455s top 'n' tailed to replace 171s?

[adamedwards]

At the risk of making the 455s the new 442s as the solution for every problem, is there any feasilble way to top and tail a small set of de-tractionned units with a loco and run them as replacements for the 171 dmus allowing them to be cascaded elsewhere? The key advantage I see of the 455s is the power operated wide doors which any loco hauled coaches do not have (and which the 442s did not have either).

I appreciate costs of so doing and age of the stock would count against this, but could it be done?

(Puts on hard hat and awaits responses!)

 

[JonathanH]

No

There aren't any suitable locomotives. It would be prohibitively expensive and wouldn't be able to run via Oxted.

 

[Recessio]

No

There aren't any suitable locomotives. It would be prohibitively expensive and wouldn't be able to run via Oxted.

I think all Mk3 derived stock isn't cleared for the Oxted tunnel right? So to complete the Speculative Ideas Bingo sheet, it also knocks out the 442s...

 

[306024]

(Puts on hard hat and awaits responses!)

A full suit of armour would be more appropriate for that suggestion