FANTASY: Great Central Main Line - Rolling Stock

[AventraFlex]

Hi all,

Not sure if this has been done before, but this is a fantasy thread about the closed GCML and a make-believe operator (named Greater Central) running services along the line alongside the exisiting Chiltern services, which would be extended to new destinations. This reopened line would be electrified, though some branch lines would require diesel / bi-mode stock. I think it would've proven to be a useful alternative to the MML and WCML had it remained open, and I have some ideas on what rolling stock would be used and services run, but I'm very curious to know of your opinions.

Greater Anglia is my main influence for my ideas on Greater Central rolling stock.

In the case of the Metropolitan Lines that share the tracks with the Chiltern lines, in this 'fantasy world' they'd either be fully segregated similarly to the Bakerloo / Overground lines on the WCML, providing the all-stations services - if fast services were to still exist they'd simply run through the platforms without stopping. The Met has already been turned into all-stations service off-peak anyway, so I don't think the loss of fast services would have much impact on anyone except for peak hour users. The Chiltern services could serve former Met destinations such as Brill and Verney Junction - the Met would terminate at Amersham as normal.

Here are some links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Central_Main_Line
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Central_Main_Line_(diagram)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midland_Counties_Railway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_West_Rail_Link

I've also provided a link on the Met / Chiltern Line, both of which I'd travelled on numerous times:
http://www.inconvenientmule.co.uk/commuter/?tag=metropolitan-line
It's more relevant on the services run, but I thought it might help to add insight to the current situation on the London-Aylesbury Line.

It would be impossible to reopen the entire line, and Marylebone would have to undergo a massive revamp, but it's just an idea that came to mind recently I'd thought I'd share with you all

I would use Stadler FLIRTs for intercity services to Manchester Piccadilly (the end of the line) (some FLIRTs would be bi-modes) and Hitachi AT200s or AT250s (the gangway versions) for regional express services, in a similar manner to London Northwestern's 350s / future Aventras. Some stopping 'Greater Central' services would use AT100s or AT150s (also gangwayed) for inner suburban and outer suburban services. Some of these could share tracks with the Underground lines.

As for Chiltern, some services would retain their diesel fleet, while newer services for the electrified lines / connecting to the EWRL would use 387s and 365s.

Any alternatives?

 

[MatthewRead]

I've tried to make fantasy threads before and they just get terminated.

 

[AventraFlex]

Yeah, I figured that due to the lack of replies. Ah well. I’m still new to these forums so I’ll take it as a learning experience. People hate fantasy threads.

A shame though. I would’ve really liked to discuss some ideas

 

[D365]

I've tried to make fantasy threads before and they just get terminated.

Which ones do you mean?

Yeah, I figured that due to the lack of replies. Ah well. I’m still new to these forums so I’ll take it as a learning experience. People hate fantasy threads.

It’s been only a few hours, give it some time. “Fantasy threads” I find are generally more active at weekends, or later at night.

As long as it’s clear that they are not discussing real life matters I wouldn’t say most are against them.

 

[HLE]

Class 153’s.

 

[Domh245]

It’s been only a few hours, give it some time. “Fantasy threads” I find are generally more active at weekends, or later at night.

Or school holidays

 

[MatthewRead]

Which ones do you mean?



It’s been only a few hours, give it some time. “Fantasy threads” I find are generally more active at weekends, or later at night.

As long as it’s clear that they are not discussing real life matters I wouldn’t say most are against them.

One about C2C taking on 315's and 90/Mk3 sets as a stop gap measure!

 

[3141]

For the long-distance services the interior layout would be similar to the class 180's, which was based on the Mark 3 coach. Mostly facing seats across a table, not airline style.

I'm interested in the OP's suggestion of Hitachi AT200s for the regional services. Until about a year ago Hitachi had a regular advertisement inside the front cover of Modern Railways, showing passengers inside one of their new AT EMUs. They claimed to be transforming travel but they actually seemed to plan transforming passengers. Several people were sitting on others' laps, and some had been reduced to midget size. It was certainly an "innovative" (as they say) way of squeezing passengers in, and perhaps particularly appropriate for a fantasy thread.

 

[AventraFlex]

I'll admit, that was something I didn't know, though I suppose it makes sense as the only rail operator to order any Hitachi AT200s are ScotRail. I wonder how they'll do once they're in service. And I suppose you're right. In this universe, Hitachi AT200s do transform travel

 

[squizzler]

I am not sure that Stadler Flirt is any more "Intercity" than the AT200 family: they are both 100mph-ish EMU's as I understand it. With Scotrail the only customer, the CAF Civity family really do seem to have eaten the AT200's lunch.

I thought one of the proposed uses for the GCR alignment was as an intermodal freight only route. It would be neat to see double unit Bombardier IORE (Swedish heavy haul iron ore railway) clones pulling double stack container trains and piggy back lorries at 75mph.

 

[yorksrob]

Certainly I would have envisaged it becoming a useful NE/SW cross country route via the East Midlands, so IC stock at least between Banbury and Mansfield.

 

[Bevan Price]

Well - if the GCML and Woodhead routes had remained open, I suspect that they would have split the services at Sheffield Victoria.
Marylebone to Sheffield would have used Class 115 dmus (one diagram already ran as far as Nottingham before the line closed.) Their eventual replacements would probably have been Class 158.
Sheffield to Manchester would have remained electric. I don't think there would have been enough Class 506, so they might have used Class 304 - later being replaced by Class 323.

 

[mushroomchow]

68s and Barnum stock.

 

[43096]

Well, as the GC was engineered for European mainland loading gauge, I'd run it as such. Electrify and run the IC service with a fleet of RailJets.