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grahame
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« Reply #270 on: May 01, 2011, 17:38:17 » |
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Is this an indication that FGW▸ will be taking their 3 year franchise extension?
Seems to me they'd want some use out of them....
There is indeed an implication of some thought of more that 18 months ahead, though that wouldn't necessarily have to be on the terms set in the winter of 2005/06 - indeed, with 50 carriages in that advert that's quoted by adding up (a), (c) and (d), it's highly probable that there are adjustments. It will be very interesting to see - should there be 50 extra vehicles in service on high speed / Cotswold services what the ripple effect is. Would all 50 be used to supplement trains that are currently HSTs▸ through to the completion of electrification in 2016, or would some of the 180s displace HSTs to be transferred to East Coast? Or would some turbo workings become 180s, displacing turbos to strengthen service and perhaps to creep 165 and 166 territory to include some extra lines such as the Golden Valley, and the Great Malvern / Worcester to Bristol services, thus allowing the existing and planned West fleet to give better coverage over fewer lines? These are purely questions of ripple / cascade theory by the way. I probably shouldn't speculate as I don't know ...  |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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ChrisB
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« Reply #271 on: May 01, 2011, 17:45:09 » |
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Probably simpler than that....longer HSTs▸ together with longer turbo sets formed of displaced turbos by the 180s. I doubt the turbis will run longer journeys than now - theres only 6 (max) 180s., so only 6 more turbos to reallocate.
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paul7575
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« Reply #272 on: May 01, 2011, 19:23:28 » |
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b. HST▸ Mk3 TRFB▸ conversion to HST TSHD vehicle refresh - up to 17 vehicles,
That's an interesting one. Converting restaurant/buffet cars to Standard Class High Density seated coaches. What about the windows? I don't think it is quite as difficult as some people think, the Mk3 based 442 buffet cars have had a number of alterations to door and window layouts. What I'm thinking is that even if it is a high cost proposal, it isn't actually impossible... Paul |
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willc
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« Reply #273 on: May 01, 2011, 20:07:03 » |
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In terms of converting Mk3 catering cars, I think the practicalities of it are rather less of an unknown than they were back when GNER▸ looked at converting sleeping cars a decade ago. Thanks to the recent heavy overhauls of Mk3s for FGW▸ , East Coast, W&S▸ and GC» , where they were stripped back to the shell, there is now a lot of knowledge on the general condition of these coaches and any problem areas that need to be dealt with, plus, as Paul says, the Class 442 buffet cars have had a lot of work in a similar vein over the years.
I think we all know full well that FGW desperately needs extra stock, the DafT rolling stock plan admitted as much some years ago, although any action has been desperately slow in both the West of England and Thames Valley for various reasons, so arrival of any of the items mentioned in this tender seems highly unlikely to lead to FGW losing stock elsewhere, or moving 16X sets west at this stage.
The 180s would likely be used to put things back to where they were from 2006-8, with these and HSTs▸ covering most Cotswold Line duties except for the halts trains and their balancing workings, with the 166s displaced from the Cotswold Line going back to Reading-Gatwick duties and 165s coming off that route to allow more or, more likely, as Chris suggests, longer Thames Valley main line commuter trains. The HST coaches would all appear from the letter coding to be intended to be high-density trailer standards, to be used to lengthen existing FGW sets, in line with remarks Mark Hopwood made some time back. The number of TRFB▸ 's pretty much matches the number displaced from FGW HSTs by the mini-buffet conversions, though quite where they may get any loco-hauled Mk3 coaches from, given DB» 's appetite for them for Chiltern duties, is a bit of a puzzle.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #275 on: May 01, 2011, 20:10:27 » |
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A la Ryanair propsal? :-)
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inspector_blakey
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« Reply #277 on: May 02, 2011, 03:22:12 » |
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And there wouldn't be any pesky CAA» rules to stop that, like there were for Ryanair...!
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willc
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« Reply #278 on: May 21, 2011, 21:01:53 » |
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On the subject of 180s Mark Hopwood told the CLPG» agm today that they are hoping to get the five EC sets back but that a decision was probably three or four months awayl, though DfT» is sympathetic to FGW▸ 's case. If they do return, he wants them in traffic from December and they would be used on Cotswold diagrams in place of 166s. All Cotswold trains currently worked by HSTs▸ would be keeping them, should the 180s return.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #279 on: May 22, 2011, 02:24:18 » |
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Thanks, Will. As that's come straight from the horse's mouth I think we can now finally say for certain that a return is still very much on the agenda!
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #280 on: May 22, 2011, 08:02:45 » |
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Indeed it is, but he agreed that it really is down toa DfT» decision, and they could go any way....
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northwesterntrains
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« Reply #281 on: May 26, 2011, 19:48:46 » |
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they could take out all the seats and have standing only that would increase capacity
The number of standees a local or regional train can take before being overcrowded is defined as 35% of the seating capacity, so technically a train with no seats is overcrowded if there is one passenger on board. |
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northwesterntrains
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« Reply #282 on: May 26, 2011, 19:51:49 » |
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On the subject of 180s Mark Hopwood told the CLPG» agm today that they are hoping to get the five EC sets back but that a decision was probably three or four months awayl, though DfT» is sympathetic to FGW▸ 's case. If they do return, he wants them in traffic from December and they would be used on Cotswold diagrams in place of 166s. All Cotswold trains currently worked by HSTs▸ would be keeping them, should the 180s return.
I imagine the 180s will be released when Northern revise their timetables in October. The first set of London Midland 172s are expected to be in service in August, so October would also give a few weeks for the 150s to be cascaded and for Northern to check that their are no problems with the 'new' 150s before releasing the 156s and 180s. |
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willc
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« Reply #284 on: June 09, 2011, 20:05:03 » |
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Just a website page which has not been updated for two years, at which time the last three sets were on the way out. |
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Click on the map to explore geographics
