153305 - FGW Refurb!

[thefab444]

In my opinion, they're both to blame. Why couldn't FGW reinvest some of their profits into a semi-permanent hire of say 5 rakes of 6 Mark 2s with top 'n' tail 47s (some from Cotswold and some from Riviera?) for usage on the busiest Wessex area services (for example Taunton - Gloucester/Cardiff/Worcester etc. and Portsmouth - Cardiff). The 47s would ensure a fairly large basher contigent, especially if the services ran on Saturdays too.

The added investment of even 2 LHCS trains would surely pay off AND be beneficial to customers across the network (who doesn't get the LHCS will get the units displaced by it, in theory). FGW have proved they can do it with the one-off (?) shuttles a few weeks ago, so why can't they do that regularily?

 

[devon_metro]

The shuttle didn't run I don't think.

Thing is, FGW could easily fund a whole new DMU fleet but as the railways are a business, apparantly, it doesn't happen.

 

[thefab444]

They did, I bashed them.

By which I mean the Bristol - Chippenham shuttles, not the proposed Taunton - Cardiff ones. They were caped.

 

[devon_metro]

Ah - fair enough

 

[Jim]

I shall rephrase...

Quite moaning at FGW, redirect anger at the DafT/Department for Tarmac

Why, FGW split the 3 car units - not DfT? The timetable was fine before FGW took over and cocked it all up - and DfT didn't chnge that many needs in the West did they?

 

[Mojo]

The DfT has decided to underwrite only a certain number of vehicles, meaning some units had to go off lease and others had to be split to be reformed.

The DfT also tries to discourage operators from buying their own trains as it causes problems should the company go under or the franchise be removed - the DfT don't want to be left with the burden. Similarly they want services to only be run by the allocated units and rolling stock they know they've got for similar reasons.

 

[class 313]

The DfT also tries to discourage operators from buying their own trains as it causes problems should the company go under or the franchise be removed - the DfT don't want to be left with the burden. Similarly they want services to only be run by the allocated units and rolling stock they know they've got for similar reasons.

Doesn't First Group own a few of their HST Power Cars?

 

[Tom]

Yep, but the HST fleet isn't really a problem. It's much more the 'West' fleet.

 

[Mojo]

Yes, they do. The DfT were notified about this as they knew it would reduce their costs. It wasn't an ideal situation, and relying on any more vehicles that don't belong to RoSCOs isn't likely to happen.