Peter Sarf
Established Member
The following occured to me when the Midland Main Line electrification was rumored on Friday 13/07/2012. Is this merely a way of increasing the potential order book for IEPs so as to keep it viable ?. Everyone else was talking about the potential stock for the MML bi-mode 222s or some flavour of Pendolinos but then my point above dawned on me.
Now that I have had a chance to log on it is now known that, in addition to MML electrification, common sense has at last shone through and Cardiff to Swansea is to be added to the electrification of the GWML from London to Cardiff. So that might hopefully put a nail in the coffin of bi-mode IEP. The reason I feel this is that surely there must now be be enough 222s that can be converted by adding a pantograph car to them that there is no need for any other bi-modes ?.
This would rely on straight electric trains being built for the Midland Main Line which, of course is now likely even if indirectly by causing a cascade from another line (e.g. Mk4s from the ECML).
So could IEP bi-mode be dead ? - OK if needs be throw in enough converted 220s replaced by short emus for Northern WCML (either Pendolinos or IEP). If IEP bi-modes are still built is there not a danger that we will have a surplus of diesel trains (I have those pacers in my sights !).
BUT also could IEP, in its current guise, be dead ?.
Apologies I was planning to add this to the thread about MML electrification but its disappeared (under my nose probably ?).
Now that I have had a chance to log on it is now known that, in addition to MML electrification, common sense has at last shone through and Cardiff to Swansea is to be added to the electrification of the GWML from London to Cardiff. So that might hopefully put a nail in the coffin of bi-mode IEP. The reason I feel this is that surely there must now be be enough 222s that can be converted by adding a pantograph car to them that there is no need for any other bi-modes ?.
This would rely on straight electric trains being built for the Midland Main Line which, of course is now likely even if indirectly by causing a cascade from another line (e.g. Mk4s from the ECML).
So could IEP bi-mode be dead ? - OK if needs be throw in enough converted 220s replaced by short emus for Northern WCML (either Pendolinos or IEP). If IEP bi-modes are still built is there not a danger that we will have a surplus of diesel trains (I have those pacers in my sights !).
BUT also could IEP, in its current guise, be dead ?.
Apologies I was planning to add this to the thread about MML electrification but its disappeared (under my nose probably ?).