_07_09_2010/ Forward to the 2.21:45 mark. (Available until 14th September)

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, Timmer.

I think it's worth emphasizing just one key sentence in Mark Hopwood's comments, if I may:

If there's rolling stock out there that we can bring into the business and we can agree a deal with the government, we'd obviously love to do that.

[paul7575]

Interesting that he mentions lengthening HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)? 

How long ago is it that shortening some of them to make them faster was someone's bright idea? 

Paul

[woody]

I have now listened to the Mark Hopwood interview and and just after the references to the Adalantes he goes on to say with reference to growth of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) fleet in the last 15 years "We would like to put an extra carraige in some of those trains and we having a look on how we can achieve that,if there is rolling stock out there we can bring into the business and we can agree a deal with the government we would obviously love to do that".
 I wonder if that means a standard 2+8 fleet or even some 2+9 sets.What about those Irish Mk3s. 

[inspector_blakey]

If there's rolling stock out there that we can bring into the business and we can agree a deal with the government, we'd obviously love to do that.

i.e. if we can get someone else to pay for it...?

I wonder if that means a standard 2+8 fleet or even some 2+9 sets.What about those Irish Mk3s. 

Given the enormous amount of engineering effort that it took to convert loco-hauled mk 3 stock for use in XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))'s somewhat underutilized HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train), I don't think a mixed fleet of Irish and British mark 3 stock is a realistic prospect, putting things kindly!

[Chris from Nailsea]

If there's rolling stock out there that we can bring into the business and we can agree a deal with the government, we'd obviously love to do that.

i.e. if we can get someone else to pay for it...?

Erm ... that was Mark Hopwood, not me! 

[SDS]

We don't want those expensive fire risks back. Bl**dy things always catch fire, or are breaking down, etc etc.

Although on the plus side, we will all have to get refresher training on how to dispatch one. Would also need a payrise, new trains to dispatch equals new conditions!!!!

[JayMac]

If the "bl**dy things always catch fire" then can you tell me how many have been written off since their introduction. Their reliability has improved immensely despite the fleet being split to various TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company).

As for what SDS pad says about the refresher training and extra pay; just the sort of thing said by rail staff and their union representatives that set them in a bad light. The last Class 180 was used by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) in March 2009. Did staff take a paycut then?

[Ollie]

Although on the plus side, we will all have to get refresher training on how to dispatch one. Would also need a payrise, new trains to dispatch equals new conditions!!!!

Why? Paddington have dispatched them before, yes will need to be re-assessed but I don't see why you should get extra pay?

To my knowledge pay didn't change when 180's were removed from the franchise.

If anything 180's are easier to dispatch... compared to an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) anyway.

[inspector_blakey]

Erm ... that was Mark Hopwood, not me! 

 

Duly unmangled!

[ChrisB]

Although on the plus side, we will all have to get refresher training on how to dispatch one. Would also need a payrise, new trains to dispatch equals new conditions!!!!

Why? Paddington have dispatched them before, yes will need to be re-assessed but I don't see why you should get extra pay?

To my knowledge pay didn't change when 180's were removed from the franchise.

Frankly, nor do I....didn't you get extra when the 180s first came in? And you're *still* gertting that rise too, I bet?!! Even though FGW^▸ (First Great Western) let them go?

Get a life.....

[northwesterntrains]

One current rumour circulating is the 5x180s are to go to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to displace 5x165s to Cardiff-Portsmouth (subject to route clearance.)  However, if that happens FGW will be expected to forfeit 4x158s to East Midlands Trains but that will leave FGW with a net gain of 7 carriages.