Schnellzug
Established Member
Having an option for new build bi-mode stock just sounds like an incentive for the DfT to not do a thorough job of wiring up routes, and leaving more unelectrified extremities than is really necessary. Is the additional cost of developing and constructing the Bi-mode IEP technology really less than electrifying an additional 40 miles of line or whatever in the long run, when you consider that plain electric vehicles would probably be lighter, causing less track wear, and all the power generation is done by a single source?
As for Voyagers, they are already here and are far too short, so adding pantograph coaches into the sets to provide some additional capacity makes sense, especially when IMO the only set of routes that is really suited to Bi-mode is Crosscountry, and London to North Wales.
But would those 40 miles or so be electrified just by themselves, just for the use of trains from London, or would they be part of some hypothetical larger scheme covering the whole area? If it was just purely for the benefit of trains from London, and DMUs still had to be used on the local services, would that possibly ever make any kind of economic sense?
And talking of the power generation being done by a single source, while that may be so, what would this power source be? Since successive governments have run down Nuclear power to appease public opinion, wouldn't that have to predominantly come from fossil fules; and so wouldn't the increase in emissions from them (and the amount of coal or gas that would have to be imported) quite possibly at least be the same as, if not considerably outweigh the savings from not using Diesel trains?
i'm not too sure about that, either; have you seen how much a Desiro weighs? :-/(electric vehicles would probably be lighter)