Not a good start for the FGW 180's

[jon0844]

I think that the 180's are fine for the route, I.e. two more carriages than the turbos, and a speed increase down the GWML on the Reading stretch might help make up time when there are delays. However we do know they are unreliable so I guess that's nothing unexpected. But I can't think of any other available rolling stock to use, so they'll have to do!

When they get going, they're on fire...

...literally!

 

[jopsuk]

I think the main reason for this is the competition with the coach which IIRC runs every 10 minutes to London. Am I right in thinking this does not apply to Cambridge ?

Very much so- and peak time, the (road) coaches are I believe rather more frequent on the Oxford-London route. There are of course additional factors in play- Kings Cross is much closer to where most commuters work than Paddington, and the road connection from the M11 to the centre much worse than from the M40.

Zoe- "service level" will mean nothing if a 2x5 car commuter IEP (definitely won't be Intercity style) seats less people than a 3x4 car 365.

 

[Zoe]

Zoe- "service level" will mean nothing if a 2x5 car commuter IEP (definitely won't be Intercity style) seats less people than a 3x4 car 365.

Is this commuter IEP just a different internal layout or are there other differences?

 

[scotsman]

Zoe- "service level" will mean nothing if a 2x5 car commuter IEP (definitely won't be Intercity style) seats less people than a 3x4 car 365.

Erm, what? You are trying to say that a TEN CAR new train will be pointless if it seats less than a TWELVE CAR old train it replaces...?

 

[jon0844]

With paths as they are, I can't see the successor to FCC being able to run many more trains - so there will be a problem if the 10 car trains seat a lot fewer than a 12 car 365.

Having said that, how many 12-car services are there a day (I ask without looking up)? Most are 8 aren't they? If the carriages are longer, it's possible that 10 will seat more - and be a big increase for the majority of the trains that operate.

 

[HSTEd]

it is likely that the Thameslink super-franchise holder would come under pressure to consolidate the non stop services into Liverpool street, its not as if King's Cross and Liverpool Street will be overloaded in terms of platform capacity post-Thameslink programme.

 

[jopsuk]

Having said that, how many 12-car services are there a day (I ask without looking up)? Most are 8 aren't they? If the carriages are longer, it's possible that 10 will seat more - and be a big increase for the majority of the trains that operate.

There are (if I recall correctly) three southbound morning and three northbound evening 12 car services. The one that I see in the morning leaves Cambridge with people standing throughout. There was a big fuss made about increasing capacity on peak trains on this route. Whilst the 8-car services are busy, they're not normally full and standing.

Of course, the 10 car IEP will be longer than the 12 car 365- 260m versus 240m (approx).