If I was in charge of the entire network, and could do a few "gauge enhancements" (plus some major wiring) I'd a have a common-platform fleet consisting of an Intercity, long distance commuter/rural routes, suburban and metro EMUs. Different seating/door arrangements for each of these four, with all double decker, but especially the second one would come in various lengths to suit route requirements. Commonality of design and parts would ease maintenance and thus hopefully reliability. However, my dreams of reboring the Underground, relaying the track as 2m track gauge etc are clearly mental, even if having ultimate planning authority (and the go-ahead to add si more running tunnels to the Chunnel, several tunnels to Ireland etc) would be nice.
So
In my "only slightly more affordable" rolling stock plan:
Nationalise! Not just the TOCs, but Bombardier trains UK too, taking the *star designs with it.
Intercity fleet
Standardise at a TEN car/loco formation with selective door opening.
Loco hauled
Mark 3
Buy up and refurbish the Irish Mrk3 stock, and refurbish and reform ALL UK Mrk3 stock. Include the HST stock in this. The HST as is will cease to exist*. Large batch of DVTs to be built. New formation:
A__ B_ C_ D__ E__ F__ G__ H__ I__ J
DVT FO FO RBF TSO TSO TSO TSO TSO Loco
To be hauled by new CoCo 140mph locos built on a common platform, one Diesel, one Electric- with a sub-class of Dual Voltage electric locos (speed limited on third rail pickup). Where needed, loco swaps to occur. Carriages and locos to have autocouplers to assist this. Diesel Locos to be able to rescue failed MUs
Refurbishment to include:
Power doors
Seating layout as for WSMR
All mod cons- wifi throughout, power sockets for every seat etc. Sensible compromise on toilets (with properly thought through retention tanks)
140mph capable bogies
Mark 4
to be shortened into the same formation, and given an overhaul similar to the Mark 3s plus: tilting! Carriages liberated by shortening to be formed into new sets with new build DVTs. All 91s to be replaced in the same loco order as for mrk3s
Mark 3 Sleepers
Formed up with DVT. Mark 2 seated sleeper and lounge cars to be replaced with Mark 3s (converted as needed). All sets therefore to consist of DVT+Seated Sleeper+Lounge+six sleeper carriages+loco. Wifi, power sockets etc as for day stock.
Multiple units:
All reformed into 10 car units.
Coaches B-I as for the loco hauled sets. Driving carriage A to be half first class with large luggage compartment. Driving carriage J to be the same but standard class. Interior as far as possible to be identical to the loco hauled refurb.
Class details
Class 180: meet the gas axe, the smelter, goodbye. Suppose if someone insists on preserving one they can...
220 and 221: major overhaul. 220s to become tilting 221s.
222s: Reformed and refurbed as above
390s: ditto the 222s
442s: Reformed, refurbed inside. New running gear and control systems to based on Desiros, and a new cab exterior as they're now ten car and thus not going to be running in multiple. Fitted with AC equipment including pantographs for possible dual-voltage running
444s: Reformed, interior refurbed, fitted with pantographs and new cab exterior.
One more bit: on the MUs, coaches A and J would never be reservable. One effect this would have is that reservations would always, always map between different classes, so that if a last minute substitution was needed (due to failure etc) everything would just work...
Rural, Suburban and Metro fleets
Standard features: Bin DOO, have SDO on all fleets, any unit of six cars or less to have unit-end gangways allowing passengers to move between units. Same standard autocoupler as fitted to the the intercity locos, rakes and units. Wifi, though power sockets not always standard.
No first class. At all. A big step to take, yes. Likely to be unpopular amongst many people, but tough.
Oh yeah- all MU. the residual mrk2 services GONE
Diesels
One word: Turbostar
Bid farewell (unless you want to preserve some- go ahead, you're welcome) to the 14xs and 15xs and 175 and 185. We're talking mono-culture.
The 16x series are closely related enough to the Turbostar to avoid the chop- they'll all be reconfigured as four-car units with new cab ends and interiors, including aircon (with no hopper-opening windows).
Single car units to replace 153s and heritage bubble cars.
Two car units to replace 14xs
Both have medium density 2+2 seating and space for two bikes in each car. One loo per unit (holding tanks)
Otherwise, two different four-car variants (this applies to the 16x fleet as well):
Local/commuter- high density 2+2. Again, two bikes per carriage. Two loos (one disabled-friendly)
Longer distance- Low density, mainly table seating. One end car to have a small guard's office, luggage area with capacity for four bikes (note: less bike capacity than the commuter/local arrangement) and a coffee/snack bar catering facility.
No end gangways- the idea would be that "splitter" services would be minimised thanks to better signalling and more staff, and any route needing more than a four car unit should be at the top of the electrification list!
Electrics
Broadly, there are several basic groups of EMU currently in suburban/metro use:
Mark 3s: 317/318/319/320/321/322
"PEPs" 313/314/315/507/508
Networkers
Electrostars (the children of the Networkers)
Junipers
Desiros
There's also a couple of "odd" classes, such as the 323 and 332 & 333, plus the specialised Javelin fleet being introduced.
I'd bin:
The Junipers (smallish fleet), PEPs and the 323, 332 and 333.
The remainder:
All would be reformed as 4, 8 and 12 car sets. The 8 and especially 12 car sets would be for London commuter services, and have no end gangway. The four car units would have connecting gangways. All third rail units fitted with AC equipment and pantographs.
Much as I proposed with the 442, I'd refurb the Mark 3s using Desiro systems- drive, control, aircon etc. The "PEP" cars from the 455s would go, incidentally.
The Networkers would undergo refurbishment and upgrading using Electrostar systems.
This would create essentially two fleets- the mark 3/Desiros and Networker/Electrostars. I'd ensure that they shared autocouplers between the two fleets and had compatible controls. Interoperability (for rescue) with the Intercity and Turbostar fleets would also be key here.
Extra Desiro and Electrostar stock would need to be built though of course.
Metro services
The 378 would be the template here. Sliding doors, four car units. I'd actually put more seating into the 378- I'd go for a similar layout as found in some of the tube stock, with longitudinal seating at the car ends with transverse 2+2 wide aisle in the middle section. Much of the Mark 3 fleet would become part of this fleet. Bikes, wheelchairs, prams etc can be accommodated in the longitudinal areas. Guard uses rear cab. All "metro" stations to become staffed and have facilities, so no loos required.
"Country"
Four car, similar to the longer distance Turbostar
Low density, mainly table seating. One end car to have a small guard's office, luggage area with capacity for four bikes and a coffee/snack bar catering facility. Used on stopping services on mainlines, such as the London-Birmingham (and beyond) LM services. Plug doors. End gangways.
Suburban
Eight cars. One end car with no seating- has large bike store, Snack bar and Guard's office. Rest of train with 2+2 seating, mix of bays with mini-table and airline, two carriages with 2 normal loos and other end car with wheelchair accommodation and accessible loo. Used mainly for London suburban services, also for the likes of Edinburgh-Glasgow and airport express routes.
"Super Suburban"
Deployed to to the busiest routes, 12 car mega units. Both end cars with bike store, office and snack bar. Two standard loos each in carriages 3 and 10. Disabled accommodation with accessible loo in carriages 5 and 8. 2+2 seating as above.
New builds would split between Electrostars and Desiros, though Siemens would be "encouraged" to start building them in the UK
Freight
A new single-bodyshell, common platform loco design to replace all current fleets. Available in a standard "fast" fright and slower "heavy" varient as well as Electric (again, with dual-voltage sub-class)
One change I would make would be that they'd all be capable of supplying head end power. This would be to service a new fleet of intermodal wagons and containers capable of carrying refrigerated and even frozen goods.
I'd go a new standard yard shunter loco too, with as much parts-commonality with the mainline locos as possible.
*barring two or three preservation sets. I'm not totally heartless. They can even get refurbed Valentas refitted to keep the frothers happy. Anything being totally scrapped would be offered up for preservation, with key examples being frankly foisted upon the NRM. Possibly even preserve some of the units that would otherwise be heavily refurbed and reformed