SpacePhoenix
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- 18 Mar 2014
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Can any Turbostars (classes 170-172) be retrofitted with corridor connections if the TOCs ever wanted? Presumably the whole of the cab would need replacing?
Well Porterbrook looked at the option of giving 319s new fronts with gangways and advertised it to TOCs and franchise bidders so if it's possible for a 319 I think it's possible for a 170. Whether any TOC would be willing to pay higher leasing costs for 170s with gangways is a different question.
Probably easier with a 319 because there's already a door on the front which was needed for emergency exit purposes when running on the old Farringdon - Moorgate section.
Whereas for a Turbostar it would necessitate a whole new cab moulding.
Probably easier with a 319 because there's already a door on the front which was needed for emergency exit purposes when running on the old Farringdon - Moorgate section.
Whereas for a Turbostar it would necessitate a whole new cab moulding.
I would have thought that a design of gangwayed cab already exists for the early Turbostar classes 170 & 171 since the Electrostar classes 375 and 377 already have them. I assume the vehicle bodies are very similar ?. But to convert might be involved.
The 172 already have a gangwayed cab in the case of London Midland - which makes them look remarkably like 377s as they approach.
someone mentioned in the past that turbostars are slightly wider than electrostars but only by a couple of inches i think.
Interesting question; it wouldn't be impossible. The only way would be to swap the entire cab end for a new one with an end gangway. You couldn't modify the old front, as evidenced below, due to the central pillar. However it would be expensive given the only advantage is for guard and passengers to pass through, not ever worth it.
Page 2 of this topic gives a good idea of what lies under the cab ends
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=123990&page=2
Vaguely related question; would a 172 fitted with a Dellner coupling, be able to attach to an Electrostar? (I.e with gangway and everything?) I rather hoped the last batches of Electrostars would have the 172 front considering it looks far smarter I find than the 37X fronts.
slightly off topic, but why do 376's have that design cab windows? Surely the 375 style cab would have done?
Porterbrook did propose a new redesigned front for the 319s with a gangway option and a non-gangway option to make the trains look modern. They've removed those concepts from their website now but I've found the non-gangway one via Google: http://dg8design.com/images/portfolio/319/main01.jpg
That has to be one of the worst looking concepts I have ever seen; it looks like Darth Vader with a severe case of jaundice.