I noticed it when I passed OOC on Friday!
104 - East Coast (Not in Service)
It is frustrating that there are DMUs both out of service and operating on Electric lines (which could be run by stored EMUs) whilst the majority of the DMUs up north struggle for capacity
[obligatory comment]SHOVE 'EM ON LIVERPOOL - NORWICH!![/obligatory comment].
It is frustrating that there are DMUs both out of service and operating on Electric lines (which could be run by stored EMUs) whilst the majority of the DMUs up north struggle for capacity.
Surely a 508 would be best for the Lymington line? Hell, they could even have two (as they previously did) exclusively for the line - worth it to free up a much needed 158.
In the same way LM have 7 321s? Will have just 7 150s? Have 2 139s? NT have 4 321s? Scotrail have 4 322s? Non-standard yes but not impossible.
They could really do it if they wanted to, its just a bit difficult to justify cost:benefit and then of course interoperability issues. But hey, 1 158 extra makes one train on the EMT corridor 4 car, I'm all for it.
Stored EMUs?
Only ones I can think of is the small fleet of 508s which to be honest have hardly any anywhere to go
Aren't the 460s coming off lease shortly? Plus (without GWML electrification going ahead) there will be dozens of 319s spare once Thameslink gets its new stock (three years time?), so plenty spare EMUs in a few years time. Yet there are almost no spare DMUs anywhere, apart from one dud 180
Plus once again; where the 460s are going to go only remains to be seen as they're fairly useless once they are off the Gatwick Express...
Pity as they are decent trains which have eventually built up decent reliability with Southern...
I really hope we don't end up in the situation where we have 64x 460 carriages sitting idle (whilst other routes are busy), but sadly I wouldn't be surprised...
Last I heard the 460s were being broken up into smaller formations with spare vehicles being put into 458s to provide extra capacity on those trains. Apparently they are mechanically very similar.
The same with different front ends I've heard. Another chapter in the very rocky story of the Junipers!
Maybe the two car "spares" could be used on routes like Lymington?
Yeah, another stupidly small class which has turned into a headache, like the 180s, yet we keep building small classes...
But if they did that then that would free up a useful unit for use elsewhere...
Everyone wants to be Stanier & Gresley :roll: