Given that even their earliest potential withdrawal date is still years down the line (They won't be disabled compliant after 2019, but neither is it remotely likely that anything else will be coming in to replace them at that point), then who can say? Scrap, spot hire work, elaborate fantasies involving the driving cars of class 442s...
But mainly, as Clip outlines, a burgeoning second career as razor blades and baked beans tins beckons.No, the Meridians out-perform the HSTs. Both have the same maximum permitted speed of 125 m/h, but the Meridians have significantly better acceleration which allows them to work to faster timings. In performance terms it's the Meridians any time, but in comfort terms give me the HSTs any day—no engine-noise or vibration, no rattling luggage-racks, but above all, seats in first class properly aligned with the windows.
Really? How come then they have the name 'High Speed Trains' - is it a name that predated the Meridians and has stuck?
Of course it predates the Meridians: It's the name that was used to define the High Speed Diesel Train project when it was conceived in 1969.
This is the UK, so, yes, probably.
You only get one major main line electrification per generation, you know. Though it's probably the Midland Mainline's turn next - After the Great Western, it's probably the busiest main line in Europe to remain diesel worked. More practically, if HS2 trains are going to go "off piste" as planned and run onto the MML "classic" network to reach Sheffield, then you'd hope that they'd tie MML electrification into that (if it hasn't already been done), seeing as they'll have to electrify those bits anyway. So we might "only" have to wait until 2035 for Midland Mainline electrification! Quite the turnaround, I'm sure you'll agree. 
It's unlikely they would still use Neville Hill, as they only use it at the moment because the HSTs are there.
Just as well that plan is still going ahead along with the Corby electrification...
Yes, as far as I know. I've found it surprisingly difficult to ascertain definite weights for the class 800 series trains, but the two main values that I keep coming across suggest a weight per carriage for a pure electric class 801 set of either 46.6 or 52 tonnes per carriage. Which compares quite favourably to the 52 tonne weight of a power Pendolino vehicle, despite the extra length of the class 801.
The engine, cooler group, alternator etc. are all mounted on to frame that can easily be removed (forklift style) for swap in and out type maintenance so there is very little extra weight in the body shell as the frame mounting points were very carefully though out and integrated into the overall bodyshell design.
It was suggested on here somewhere that the Government had committed to this. Mind you it's the same government that un-committed to the previous committed electrification to Sheffield and Nottingham...
The bodyshell would have to be stronger and therefore heavier to provide the support for the relatively heavy engine (etc) raft, probably more so than if the different components were separately mounted to the body as the raft would be heavier than the sum of the parts and the load would be transferred to the bodyshell at fewer places. But I can't put a figure on this.
At some point between now and 2023 sure...
Data reception isn't great on Meridians either - I can only get 3G on a lot of the route were I can get 4G on the HST.
Even after that work has been completed (will it be ready in time for a rollout of new trains?), only around 55% of the way to Nottingham will have been electrified, and only around 40% of the way to Sheffield. Do these numbers really make for a convincing case for bi-modes? With no commitment to onward electrification either.
Are you a driver?
