Did GA make the right choice?

[Energy]

It seems to me that GA bought a whole load of trouble by not following the fairly standard procurement model used by other TOCs when acquiring new rolling stock.

The Flirts almost definitely would have won anyway due to basically the only regional bimode train, I do wonder about the Bombardiers whether GA had made the right choice, skipping the procurement model gives bad value for money and pre-covid GA's finances weren't particularly great.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wouldn't say they've got it massively wrong. The one thing I'd say they have is in using FLIRTs for StanEx rather than Aventras (and dropping the name or just putting it on the PIS). Would have been better to have all Norwich services FLIRT operated rather than just most of them.

Declaration of interest; I'm a Stadler fan

 

[Rhydgaled]

The Flirts almost definitely would have won anyway due to basically the only regional bimode train, I do wonder about the Bombardiers whether GA had made the right choice, skipping the procurement model gives bad value for money and pre-covid GA's finances weren't particularly great.

Presumably a regional version of the bi-mode Aventra would be possible - although originally designed for InterCity services surely it wouldn't need many design changes to create a regional version. Also, CAF offer a bi-mode version of their Civity regional trains (which I believe has been ordered for New South Wales, although I'm not sure if they have a more generous loading gauge than the UK) so the FLIRTs were far from the only bi-mode option available.

Personally I think Aventra for the suburban services (though perhaps with a different interiors and absolutely with unit end gangways especially now the 10-car version has been ditched in favour of 5-cars all round) and FLIRTs for the regional routes look like good choices to me. It's the 745s that look like a poor choice although what else they could have done is not obvious. Could Hitachi put shorter noses and plug doors on an electric-only AT300?

 

[gingerheid]

The Flirts are amazing; the best trains in the UK and possibly Europe since 225s! I'm pretty sure I'd even rather do London - Glasgow on a Flirt than most other stock on the network.

 

[XAM2175]

Also, CAF offer a bi-mode version of their Civity regional trains (which I believe has been ordered for New South Wales, although I'm not sure if they have a more generous loading gauge than the UK) so the FLIRTs were far from the only bi-mode option available.

It's worth noting that the NSW order was diesel-only until it was converted to bi-mode in late 2019, and if my understanding is correct they haven't actually built any bi-mode Civities yet, for anybody. Stadler's product was at least proven in use on the continent, even though they hadn't ever delivered stock for the UK before.

Regarding the loading gauge; yes, there's quite a bit more room. The Xplorer/Endeavour DMU vehicles they're replacing are 25.25 metres long, 2921 mm wide, and 4110 mm high - basically a little bit smaller than UIC GB.

 

[ABB125]

In what way didn't GA follow the standard procurement model? I would've thought that following "procurement law" is non-negotiable for a company with (even before coronavirus) very close ties to the government.