If Scotrail releases all it's 170s in 2018, would it make sense to reform them into 4 an 2 car units? Then send 4x4car 170s to Southern to strengthen Uckfield services. 2 car units could be useful for Northern and TPEX services?
If Scotrail releases all it's 170s in 2018, would it make sense to reform them into 4 an 2 car units? Then send 4x4car 170s to Southern to strengthen Uckfield services. 2 car units could be useful for Northern and TPEX services?
Their 170s are 2 car usually paired to be 4 car.
When they do go theirs going to be huge demand for them. Personally I'd like to see them go to the Southwest for the Cardiff/Bristol - Penzance/Weymouth corridors to replace the woefully inadequate 150 and 153's.
Two car would probably be too short by then and just as wasteful to run them permanently coupled as it is with 2/3 unit Pacer formations or double sprinter formations.
When they do go theirs going to be huge demand for them. Personally I'd like to see them go to the Southwest for the Cardiff/Bristol - Penzance/Weymouth corridors to replace the woefully inadequate 150 and 153's.
So what I'd be proposing is 4 car sets and 2x2car sets. As I'd have thought on many routes 3 cars is inadequate, but 6 cars too much?Their 170s are 2 car usually paired to be 4 car.
They're paired because 2 car is seen as inadequate.
So what I'd be proposing is 4 car sets and 2x2car sets. As I'd have thought on many routes 3 cars is inadequate, but 6 cars too much?
Not sure that's very likely given there will be significant numbers of 165/166's going to the South West
Are 170s banned along the Manchester-Bolton-Preston line? I don't think they've ever worked North West TPE services, yet they've occasionally worked Liverpool-Scarborough services amongst more regular workings.
Not necessarily our(FGW) ops director was at Golden Whistle awards yesterday and in his speech said that FGW will be operating three fleets of trains and they only know for definite what one of them is... Very cryptic
Well given the gauge limitations of these trains (165/166) where else are they going to go?
Well given the gauge limitations of these trains (165/166) where else are they going to go?
That would be somewhat at odds with Network Rail's programme of gauge clearance work for the class 165/166 fleets on the South West routes that has been costed for the current control period.Not necessarily our(FGW) ops director was at Golden Whistle awards yesterday and in his speech said that FGW will be operating three fleets of trains and they only know for definite what one of them is... Very cryptic
Not necessarily our(FGW) ops director was at Golden Whistle awards yesterday and in his speech said that FGW will be operating three fleets of trains and they only know for definite what one of them is... Very cryptic
Are 170s banned along the Manchester-Bolton-Preston line? I don't think they've ever worked North West TPE services, yet they've occasionally worked Liverpool-Scarborough services amongst more regular workings.
If so it's probably a question of nobody having asked and done the paperwork rather than any major issue of compatibility. 170s were designed to go anywhere a 158 could go, though no doubt in practice it's a bit more complicated than that.
If Scotrail releases all it's 170s in 2018, would it make sense to reform them into 4 an 2 car units?
I don't think they will release all of them.
Transport Scotland have strong aspirations to expand and enhance services. It's far easier to introduce new and improved services when the stock is in place than trying to obtain additional stock.
Transport Scotland are not fond of the 170s and the franchise spec was written to include specific rolling stock requirements for each line which the 170s don't meet in some cases. They even go as far as saying toilets on board trains must not release odours in to the saloon, which possibly made bidders think twice about taking on the Voyagers currently with Virgin.
I had hoped that some would be retained for Fife Circle services. The 158s are really not well suited there and have some of the worst seats I have ever had the misfortune to sit in. I am always relieved when a 170 shows up at Dunfermline rather than a 158.
They need major investment. 401-424 will be around twenty years old when they are released. Some are in really bad condition. 170 failures occur every day and there was 3 or 4 on Saturday alone.
411 has been out of traffic for months now, heavily stripped up the depot. Even a coupler has been removed meaning it can only be moved from one end. Unlikely it can move under its own power. Several things have been used for spares for other units. Even one of the cabs is missing it's driving seat.
Leases must surely contain some sort or maintenance and condition clauses...
As such that would suggest some very serious bills for Scotrail. Porterbrook will almost certainly expect Scotrail either to restore them to a decent condition themselves or to cough up sufficient money for them as owner to do so....