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FGW announce new trains

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es373

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http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2012-07-18/first-great-western-announce-the-trains-of-the-future/

ITV said:
Could these be the trains of the future?

The UK Government, is expected to announce a billion pound order for new trains which are to run between Paddington and Swansea.

The new trains will be partly built by Japanese company, Hitachi, the same company who are behind the high-speed Bullet Trains.

Although the new trains won't look like the distinctive Japanese Bullet Trains, they will run using the same technology, which the company says will make them more reliable.

The new trains are part of an 'Intercity Express Project', and they will replace some of the older trains on the Great Western main lines, including the line between London, Cardiff and Swansea.

It has also been confirmed that a new maintenance depot will be built in Swansea to service the fleet.

As stated, evidently FGW will be making an order this week for 500 carriages from Japanese manufacturer Hitachi.
Wonder if this is to do with the franchise expiring soon?
 
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swt_passenger

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As stated, evidently FGW will be making an order this week for 500 carriages from Japanese manufacturer Hitachi.
Wonder if this is to do with the franchise expiring soon?

No, the DfT will be ordering them for use by the future GW franchisee, (who is yet to be selected). FGW's successor, whoever it is, will be contracted to lease them in due course.

Apart from an insignificant number of exceptions, TOCs do not order rolling stock.
 

musicking1306

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I think this is something to do with the Great Western Electrification Scheme. And will be handed down to the TOC that wins the Great Western franchise.
 
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es373

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Seemingly the news is obviously wrong swt_PASSENGER, maybe you would perhaps care to write to them and let them know?
 

jopsuk

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It does seem that for some reason FGW will be making the announcement, despite it potentially having nothing to do with them

Though that's a really cute trust you have torquewrench that "the news" is right...
 

D365

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First Capital Connect's own Thameslink Programme advertises the new rolling stock which will be introduced from 2015 and the full 24tph service from 2018, even though the Thameslink franchise is due to be retendered in 2013. I presume the site will be passed down to the new operator though.
 

swt_passenger

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Seemingly the news is obviously wrong swt_PASSENGER, maybe you would perhaps care to write to them and let them know?

Write to who?

You'll need to quote the source if I'm to write to them...

'the news' isn't very specific is it? If on the other hand it's the ITV 'News', they've obviously corrected their story because it now reads:
Bullet trains for Great Western

Meridian can exclusively reveal the Government will announce an order for one billion pounds worth of new Japanese style bullet trains within the next week for Great Western services in the Thames Valley.
 
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Stats

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As stated, evidently FGW will be making an order this week for 500 carriages from Japanese manufacturer Hitachi.
It would have been a lot quicker to type if you just said that the Great Western IEP order was to be announced this week, which is all ITV's "Exclusive" is about.
 

Bald Rick

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First Capital Connect's own Thameslink Programme advertises the new rolling stock which will be introduced from 2015 and the full 24tph service from 2018, even though the Thameslink franchise is due to be retendered in 2013. I presume the site will be passed down to the new operator though.

FCC just run the website, it's paid for by NR. In any event NR are taking it over in a couple of months.
 

HSTEd

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Well... nice to see that the IEP is proceeding.

The public gets saddled with yet another enormously expensive PFI that costs twice as much as similar capability rolling stock elsewhere.
 

dosxuk

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How many times have these trains been announced now?

No wonder the general public get so annoyed at how old their trains are and how high their fares are when if we believed everything in the press, we've bought 4 times as many trains in the last decade than we actually have.
 

Class377/5

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All that's being ordered is the bad IEP's tho rumour of 9 car all electric versions in light of recent announcements. Basically a 9 car 395 clone.


First Capital Connect's own Thameslink Programme advertises the new rolling stock which will be introduced from 2015 and the full 24tph service from 2018, even though the Thameslink franchise is due to be retendered in 2013. I presume the site will be passed down to the new operator though.

The DfT is ordering the trains, it was never FCC, FCC are just working with various parties on the development of the new 700's.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/thameslink/

FCC just run the website, it's paid for by NR. In any event NR are taking it over in a couple of months.

Makes sense, it was a last minute introduction after all. If NR are taking it over, will they update it properly?
 

fgwrich

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:roll: Just thinking of the irony in First Great Westerns announcement announcing the new GW IEPs...Remind me who one if IEPs critics were again, Ah yes, it was a mr Mark Howood!
 

Clip

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SET couldn't be ANY further from a bullet train. It's like racial stereotyping for trains.

Whys that then? It is shaped like a bullet and goes canny fast at full pelt, just like a bullet.

Of course, as you are an eagled eyed viewer of the railways you will know that the term 'Bullet train' is only a nickname given to the Shinkansen in Japan and most of those units dont even look like bullets so I fail to see how it could be anything even approaching 'like racial stereotyping' for trains.
 

asylumxl

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Whys that then? It is shaped like a bullet and goes canny fast at full pelt, just like a bullet.

Of course, as you are an eagled eyed viewer of the railways you will know that the term 'Bullet train' is only a nickname given to the Shinkansen in Japan and most of those units dont even look like bullets so I fail to see how it could be anything even approaching 'like racial stereotyping' for trains.

Because they're hardly comparable in terms of their design, technology and purpose are they?

They can claim whatever they wish but in the end it's just spin. Despite the uproar about the continued persual of Bi-mode sets, the SET seems a rather conventional train.

Furthermore, Hitachi already tried that line with the 395s, which incidentally were so brilliantly designed they omitted installing proper yaw damping.

Besides, Hitachi loves to rant and rave about friction stir welding and how it's part of the technology they'll use from Bullet Trains, was in fact invented in Britain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction_stir_welding
 

D365

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The DfT is ordering the trains, it was never FCC, FCC are just working with various parties on the development of the new 700's.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/thameslink/



Makes sense, it was a last minute introduction after all. If NR are taking it over, will they update it properly?

My mistake, I think I [mis]heard from someone about it. But my point is that TOCs do get involved in rolling stock procurement, even if they may not be introducing the new fleet.

[Off-Topic Rant] I know that Class 700 is going to be the Thameslink stock number, but I hate it, because it doesn't make any sense! No, it does make sense but it's stupid. [/Rant over]
 

starrymarkb

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:roll: Just thinking of the irony in First Great Westerns announcement announcing the new GW IEPs...Remind me who one if IEPs critics were again, Ah yes, it was a mr Mark Howood!

I believe they are obliged by their contract to take what the DfT gives them. It did say in the ITT for Greater Western that the franchisee was not permitted to chose their own HST replacement as the DfT was procuring it.
 

Schnellzug

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How many times have these trains been announced now?

No wonder the general public get so annoyed at how old their trains are and how high their fares are when if we believed everything in the press, we've bought 4 times as many trains in the last decade than we actually have.
Indeed. it's a typical tactic of Politicians, announcing the same thing at least three times over.

So are these things definitely being built now, then, for sure? Does that mean that people will stop arguing about them?









:lol:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
[Off-Topic Rant] I know that Class 700 is going to be the Thameslink stock number, but I hate it, because it doesn't make any sense! No, it does make sense but it's stupid. [/Rant over]

Where did that come from? Why?
 

Zoe

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It did say in the ITT for Greater Western that the franchisee was not permitted to chose their own HST replacement as the DfT was procuring it.
I have seen people talk about this invitation to tender document but I can only find the franchise consulation. The invitation to tender itself doesn't seem to be available to the public at this time.
 

Class377/5

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My mistake, I think I [mis]heard from someone about it. But my point is that TOCs do get involved in rolling stock procurement, even if they may not be introducing the new fleet.

[Off-Topic Rant] I know that Class 700 is going to be the Thameslink stock number, but I hate it, because it doesn't make any sense! No, it does make sense but it's stupid. [/Rant over]

I know they do, we're busy helping develop this units. Will be interesting to see them finally in service.

The numbering system makes sense if you look at it. There are the first train for the UK mainline railway to be built for automatic operation on a daily basis.

Where did that come from? Why?

Been known for a little while that the new Thaneslink trains are being called class 700. And all parties working on them are calling them that.
 

Schnellzug

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I know they do, we're busy helping develop this units. Will be interesting to see them finally in service.

The numbering system makes sense if you look at it. There are the first train for the UK mainline railway to be built for automatic operation on a daily basis.



Been known for a little while that the new Thaneslink trains are being called class 700. And all parties working on them are calling them that.

is that because everything in the 3xx series has more or less been used, and the next available series (6xx) will presumably be used for the bi mode IEP, then, I presume?
 

Class377/5

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Though Class377/5 Is the only person who claims that.

Watcher, check your facts. On this very forum it wasn't me who first mentioned it. It's only when I asked a few people internally and that were using the same that I started using it.

is that because everything in the 3xx series has more or less been used, and the next available series (6xx) will presumably be used for the bi mode IEP, then, I presume?

There was a new group standard briefs which if I remember correctly stated that the 7xx series could mean dual voltage EMU and the 6xx were something else and I think your right that it was for the IEP style units. It's all been discussed on here a few months back but be dammed if I can remember what thread.
 
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