They could transfer them to Hull Trains or East Coast should they win that franchise.
)
The thing is though, the Greater Western franchise is the last one to be awarded in this next round in 2016. Before then there are several big franchises that are to be awarded. These franchises are to be awarded for at least 15 years. If First were successful in winning one of them, for example East Coast then they'd have nothing to lose by forciing the dft into giving them Greater Western. They would have 2 important franchises for at least 15 years so wouldn't have to worry about consequences for a long time.
To be pedantic, Midland Mainline/EMT only ran an hourly London service with HSTs to Sheffield/Nottingham (e.g. half hourly London - Leicester). The Meridians displaced the 170s which were introduced for the "stoppers" (plus additional 222s for the Corby service). The HSTs still provide the bulk of a half hourly London - Nottingham service (with trips through to Sheffield/Leeds, for stabling).
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the MML 222s were additional to the HSTs and not a "new for old" (unlike XC swapping HSTs for Voyagers)
As I've said before, MML is self contained, whilst the GWML has a dozen different branches with direct London trains. A decision would need to be taken whether to electrify *all* lines in south west England/ south Wales, or to abolish some direct trains (Newquay/ Fishguard/ Weston/ Hereford/ Cheltenham), or to run diesels under the wire a long distance to serve the (short) patches beyond the electrification.
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Well, HSTs work well between Edinburgh and Aberdeen/Inverness. I could see Scotrail getting them
That's a good point. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but am I correct in thinking that 26m stock could cause more clearance issues? Because the ends will swing out further on curves and the middle part of the carriage will be further in, for instance at a platform it could mean a rather big gap at a curved platform for passengers alighting/boarding. But then as its express stock it'll most likely have doors at the end. However large double doors in the middle(ish) for commuters would be an idea for some IEP sets (such as sets for Oxford runs).
Totally agree what a dogs dinner,a half baked and half hearted collection of half measures.If only the government had the same appetite for the here and now as it does for HS2.Great Westerns misfortune is that renewel has come during the worst economic and financial crisis facing the country since the 1929 wall street crash with the result inevitably being the Dafts latest compromise solution of half measures on Great Western.aka botch up.
I believe that is the case, it will be an underfloor engine DMU with a pantograph. My guess is that the engines will only be have the powerr 90/100 mph. That would explain why the Devon and Cornwall services have not been included in the order.
