fairysdad
Member
Were there ever any thoughts towards an early type of bi-mode by using different multiple units? For instance, coupling a 150 and a 455 together to have a diesel-third-rail hybrid? I know nothing like this happened, but were there ever any plans, or even just a consideration that this might be possible?
I use the 150/455 option as an example, not because I think it would work with these two classes, but from the outward appearance (from a passenger POV) they are the same, both derived from the Mk III coaches. I know that the actual workings of these trains are completely different - not least because one is diesel and one is electric! - but maybe when they were being designed and built, or even as-built before the years of alterations and refurbishments etc have diverged them even more.
Would this even be possible now - for instance (not that there would be any use for it), the thread on the 'locked door' on the 350s suggests that this particular subclass of the 350s was after an order of 450s was curtailed, with the implication that aside from the 450s being third-rail and the 350s being overhead, they are basically the same type of train (again, alterations and refurbishments notwithstanding).
Of course, in today's world of new trains, this would be very unlikely to happen with different manufacturers doing different things according to what the specific TOCs and the DfT want to do. But in theory, could this happen now? Not like the 80x units which is one train that can be diesel or electric, but two independent units, one of which can be used as a DMU when on its own, one of which is an EMU on its own, but can couple together to use whichever traction is necessary like an 80x unit does. I guess there's no need for this at all, given that the bi-mode options can be fitted into one unit, but this is just in theory.
(Of course, 'in theory', anything is possible, so perhaps it's more of a practical-theory rather than a theoretical-theory question!)
I use the 150/455 option as an example, not because I think it would work with these two classes, but from the outward appearance (from a passenger POV) they are the same, both derived from the Mk III coaches. I know that the actual workings of these trains are completely different - not least because one is diesel and one is electric! - but maybe when they were being designed and built, or even as-built before the years of alterations and refurbishments etc have diverged them even more.
Would this even be possible now - for instance (not that there would be any use for it), the thread on the 'locked door' on the 350s suggests that this particular subclass of the 350s was after an order of 450s was curtailed, with the implication that aside from the 450s being third-rail and the 350s being overhead, they are basically the same type of train (again, alterations and refurbishments notwithstanding).
Of course, in today's world of new trains, this would be very unlikely to happen with different manufacturers doing different things according to what the specific TOCs and the DfT want to do. But in theory, could this happen now? Not like the 80x units which is one train that can be diesel or electric, but two independent units, one of which can be used as a DMU when on its own, one of which is an EMU on its own, but can couple together to use whichever traction is necessary like an 80x unit does. I guess there's no need for this at all, given that the bi-mode options can be fitted into one unit, but this is just in theory.
(Of course, 'in theory', anything is possible, so perhaps it's more of a practical-theory rather than a theoretical-theory question!)