http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/piccadilly-circus-pontypridd-could-london-9319837
According to the South Wales Echo and it's sister website (linked above), ATW are about to enter talks with Vivarail to get hold of some of its D-trains to boost capacity across the ATW network.
The Heart of Wales line, as well as branches in West and North Wales are mentioned, with either D-trains working those lines to free up 150s for the Valleys, or the D-trains being deployed onto the Valleys lines themselves.
According to the article D-trains could arrive in Wales 'as early as next spring'.
TBH this article doesn't surprise me. With all the focus on these forums on the Northern franchise and the capacity problems there, it's been forgotten that ATW has just as bad capacity problems on nearly all of it's routes, especially the valleys. The valleys has decrepit 142s to get rid of as well!
With franchise renewal for ATW just a few years away now, could ATW use getting some D-trains as extra capacity as a way of saying 'look, we've listened and now we ARE doing something?'
With electrification of the valley lines looking to be another 10 years away, as much as having second hand, 35 year old stock isn't ideal or the answer to capacity issues long term, if D-trains can provide the relief capacity that the valleys need until electrification, and the valleys then DO actually get NEW rolling stock with electrification, then surely this can't be too bad for the ATW network?
According to the South Wales Echo and it's sister website (linked above), ATW are about to enter talks with Vivarail to get hold of some of its D-trains to boost capacity across the ATW network.
The Heart of Wales line, as well as branches in West and North Wales are mentioned, with either D-trains working those lines to free up 150s for the Valleys, or the D-trains being deployed onto the Valleys lines themselves.
According to the article D-trains could arrive in Wales 'as early as next spring'.
TBH this article doesn't surprise me. With all the focus on these forums on the Northern franchise and the capacity problems there, it's been forgotten that ATW has just as bad capacity problems on nearly all of it's routes, especially the valleys. The valleys has decrepit 142s to get rid of as well!
With franchise renewal for ATW just a few years away now, could ATW use getting some D-trains as extra capacity as a way of saying 'look, we've listened and now we ARE doing something?'
With electrification of the valley lines looking to be another 10 years away, as much as having second hand, 35 year old stock isn't ideal or the answer to capacity issues long term, if D-trains can provide the relief capacity that the valleys need until electrification, and the valleys then DO actually get NEW rolling stock with electrification, then surely this can't be too bad for the ATW network?
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