The good idea here is yes to bring back the pigs. but with the last lot of fitters at Bomo picking up the P45 in the next few weeks I think thats highly unlikely.
The original refurbishment for the 442's was for the unit to go away to Doncaster for removal of the buffet and guards compatment and snug and to add standard class seating. Even SWT agreed that this would provide more seating that was currently on the 444's. Obviously there would have to be a smaller guards compartment. Obviously refurbishment would have meant the traction equipment would have had a good seeing to as well, but SWT pulled the plug on wanting to keep the units, even before it was announced that they had won the franchise.* So Angel trains only sought for a c6 at Ilford. Thus really sealing the 442's fate. I think that by the end of this year the 442's could be going for scrap, thats my personal opinion, I hate it but if Gatex are going to only use 2414,2421 & 2424 then what of the other 21? We know perhaps that Southern may take a few but thats it. It may enlighten some people to know that the 450's not only work the Wareham to Brock, they also run Wareham - Winchester, Wareham - Southampton, Basingstoke - Weymouth and Poole to Waterloo. So why the the chap from Guilford is moaning is beyond me. The seats are crap fine but thats with most trains these days.
Personally I cant see them bringing the 442's back on SWT metals at all. @ 70p per mile per unit per day whilst the Dessies are getting 30 pence per mile per unit per day then we might see an extra order for perhaps 10 more 444's or 450's.
* I recieved the information from my contact at the beginning of September about SWT ending the 442's and the redundancies at Bomo but could not say anything until the news was confirmed by my contact. So news had been walking the boards for a good few weeks before SWT got the Franchise.
Cheers
Hentis
