The RMT has condemned the decision as a "political stitch up."
Cue a series of strikes on the West Coast Main Line in the run up to Christmas.
The RMT has condemned the decision as a "political stitch up."
I imagine that in a post-HS2 world tilt will be a thing of the past on the WCML. On the southern part, all the fastest trains will be on HS2, on the northern part all the principal trains will be non-tilting HS2 sets, surely no justification for maintaining tilt for secondary services. Nobody has UK gauge tilting trains in their catalogues, let alone tilting bi-modes and the numbers involved hardly make coming up with a bespoke design worthwhile.
I would think south of Preston that non-tilting trains could do 125mph for the most part without the curves being taken too dangerously, although I'm not certain for sure.
If they can get worthwhile stretches of non-tilt 125 mph on the MML, I'm sure that they can do the same on the (generally) less bendy WCML.I think if they could of, they would of...
A very bendy railway South of Preston as well as North.
It will need a lot of money again being put into the infrastructure, me thinks, to iron out some of those bends.
If they can get worthwhile stretches of non-tilt 125 mph on the MML, I'm sure that they can do the same on the (generally) less bendy WCML.
Its a condition of the path on the West Coast.Would having a tilt feature have to be part of the contract for ordering the new trains?
Not impressed first have it, they have been begging for the west coast for years!
I wonder if their 2 services an hour between london and liverpool is trying to stop virgin from taking a path for their liverpool services?
From a consumer point of view how will the change in franchise effect the pricing structure of the fares ? You can currently get some very competitive fares on the WCML between the West Midlands and the North West / Scotland. Are we going to see a hike in ticket prices or are they likely to remain the approximately same ? Improvements will come at a cost and inevitably the passenger will have to foot part of the bill.
Well, they are going to have to do something for non-tilting HS2 trains north of Crewe, and they will, which is why TPE has bought non-tilting 125mph trains for Manchester/Liverpool to Glasgow/Edinburgh services. On the southern section, I imagine there will be a blanket 110 mph in order to maximise capacity.I think you've got that wrong. If the WCML was (generally) less bendy, do you really think they would have gone for tilting trains?
Anyway it's going to be expensive to try and straighten some of the route out a bit for 125 mph running.
CynicThe extra services to Gobowen (as an extension to the daily Wrexham) and a daily service to Walsall seem a bit random.
Probably a member of the senior management team lives in those places and want a direct service.
I think there are 20 voyagers at the moment so an increase of 3 units overallSome things dont add up:
How many voyagers are with virgin at the moment?
13 bio mode and 10 electric trains to replace the voyagers? Is that enough
Especially since the bi modes work the wales services and the 10 electrics work the extra liverpool ones??
Also mentioned free wifi on trains? Virgin have done that already!
which is why TPE has bought non-tilting 125mph trains for Manchester/Liverpool to Glasgow/Edinburgh services.
Are they calling it "West Coast Rail" in an attempt to hijack the remaining goodwill and fond memories from "East Coast Trains", mess it (like First usually do - Great Western brand was messed so they rebranded to FGW which was messed so rebranded to GWR and now that is being messed by all the IET problems so what brand next once they run on electric reliably?) and reduce the public enthusiasm for nationalisation?So I guess the brand colours are navy blue (black?) and orange?
Brand name "West Coast Rail" ?
Hmm.
I think the commuters on the South Western franchise might disagree. On the plus side many bus drivers will be waking up happy this morning with the increase to staff travel now available.
“As part of the radical shake-up, Walsall will receive its first direct intercity services”
LNR already have a direct london service to walsall right?
So with LNER on the East Coast could we see a return to London, Midland and Scottish Railway on the West Coast
I think there are 20 voyagers at the moment so an increase of 3 units overall
To my mind it would make sense for the new EMUs to work the London-Birmingham service without buffets, whilst the Pendolini can be refurbished, retain buffets, and be concentrated on the longer distance services.Especially since the bi modes work the wales services and the 10 electrics work the extra liverpool ones??
Do you believe First actually offer this now? In my experience there was no overlap between bus and rail staff travel arrangements other than that Arriva Cymru bus drivers got ATW rail concessions too.
So, you think that HS2 trains will trundle up to Scotland at 110 mph? If the Class 397 was bought because it was cheap, it would surely have been cheaper if specified for 110 mph.No they bought the Class 397 because it was the cheapest (CAF) option available to them.
Iv'e not seen Network Rails plans for upgrading any part of the West Coast mainline yet, to non-EPS 125 mph running, and if they do it'll be years before we see any benefit at great expense.