Thoughts are with the family and those involved.
The words "dead horse" and "flogging" come to mind about anyone trying to shove 442s to other franchises now.
A sense of proportion is required here.
There may well be plenty of valid reasons why the class 442 won't be used elsewhere, however one isolated incident involving one droplight window, which could easily have bars fitted if deemed desirable, definitely isn't such a reason.
At the end of the day, tragic though the incident is, choosing to lean out of a window is one's own choice, and is a calculated risk. I certainly would not expect major expense to be incurred eradicating a "risk" which is basically non existant if one does not choose to lean out. I'd prefer any money to go towards level crossing safety instead, which for me is a far more deserving issue.
If a knee-jerk reaction to this incident results in a major push to eradicate any window where there's any possibility of leaning out (basically a comparatively small fleet comprising 442s, HSTs and MK3s - any others?), I'd be more concerned about preserved railways, where just about every vehicle has such windows in some form or another. Many enthusiasts do enjoy leaning out, and evidently it's not been a major issue over many years as otherwise some form of action would have already been taken.
