starting to wonder if there is something seriously wrong with these 701s
Is it too late to get the 455s back?
Well to put it into context (for this thread since its preceding post is sixteen months before).
A lot has happened. There are now 58 out of 60 701s passed for passenger service. The 701/5s are teetering on the edge of service introduction.
Your post is as a result of a perceived dip in use (as indicated by three pairs of 568/4s covering and some 450s on other diagrams). We are perhaps expecting six more 701 diagrams to be 701. BUT is it really that dramatic a fall or perhaps these last six were strained for too much.
But as I said on the 701 thread - it is summer and so there will be all sorts of staff shortages. Perhaps maintenance is struggling. They might even be focusing on getting some 701/5s into action. Tasks like that must distract from the core task of keeping a fleet up and running. No one on British Railways has spare capacity for that sort of thing - the ship is run too tight. I expect overtime is thrown at this sort of challenge but who wants overtime this time of year - very few.
