This is definitely what *should* be what's done.A sensible world would build some new 9s (or even 7s) and send the 5s to XC or even TPE who want more 80x, but it's not a sensible world
Does that really matter that much? See classes 333 and 345 for examples where coaches have been added to lengthen units already in service.
I agree that extending some 5s to 9s with new build vehicles would be desirable however where would the money come from. Money will go to whom shouts loudest, and that's why it'll be the metro cities of the north that will get any available money for new stock.
I imagine they'd force the west country go back to 10s (ie pairs of 5s on everything), to make up the shortfall of 9 cars, but that's just my hunch. Everywhere east of Taunton thus benefitting from being generally a 9 or 7, with some 5s.
And thats the trouble on GWR, too many short forms due to too many 5 car sets! LNER where lucky they got a decent balance between 9s and 5s whilst GWR got the sh**y end of the stick with a ridiculous number of 5s. I've lost count of the amount of times I've had a 5 vice 9, (or more likely 5 vice 10).
In my opinion, 2 more 88-seat coaches for each 5-car IET should be considered but perhaps leave about say 15-20 IET's as 5 coaches to displace Castle sets. 58 you'd need which would take a lot less longer than a whole new train.
Yeah the thing is the trains would still be prioritised to the busiest routes. So yes, they might perhaps have to cancel a Banbury or something, but the major routes to Bristol, Swansea and Plymouth would very unlikely see cancellations, they would just shuffle the sets about to ensure the busiest route still got a train. In HST days this was always the case, I never remember my train on the Wofe route being cancelled due to no available set, something would always be found (ie the early morning Paignton to Padd may be caped, but this was always pretty dead anyway for much of the way. ....overall passengers would be better off with a greater number of 9s.
Yep, what us folk in EMR-world are very accustomed to! I do, though, have some doubts over whether 33 Auroras is actually enough - on paper, that number is sufficient to run around half the services as ten cars; but the reality may be very different (eg 21x 360s is theoretically more than sufficient for the Connect services, however the various ongoing issues are proving otherwise; and as for the Regional services, let’s not even go there!).
When does it ever have money? Either we invest in the railway now, or never, as it'll end up collapsing in on itself soon if nothing is done.
And yet politicians are finding no issues in increasing their bank accounts, and the complaints about overcrowding are clear to see. Something has to change, this isn't right.