New CAF and Bombardier stock for West Midlands Trains

[dp21]

Nothing that I can find online is particularly clear, but as I understand it, Scharfenberg* is the type of coupler, Dellner is a company that makes them (or a variant of). Similar to how Janney, Tightlock and AAR couplers are all Knuckle couplers.


*Anything with the cone and cup style is strictly speaking a Scharfenbergs

Spot on

 

[59CosG95]

I am actually surprised they didn't go fixed-formation for the Cross City.

Can the existing depots accommodate 6 car though?

I certainly didn't know about Soho's 6-car restriction (hinted at in post #265) but I suspect the reason to keep them in 3-car formation is to maximise operational flexibility in case of unit failures. Better having half a train out of service than a full one.

The Soho point is apparently moot though, as WMT is looking to build a new depot at Duddeston (taken from Today's Railways UK Issue 194) on the site of the old wagon works; construction's expected to begin in August. Soho would then become a stabling point.