Just got to pull them out of the hole that they’re currently in condition-wise considering the state they were in when they moved across from GA - I went on one a few weeks ago and it was simply not acceptable.
None as the specs and contract awards are still being finalised
Nope, and at this rate, the 810s will likely come out before the 360s get refurbished...
So after two-and-a-half-years of Abellio running EMR, they haven't refurbished a single train.
Not on the Intercity side ,no.
And, to add to that, Covid doesn’t really wash as an excuse anymore.
It’s like I’ve said before - I 100% guarantee had Stagecoach and Arriva not been disqualified and First/Trenitalia not pulled out, this franchise would not be operated by Abellio.
Somebody has to make a complaint to the ASA about the advert first.
0Z47 47739 dep 1005 Wembley - CW
At the time the government said that although the other bids had been disqualified Abellio had the best bid and would have won anyway.
That's the Abellio way. PR spin is a big part of their operation. They'll have had the best bid because they'll have promised to do the most, whether or not they had any intention of actually delivering it. Covid has proven an easy excuse to abandon plenty of franchise agreement promises that could still have happened even with the pandemic. Just a get out of jail free card. It's unfortunate but they're far from the only TOC that do it.
….waves from South Western Railway land…. First Group very much love the PR Bandwagon too. Unfortunately, what backs it up is equally severely lacking.
Yep indeed; but the DfT don’t seem that bothered - and so long as EMR get their management fee and aren’t really challenged on their performance, nothing will change unfortunately.
Sounds about right. The 360s look tired on the inside - they're essentially 20 year old trains with no refurbishments - so 3+2 seating (not something the MML has had before), no tables, no plug sockets, a lower top speed than even the older Intercity 125s, and on some formations, 4 coach trains. An example today being the one that follows the 17:53 out of Wellingborough - that was only 4 coaches, not 8, and far from the 12 coaches we were promised in the peak.
360101
The marketing team do the best with what they have to work with - they have no choice but to keep putting lipstick on the pig for as long as EMR kick the can down the road with the 360 refurbishments and maintenance. They've been at Eastleigh for months with not one unit's interior completed. The failings of management or operations aren't the problem of the marketing team.
The main issue is that Eastleigh are only doing the repaint and presumably corrosion repair. The tender for interior refurbishment has not yet been awarded as far as I am aware, this means that you'll be lucky to see the first refurbished unit this year.
I had heard Brodies were doing it, but if the contract has not been signed then I am genuinely concerned for the good MMLers who may not even see refurbished trains due to the DfT cost cutting. Two years ago was their last chance to sign off a refurbishment program before the direct award system took over.
I personally think that leasing costs aside, 3/4s of the 379s should have transferred over instead. EMR most likely took on the 360s due to their cheap leasing costs and that sister franchise WMT has a Siemens depot close(ish) by to do the 110mph mods and maintenance.
