tbtc
Veteran Member
The announcement that FGW are getting their 180s back and a handful of additional 150 carriages means that the post-172 cascade has almost been completed.
Who were the biggest winners/ losers?
London Overground: Got a brand new DMU fleet, with the 172s replacing the 150s. They seem to have done best out of it.
London Midland: Gained twenty seven 172s, and were allowed to keep a small number of 150s (so the overall fleet number increased). Came out of it well.
FGW: Gained a decent number of 150s, albeit with the loss of 142s. Still it leaves them with more DMUs, and bigger ones on average too (since the 142s were each replaced by a 150). Add in the 180s and they've had a good cascade.
ATW: Got their rented 150s back from FGW, which allows them to run them on routes like the Cheltenham - Maesteg, freeing up a 158 for the Cambrian. Not too bad... but still stuck with the same old Pacers.
Northern: A mixed bag. The loss of the fifteen 180 carriages means they have no more post-privatisation DMUs. However the poor availability of these units meant that they only rostered for two in use at any one time, and two 180s are broadly equivalent to four 150/156s. They also lost four 156s to EMT. Whilst the return of the 142s worsens the average age, the overall capacity at Northern (including the cascaded 150s) did increase. However there is arguably the greatest need here for further capacity, which was not really addressed.
EMT: Gained four 156s (to free up 158s for capacity enhancements between Nottingham and Liverpool), all good news (although quite limited, given the number of units sloshing around the country, and it will still mean single coach 153s on routes like Derby - Stoke - Crewe). Good, but not idea.
Scotrail: Not directly involved, although you could argue that Northern's gain of 150s allowed FSR to keep the 158s that they had on loan (that should have headed south when the Bathgate line was electrified, but are being used on capacity enhancements like the Aberdeen - Inverness route).
So, ignoring London Overground (as they clearly got the best deal), who do you reckon "had a good cascade" and who didn't get what they really needed?
(I know that Chiltern gained 172s too, but as they lost nothing, they aren't really part of any "cascade")
Who were the biggest winners/ losers?
London Overground: Got a brand new DMU fleet, with the 172s replacing the 150s. They seem to have done best out of it.
London Midland: Gained twenty seven 172s, and were allowed to keep a small number of 150s (so the overall fleet number increased). Came out of it well.
FGW: Gained a decent number of 150s, albeit with the loss of 142s. Still it leaves them with more DMUs, and bigger ones on average too (since the 142s were each replaced by a 150). Add in the 180s and they've had a good cascade.
ATW: Got their rented 150s back from FGW, which allows them to run them on routes like the Cheltenham - Maesteg, freeing up a 158 for the Cambrian. Not too bad... but still stuck with the same old Pacers.
Northern: A mixed bag. The loss of the fifteen 180 carriages means they have no more post-privatisation DMUs. However the poor availability of these units meant that they only rostered for two in use at any one time, and two 180s are broadly equivalent to four 150/156s. They also lost four 156s to EMT. Whilst the return of the 142s worsens the average age, the overall capacity at Northern (including the cascaded 150s) did increase. However there is arguably the greatest need here for further capacity, which was not really addressed.
EMT: Gained four 156s (to free up 158s for capacity enhancements between Nottingham and Liverpool), all good news (although quite limited, given the number of units sloshing around the country, and it will still mean single coach 153s on routes like Derby - Stoke - Crewe). Good, but not idea.
Scotrail: Not directly involved, although you could argue that Northern's gain of 150s allowed FSR to keep the 158s that they had on loan (that should have headed south when the Bathgate line was electrified, but are being used on capacity enhancements like the Aberdeen - Inverness route).
So, ignoring London Overground (as they clearly got the best deal), who do you reckon "had a good cascade" and who didn't get what they really needed?
(I know that Chiltern gained 172s too, but as they lost nothing, they aren't really part of any "cascade")