Thameslink, London Overground, TfL Rail, GWR Electrostars all resulted in big capacity increases compared to what went before?
Whereas in the North we’ve got Northern getting brand new 2 car trains...
you have brand new shiny trains capable of running over the same stretch of 40+ year old bullhead rail,with yo-yo speed limits (between 15 and 60mph,with the occasional 75mph burst)and signalling that belongs in last the century before last.
it wouldn't matter if you are running a pacer or one of the new 195's,apart from capacity(which as you say is a minimal improvement given the PRM specifiactions)
the fact is you need to deal with the REAL nuts and bolts of service improvements first.
if you improve the linespeed then you can improve service frequency and reduce commuting/transit times..I say transit times because many of these routes still do have an economic impact,albeit seasonal.in the case of coastal routes it might make the difference between someone staying in or going for a day out/staycation instead of booking a holiday abroad.
3 hours each on a train with a screaming kid or 3 in tow is not fun.2 hours however is just about bearable!
for london it's nearly all about commuting, so the capacity increase takes precedence.
for other sections of the network,there is a balance to be struck in order to reduce costs and increase patronage full stop.
in terms of running costs it doesn't cost a whole lot more to replace a 195/170 over a 153 for instance, but the passenger take up needs to be there,or be created.
One has to have an eye on the route as it is already loss making....the million dollar question is how to reduce those losses.
staff costs is obvious,
then there's overall running and maintenance costs
then there's actually doing something to entice people to use the service-this is the remit of local councils if anything.
They could do something like a "seasonal" business rate or more lenient licencing for for off peak events..so butlins/campsites/caravan parks etc can stay open another couple of weeks per year.That would not only benefit butlins ,hoteliers and so on but also local pubs/eateries, something to keep the kids entertained (lets say funfair or go kart park )etc