444 coaches are slightly longer as well I think.
As well as the things listed above a 4 car 450 has Bi parting doors, one standard toilet, one universal toilet, one compressor, two TCU's, two ACU's and one set of batteries. While a 5 car 444 has single leaf doors, one universal toilet, three standard toilets, two compressors, two TCU's, three ACU's and two sets of batteries.
Okay, given that the 350 is really no different than the 450 other than the 350/0 having 2+2 seating, why is it then that when the order goes through next year for some new 350's to be built for London Midland will some be going to Trans Penine which I would have thought would be more suitable to an pantograph version of the Class 444?
*and you try saying "for the 444".
why is it then that when the order goes through next year for some new 350's to be built for London Midland will some be going to Trans Penine which I would have thought would be more suitable to an pantograph version of the Class 444?
As well as the other very valid points that have been made, you also have to consider that the reason this order is going through fairly quickly and without having to be put out to tender is that it is considered a follow on order of 350s for LM (of which 10 will be sub-leased to TPE). I think if you were ordering 444s (which are obviously a new type for LM) you would not be able to claim it's a follow on order and would be forced to put it out to tender which would delay the order.
Off topic, but I took my first (and probably last) journey on a 460 on Tuesday night. It was the most comfortable EMU I've travelled on - if SWT could refurbish the 458s to that standard it'd be great to see them in use on the long distance routes in place of the 450s.
A shame LM can't order more 350s and sublease them to SWT (allowing a few 455s to go to Southern, thus sorting out the capacity issues on TOCs south of the Thames)...
even if a couple of swt 455's went over to southern, I doubt they would get used as all southerns stock is DOO where as swt 455 fleet had the DOO capability removed when they were refurbished, so southern would either have to make sure they had a guard on those services or the driver would have get out the driving seat and operate the doors like the guards do with the operating panel in the vestabule, the latter wouldn't be very practical for passenger trains.
One major difference (from my point of view anyway) is I can drive a 450 fine, where-as on the 444 because they are a few inches narrower I keep bashing my left elbow on the grab rail.
The Wikipedia article on the Desiro family provides a decent summary of the differences between the 444 and 450: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiro#Desiro_UK
I think the colour schemes used by SWT were originally intended to reflect the nature of the routes each family of units covers, with red (455) being the inner suburban network, blue (450) being the outer suburban network and white (444, 458, 158, 159) being the long distance network. However, since the 442s went off lease the 450s are in regular service on the long distance network (in some cases running in multiple with a 444) so it doesn't really mean anything now.
Off topic, but I took my first (and probably last) journey on a 460 on Tuesday night. It was the most comfortable EMU I've travelled on - if SWT could refurbish the 458s to that standard it'd be great to see them in use on the long distance routes in place of the 450s.
... so sparing some 444s for Portsmouth services. Maybe it's something to do with diagrams for peak hour services.
Thanks for the replies.
It's strange that they would make two near-on identical sets, but have one just inches wider.
How are the two "near identical"?
The bodyshells are completely different designs and the only thing similar is the front end and even then (if you look close enough) they are different.
I would also go on to point out there also seems to be differences between the 450's and 350's apart from the 350's having a pantograph on them.