My thought was with LNER and the Mk4s is that they are compliant for 2020 onward and still have a good use, and also East Midlands would then have compliant Class 80x s available now, because as much as the Midland Mainline needs and should benefit from new rolling stock we are talking 2-3 years before these would be available for passenger use. Look at all the delays with new stock, every single type having plenty problems and delays upto a year and more. In fact LNER have probably had the better roll out having learnt from GWRs problems.
Perhaps when the new builds were ready then the sets could be moved back to LNER for there use.
Keep the GWR Class 80x s as they need something better as i said for Cornwall, they would have to bring back HSTs for a while!!
That would go down well.
I would agree with you there, but we are talking 3 years away at best i reckon and this could have been an interim move and the Class 222 sets perhaps could be split and all made into 9 or 10 car units and still keeping there 125mph abilities.
Happy Days ish