What EMUs would you order for Chiltern Railways if their lines were electrified?

[43096]

they can be dragged by a Deltic.

Now you’re just being ridiculous!

 

[CBlue]

We’ve moved on from that. It’s now either 442s converted to 25kV or 442s being hauled by electric locos.

Not quite. Going by some posts on here 3rd rail or DC overhead electrification is the only solution to any problem and that 25kv AC is too dangerous.

It's almost like Edison vs. Westinghouse all over again.....

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

CAF Civity, but a mix of 397s as well as 331 to provide an appropriate unit for the commuter and intercity services with the economies that come being from the same product range.

I second that - I've seen interior shots and videos of the 397's and I must say I am impressed!

 

[gg1]

Now you’re just being ridiculous!

Okay, quadruple headed 20s then, 3 for haulage with the 4th converted into an ETHEL

 

[HST43257]

I really hope bi-modes won't be on the table when the Chiltern lines are eventually electrified. The Snow Hill lines have a decent case for electrification in their own right so it makes sense to do them at the same time as the southern end of the Chiltern route. That leaves you with the Oxford services, running on a half hourly frequency 80% under the wires which makes a strong case for extending electrification from Bicester to Oxford.

Mostly thinking in case they decide to not electrify the Bearley route or something

 

[Trainician]

A class 365 would a good choice for a electrified Chiltern Main Line

 

[365 Networker]

A class 365 would a good choice for a electrified Chiltern Main Line

I agree with using 365s, and they could also use the Renatus 321s which will be off-lease by the time the chiltern lines are electrified (if it ever happens).

 

[MatthewRead]

I agree with using 365s, and they could also use the Renatus 321s which will be off-lease by the time the chiltern lines are electrified (if it ever happens).

The trouble is the 365's have lost their third rail shoes so the line would need to be completely wired including the section shared with the Underground how is that going to work?

 

[Bevan Price]

For the longer distance services, Class 390s reduced to 6 or 7 coaches, converted to standard class only. (Using units displaced by HS2).
For the shorter distance stopping services -- whatever is the 2040s equivalent of a Class 350/3, but extended to 6 coaches.

 

[tbtc]

By the time Chiltern gets electrified, we might have had a few years of eliminating the majority of fare competition on the Birmingham - London corridor (fine for competing private companies to compete but I can't see one arm of a state controlled railway slashing fares to compete with another arm of a state controlled railway - there may be some mild incentive to dampen demand on the fastest services between Birmingham and London but nothing like the competition we saw in Virgin days)...

...and even if that isn't the case, we'll be getting close to HS2 opening (which will effectively turn the Pendolino operated New Street service into the "slower - and therefore cheaper" option, with hundreds more seats per hour between the cities...

...so my hunch would be that Chiltern would be squeezed out of the longer distance market and focussing more on journeys to/from the "Chilterns" (rather than the city to city longer distance passengers)...

...in which case something broadly similar to 350/2s (rather than anything particularly long distance) - although the 350/2s might be getting pretty life expired by the time we see any next big electrification process.

 

[randyrippley]

missed opportunity: the Eurostar NOL sets would have been ideal, capable of working over the DC electrics around London as well as the AC.
Relatively underused as well compared with other second hand EMU stock

 

[MarkyT]

missed opportunity: the Eurostar NOL sets would have been ideal, capable of working over the DC electrics around London as well as the AC.
Relatively underused as well compared with other second hand EMU stock

A bit over the top for the route. They also spent their later years leased to SNCF where they worked hard on domestic high-speed routes, so I think their accumulated kilometrage may have been higher than you suspected. I believe they've all been withdrawn now.

 

[Domh245]

Not to mention the length of the units (at ~312m), and the high speed (ie lower acceleration) on a 100mph railway - a much shortened set might just about be OK for the current Loco Hauled services

 

[Purple Orange]

By the time it’s electrified, I’d cascade the HS2 CC stock.

 

[365 Networker]

The trouble is the 365's have lost their third rail shoes so the line would need to be completely wired including the section shared with the Underground how is that going to work?

Surely they would use overhead electrification? I didn’t think that Network Rail where allowed to install any more third rail equipment.

 

[Neptune]

Surely they would use overhead electrification? I didn’t think that Network Rail where allowed to install any more third rail equipment.

On the LU section to Amersham.

 

[CBlue]

On the LU section to Amersham.

It's 4th rail along there anyway so I don't think you'll be getting the 365's to work with that.

Far better off putting wires up for Chiltern to use.

 

[Domh245]

It's 4th rail along there anyway so I don't think you'll be getting the 365's to work with that.

Far better off putting wires up for Chiltern to use.

Not necessarily. A Wimbledon/Richmond branch style arrangement would allow third rail fitted stock to work the route

Wires really may not be the best solution here, given the length and small tunnels into Marylebone and the complicated return path arrangements (as well as the fact that it's LU owned infrastructure, so they say what goes and I can't see them being too keen on a non-standard for them installation) a Battery EMU is almost certainly what we'll see.

 

[cle]

It is as real shame that Watford Junction didn't happen. That might have enabled a split, with anything to Rickmansworth being wired. It could be like that today, but the demand to Watford LUL is much lower. And not enough paths to cover Chesham (and more Amersham) out of Marylebone - unless trains were much longer.

The Metroland Met to Aylesbury solution is bonkers.