Recent content by jav

The blanked off areas at the end of the carriages are used for toilets, luggage racks, cycle storage , crew rooms etc. So they are not really blanked off at all, The TOC gets to choose from a range of standardised flexible fittings that can go into these spaces when specifying their trains. ---...

They are called Super Expresses, they have a little green leaf logo to go with it. We had a competition to name them. That was the genius chosen....but it did win the tender I suppose.

Once upon a time a class 395 Hot spare was meant to sit there during the day, not sure if that is still the case now.

Wow this threads great! Rail enthusiasts at least normally have some ounce of understanding of the system and indeed a good degree of common sense. So how will the brakes be released on this 377? and its going to be mighty cold and dark on there as its deadhauled by the magical steam loco, never...

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Sorry Failed unit I've confused you, I've read somewhere ERA who were Hitachi's / Agility's opposition i.e Bombardier Siemens had planned to build the bodyshells in Germany and ship them over for ummmm assembly at Derby. Which kind of makes all the outrage about Hitachi only opening an...

I think it will be interesting at least to see what Hitachi can do with the reliability of these trains. Can they really make it better than existing new stock on UK infrastructure? Having looked at some more details I think the Hitachi bid creates a lot more short term construction jobs...

I've seen somewhere today that ERA's bodyshells were going to be built in Germany? Can anyone confirm that because if it is the case it really a case of pot and kettle?

It's an interesting decision to award it to Hitachi for sure. I have to say its one I support. We can hardly have a procurement process that guarantees the job goes to Derby. All that would happen is the prices would go through the ceiling as Bombardier took advantage of their monopoly...

Ah happy memories of stripping valentas down on T42 frigates. Specially one Christmas following some careless sod torquing a head down on a washer following a top end :) Only a few years and all the 43's will be gone anyway....well another 8 or so anyway if IEP gets delivered to plan.