True, Carmarthen and Hereford (perhaps Worcester too) don't justify electrification right now, but in my opinion Bristol - Weston S.M. and Swindon - Cheltenham might. Anyway, I'm not sure if there is enough time in CP5 to do more than has been anounced, a bit of a shame they plan to waste time converting 3rd rail to OHLE rather than electrifing Cheltenham and Weston S.M. though.Bear in mind that we will need bi-mode for the ECML too, and having a large order of GWML bi-modes makes the price more competitive (rather than just ordering ten for the ECML, which would make them more expensive per unit).
Despite the CP5 electrification there will always be places away from the wires that don't justify electrification (Carmarthen, Hereford, Weston...)
I would say however that, as things stand, we definiativly DO NOT need bi-mode on the ECML. Things might be different if the ECML open access operations were part of the East Coast franchise and Hull wasn't looking like getting wires early in CP6 (the wires going to Selby looks like they just run out of time/money for the period there), or East Coast's off-wire services were more frequent, but as things stand bi-mode on East Coast is about as DaFT as can be. Sharing locos with thunderbird and sleeper duties, dragging an 9-car IEP electric on the 7 trains per day each way that leave the wires sounds like a plan to me.
Just put class 180s on the London - Paignton and London - Exeter/Taunton trains that are slated for IEP, retain IC125s on the other services beyond Taunton and get some class 22xs converted to bi-mode for Cheltenham, Westbury and Worcester/Hereford.
As I said, the spec (if I remember rightly) seemed to suggest that 5-car bi-modes would not be expected to run in pairs, it would have been 5-car bi-mode plus 5-car electric. IEP might even be more stupid now than it was.Looks like there's no quick win with 'beyond the wires' operation then. Well done somebody! :roll: