Failed Unit
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Splitting this to avoid taking the EMR rolling stock thread off topic.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...idlands-franchise.180920/page-85#post-4390662
I am not sure if EMR will always be quicker, if you are say travelling from Luton - Westminster you may find it quicker to use Thameslink and change at Blackfriars rather than St Pancras.
I will be interesting to see how the demand gets split. I guess it will be on the lines of the following.
1. Speed to your ultimate destination (Thameslink may be slower to St Pancras but quicker depending on where the ultimate destination is)
2. Price.
3. Comfort - To early to tell which service you are more likely to get a seat on, but I will be surprised if either operator will have a problem at Luton Airport Parkway. EMR will have to do a shocking refurbishment if the 360s end up worse for passenger comfort then the 700s. We will see.
4. Reliablity - Time will tell but people the EMR service may be more reliable as it doesn't have to deal with problems from the Brighton Mainline. The Northern Rail Halifax - Hull service is currently welcome because it runs, whereas TPEs are often cancelled.
You also get the factor that people prefer an easier life. For example people use the Welwyn Garden City - Moorgate service throughout because they like the fact it starts at WGC and they don't think changing at Finsbury Park is worth the 10 minute saving considering you may have to stand (or may not get on the connection at all)
I do take comfort as a big plus to the extent that I always do London - Glasgow on the East Coast operator and if I was doing Edinburgh - Leeds I would always change at York because I find the LNER trains a better enviroment then the Voyagers and Pendos (My personal opinion - other may disagree with it but it still influences my choice)
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...idlands-franchise.180920/page-85#post-4390662
Running 12 cars in the peak will be needed because there will be a shift of commuters from using Thameslink at Bedford, Luton and Luton Parkway onto the faster EMR Electrics and a shift of leisure users at weekends.
Off Peak I’m not sure we need 12 cars but we see.
I am not sure if EMR will always be quicker, if you are say travelling from Luton - Westminster you may find it quicker to use Thameslink and change at Blackfriars rather than St Pancras.
I will be interesting to see how the demand gets split. I guess it will be on the lines of the following.
1. Speed to your ultimate destination (Thameslink may be slower to St Pancras but quicker depending on where the ultimate destination is)
2. Price.
3. Comfort - To early to tell which service you are more likely to get a seat on, but I will be surprised if either operator will have a problem at Luton Airport Parkway. EMR will have to do a shocking refurbishment if the 360s end up worse for passenger comfort then the 700s. We will see.
4. Reliablity - Time will tell but people the EMR service may be more reliable as it doesn't have to deal with problems from the Brighton Mainline. The Northern Rail Halifax - Hull service is currently welcome because it runs, whereas TPEs are often cancelled.
You also get the factor that people prefer an easier life. For example people use the Welwyn Garden City - Moorgate service throughout because they like the fact it starts at WGC and they don't think changing at Finsbury Park is worth the 10 minute saving considering you may have to stand (or may not get on the connection at all)
I do take comfort as a big plus to the extent that I always do London - Glasgow on the East Coast operator and if I was doing Edinburgh - Leeds I would always change at York because I find the LNER trains a better enviroment then the Voyagers and Pendos (My personal opinion - other may disagree with it but it still influences my choice)