IEP and GWML clarification on ETCS....

[jopsuk]

Under the current specification, which looks like it might be re-assessed again, a 5-car IEP train will have 59 first class seats and 250 standard class seats,

For Cambridge services, this means a huge reduction in Standard Class seating at peak time. Current 365 12 car formations have something like 717 Standard class seats. So a 2*5 car IEP will have only 500. In 1st class, 12 car 365 gives 72 seats, versus an increase to 118 for a 2*5 IEP.

Not great in commuter terms...

 

[HSTEd]

Are they still ordering 35 Bi-mode sets of five carriages each for the ECML?

Where on earth are they all going to go? That woudl give them drastically increased diesel capacity even compared to now, while all indications are that diesel is over-provided compared to electric capacity and wlil only become more so (Hull electrification and so on).

Are we going to have Bi-modes working all electric diagrams or something to make the order large enough to be viable?

 

[Nym]

Are we going to have Bi-modes working all electric diagrams or something to make the order large enough to be viable?

Probably, the business case for Bi Mode is getting weaker and weaker...

Especially now most people who actually think about it have realised that if HSTs need life extension anyway, they can soldier on till a load of stock is freed up by HS2/MML Electrification.

 

[HSTEd]

About the only way i can think of the Bi Mode order actually making sense would be folding Grand Central's Sunderland and Bradford operation into the ICEC franchise next time around, along with (I believe) the remains of the non Thameslink component of FCC.
Even then the Bradford operation is pretty pointless when you can run all electric Bradford trains into Forster Square and there is still a huge oversupply of bimodes and undersupply of new electric stock.

 

[ainsworth74]

About the only way i can think of the Bi Mode order actually making sense would be folding Grand Central's Scarborough and Bradford operation into the ICEC franchise next time around, along with (I believe) the remains of the non Thameslink component of FCC.

Sorry what!?

 

[HSTEd]

Sorry what!?

Oops, sorry, Sunderland.

I keep getting them mixed up.