What is this other suitable diesel stock? I don't get how the 170s can leave TPE before EMUs beyond the present 10 have arrived without a significant reduction in capacity.
My best guess is that the TPex Blackpool trains will be transferred to Northern, to be operated by cascaded DMUs: by 2015/16 there should be just about spare DMUs floating around to paper over the cracks, I would think. This works doubly if the two franchises are merged.
