FGW Franchise

[didcot]

I see that First Group has been awarded a four year extension the franchise. As part of it 58 - 4 car electric units will be introduced on the Thames Valley route - anyone know where they are being transfered from?
https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk...stern-fleet-upgrade-improves-train-facilities

 

[thelongestroad]

The company will expand the use of the GWR brand, currently used in its long distance First Class carriages and will rebrand before the start of the new franchise in September.

Source: https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk...stern-fleet-upgrade-improves-train-facilities

So the rumoured rebrand is confirmed!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Looks like a mix of cascaded 319 and 387 to make the numbers fit.
Not "new" and not (all) 110mph units.
Devon/Cornwall just says new trains or upgraded HSTs, this appears to be the FGW "privately funded trains" proposal.
IEPs to Penzance are not mentioned, but I suppose they could still be part of the mix.
No mention of EMUs around Bristol/Cardiff.
But then the timescale is only 5 years to April 2019.
With uncertainty over wiring progress the DfT has played safe.

 

[didcot]

I thought it was going to be some 319 units - on Radio Oxford the reporter said they would be 2-3 year old trains not nearly 30 years old!

 

[Class377/5]

Looks like a mix of cascaded 319 and 387 to make the numbers fit.
Not "new" and not (all) 110mph units.
Devon/Cornwall just says new trains or upgraded HSTs, this appears to be the FGW "privately funded trains" proposal.
IEPs to Penzance are not mentioned, but I suppose they could still be part of the mix.
No mention of EMUs around Bristol/Cardiff.
But then the timescale is only 5 years to April 2019.
With uncertainty over wiring progress the DfT has played safe.

29x 387/1 and likely 365 not 319s is current thinking.

 

[Rapidash]

Extra capacity into Exeter is always welcome. Better not be those Vivarail things

 

[Xavi]

Hitach AT-300 (IEP) deal for Devon and Cornwall by 2018 is mentioned elsewhere but the private financing is not signed yet, so not as much prominence as it may have received.

2018 sounds like the time wiring will be complete and these extra bi-modes can be released from interim Bristol / South Wales duties.

Some 165s for Devon also gets mentioned as well as extra seats for commuters into Exeter, so that possibly means Devon Metro will be 165s with Cornwall branches keeping 150s.

No mention of mini-HSTs so 158s (also mentioned as coming to Devon and Cornwall) will probably be the stock for the doubling of services into Cornwall.

An early pre-1000 arrival from London into Plymouth is also mentioned.

 

[387star]

From https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-deal-for-rail-passengers-in-west-of-england-and-wales


More seats, more services and 2 new fleets of modern trains for passengers across the west of England, Thames Valley and South Wales.
First Great Western
Plans to give rail passengers in the west of England, Thames Valley and South Wales more seats, more services and 2 new fleets of modern trains were announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin today (23 March 2015).

The government has reached an agreement with First Group plc for First Great Western (FGW) to continue to operate trains between London Paddington, the Cotswolds, South Wales and the south west until April 2019.

The new deal will include a host of extra benefits for passengers including:

around 3,000,000 additional seats per year by 2018 across the franchise
4000 more morning peak seats into London every day by December 2018
proposals for a brand new fleet of privately funded trains
more trains into Devon and Cornwall
the introduction of 369 new carriages through the roll-out of new hi-tech Intercity Express Programme trains built by Hitachi
the introduction of 58, 4-car electric trains for Thames Valley services
faster journeys between Penzance and Paddington and London to South Wales, Oxford and Bristol
a £30 million investment to improve stations and car parks, introducing 2000 more car park spaces (plus additional funding from partners)
a £3.5 million station development match fund
a £2.5 million accessibility fund

 

[hwl]

DfT Press release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/rail-franchising-great-western

And DfT's "detail":
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-deal-for-rail-passengers-in-west-of-england-and-wales

 

[swt_passenger]

On FGWs interactive map I notice that Marlow/Bourne End does not mention electrification, however Henley and Windsor do.

A simple mistake, or a policy shift due to difficulties with EMU lengths and platform constraints at Bourne End?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Source: https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk...stern-fleet-upgrade-improves-train-facilities

So the rumoured rebrand is confirmed!

So it seems. Much as FGW is rather unpopular, it'll be a shame to see the back of Dynamic Lines, it is a nice modern livery.

 

[WatcherZero]

For services/rolling stock just says 'A DMU cascade' for all the western lines.

Few from First press release

•New or updated trains in every area of the network – including proposals for a brand new fleet of privately funded intercity trains for services to and from Devon and Cornwall - creating three million additional seats a year for customers across the network. Free WiFi will be extended to all our train fleets
•100 more customer-facing colleagues on long-distance trains

 

[sor]

I am assuming that "doubling the number of trains into and out of Cornwall, and reducing journey times between Paddington and Penzance by up to 14 minutes" is referring to the Totnes-Penzance resignalling?

A 14 minute decrease isn't exactly outstanding though when put into context. Half-hourly (presumably) mainline services to at least Plymouth will be nice though, it's always annoyed me when I've met up with people in Truro and they can practically walk onto a Falmouth branch train and I have to wait an hour for the next mainline train.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I noted in the comments thread about it on FB it seems to be confirmed that buffets will be removed, replaced in both classes by at-seat service.

 

[The Ham]

Interestingly the announcement includes "More direct trains into Devon and Cornwall, doubling the number of trains into and out of Cornwall, and reducing journey times between Paddington and Penzance by up to 14 minutes"

That would seam to imply that there is a chance that some of the new services maybe services which split of route (i.e. more direct services to Torbay by splitting at Exeter), as otherwise if they are all full length services that would be a massive increase in the number of seats over the existing 9 HST's a day between London & Cornwall.

 

[Xavi]

Interestingly the announcement includes "More direct trains into Devon and Cornwall, doubling the number of trains into and out of Cornwall, and reducing journey times between Paddington and Penzance by up to 14 minutes"

That would seam to imply that there is a chance that some of the new services maybe services which split of route (i.e. more direct services to Torbay by splitting at Exeter), as otherwise if they are all full length services that would be a massive increase in the number of seats over the existing 9 HST's a day between London & Cornwall.

The extra trains into Devon and Cornwall are predominantly the hourly mainline extension of Cardiff - Taunton services which then allows the speeding up of some London trains through Cornwall by removing stops.

 

[387star]

Oh I misinterpreted it to be more london to Devon/Cornwall services

Presumably some turbos will be used to strengthen the reading to gatwick which has no immediate electrification plan
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

29x 387/1 and likely 365 not 319s is current thinking.

I wonder if First will want to desouthernise the 387s

 

[WatcherZero]

Looking at franchise premiums, in the last year FGW made a premium payment of £251m but received revenue support of £177m for a net £74m franchise premium (down from £170m the previous year). The franchise premium for the next 42 months is £68m which works out at £19.4m per year.

 

[Class377/5]

Looking at franchise premiums, in the last year FGW made a premium payment of £251m but received revenue support of £177m for a net £74m franchise premium (down from £170m the previous year). The franchise premium for the next 42 months is £68m which works out at £19.4m per year.

Which is sensible when your ripping up the route and people are expecting the same level of service.

 

[387star]

Regarding Reading to Basingstoke. I see this will get EMUs when is the timescale for electrifying this ? Am I right this is connected to the Southampton to Coventry electrification scheme to help freight??

 

[jimm]

Regarding Reading to Basingstoke. I see this will get EMUs when is the timescale for electrifying this ? Am I right this is connected to the Southampton to Coventry electrification scheme to help freight??

No, it is part of the Thames Valley electrification, along with the branches to Windsor, Marlow and Henley, to eliminate dmus from everywhere in the area bar Reading-Gatwick.

 

[PHILIPE]

More seats !!! "Jam to-morrow". Tomorrow comes, going on track record of projects and how timescales slip, tomorrow comes. Then, once again, "Jam tomorrow". The Government have got away with this "jam tomorrow" for too many years now while passenger numbers have been growing and trains becoming more overcrowded..

 

[59CosG95]

No, it is part of the Thames Valley electrification, along with the branches to Windsor, Marlow and Henley, to eliminate dmus from everywhere in the area bar Reading-Gatwick.

I wonder-will Reading's 'tiny tanks' (i.e. 150001 and 150002) be used for the Reading-Gatwick routes then?

 

[northwichcat]

EMUs confirmed as:
21 x cascaded 365s
29 x cascaded 387/1s
8 x brand new 387/2s ordered as add-on to the Gatwick Express order.

Source: Railway Gazette and verified by Tony Miles on wnxx.

 

[CC 72100]

EMUs confirmed as:
21 x cascaded 365s
29 x cascaded 387/1s
8 x brand new 387/2s ordered as add-on to the Gatwick Express order.

Source: Railway Gazette and verified by Tony Miles on wnxx.

Awaits comments from disgruntled northerners about them getting lumped with 319s and the Thames Valley getting newer stock

 

[The Ham]

I wonder-will Reading's 'tiny tanks' (i.e. 150001 and 150002) be used for the Reading-Gatwick routes then?

Why would they? If they did (& I doubt they would) it would mean two types of units to run a fairly isolated diesel island, which would likely be more costly than it would otherwise need to be. Especially as there would need to be more units (including spares) to run the same level of service.

 

[Xavi]

There will be 22 5-car IEPs and 7 9-car IEP for Devon and Cornwall. Should be interesting!

 

[387star]

Will oxford to worcester get bi mode ieps as as far as. I remember the line from oxford won't be electrified

 

[The Ham]

There will be 22 5-car IEPs and 7 9-car IEP for Devon and Cornwall. Should be interesting!

http://www.globalrailnews.com/blog/...-centre-of-great-western-franchise-extension/

Hitachi has been chosen to supply a fleet of new intercity trains as part of a four-year contract extension agreed between First Group and the Department for Transport (DfT) for the Great Western Main Line.

Subject to final approval from the DfT, First Group has pledged to replace Intercity 125 units currently operating from London Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance with 29 new bi-mode AT300 units.

Hitachi has said the new trains, which consist of seven nine-car and 22 five-car vehicles, will be “closely related” to the Class 800 bi-mode being built for the Great Western and East Coast main lines. The new units will feature larger fuel tanks and up-rated power packs to allow it to negotiate the steeper gradients.

Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of First Great Western, said: “The fleet currently running on routes in the South West of England, is nearly 40 years old, and passengers would greatly benefit from brand new, highly comfortable trains.

“FirstGroup has conducted a competitive procurement exercise for these trains and we are close to securing private financing for the deal shortly. The DfT will be making a final decision by the end of June.”

 

[northwichcat]

Awaits comments from disgruntled northerners about them getting lumped with 319s and the Thames Valley getting newer stock

At present the following is confirmed for Northern:
20 x 319s
120 new build self-powered carriages (equivalent to 30 x 4 car trains.)

So around the same average age (319s are older than 365s but new build will be newer than the 387s.)

Although, longer term Northern are expected to take on additional 319s and loco-hauled 442s are proposed as an interim measure for TPE.