New / Refurb Rolling Stock Delivery across the UK

[Bringback309s]

It seems to be a busy time for the railways at the moment, with so much new stock and projects coming online, however it all seems to be in something of a crisis and a complete mess. I'd just like to consider the major stock procurement programs going on at the moment:
Class 800 / 802 - (GWR) have these run to time or how late are they? I know Cornwall was a few months late coing in. -ECML - delayed by how long now?
Class 345 / crossrail - 315 withdrawals seem slow, nothing to Heathrow yet
Class 385 - windscreen debacle, delayed by how long from the original date?
Class 710 - why on earth has perfectly good spanking new rolling stock needed to sit cluttering sidings up for so many months just waiting to be signed off? Now the threat of outgoing 172's jeaopordising future GOBLIN availablity?
Class 720 / 701 - delayed partly by the above? Still already due to be late?
Class 769 - why on earth new diesel stock similar to the 755 with a detachable power car couldn't have been ordered I'll never know, for so many operators crying out for diesel stock while the government tell us electrifcation is on its way and battery is now a viable alternative. Sit around for years waiting for engines to be fitted to 30 year old EMU's while other operators (SWR) order new trains to replace new trains delaying order books for other operators who need trains they aren't allowed anyway!!
MK3 power doors - wern't GWR going to have eleven castle sets running by December? Let alone cross country and scotrail.
MK5's - sleepers and Trans Pennine - late again?
Northern new stock - are they running to time delivery wise? Not much has been said.

I really think there needs to be some level of re-nationalisation, if for any reason to not be in this completely ridiculous situation where manufacturers are building stock to replace very young stock with no home to go to, whilst other engineering firms are bodging old toot and hoping for another ten odd years of service, when a whole load more stock procurement will be needed.

 

[swt_passenger]

Now that you’ve got all that off your chest, don’t you think all the existing individual discussions about the listed classes have already covered all the points made?

 

[coppercapped]

It seems to be a busy time for the railways at the moment, with so much new stock and projects coming online, however it all seems to be in something of a crisis and a complete mess. I'd just like to consider the major stock procurement programs going on at the moment:
Class 800 / 802 - (GWR) have these run to time or how late are they? I know Cornwall was a few months late coing in. -ECML - delayed by how long now?
Class 345 / crossrail - 315 withdrawals seem slow, nothing to Heathrow yet
Class 385 - windscreen debacle, delayed by how long from the original date?
Class 710 - why on earth has perfectly good spanking new rolling stock needed to sit cluttering sidings up for so many months just waiting to be signed off? Now the threat of outgoing 172's jeaopordising future GOBLIN availablity?
Class 720 / 701 - delayed partly by the above? Still already due to be late?
Class 769 - why on earth new diesel stock similar to the 755 with a detachable power car couldn't have been ordered I'll never know, for so many operators crying out for diesel stock while the government tell us electrifcation is on its way and battery is now a viable alternative. Sit around for years waiting for engines to be fitted to 30 year old EMU's while other operators (SWR) order new trains to replace new trains delaying order books for other operators who need trains they aren't allowed anyway!!
MK3 power doors - wern't GWR going to have eleven castle sets running by December? Let alone cross country and scotrail.
MK5's - sleepers and Trans Pennine - late again?
Northern new stock - are they running to time delivery wise? Not much has been said.

I really think there needs to be some level of re-nationalisation, if for any reason to not be in this completely ridiculous situation where manufacturers are building stock to replace very young stock with no home to go to, whilst other engineering firms are bodging old toot and hoping for another ten odd years of service, when a whole load more stock procurement will be needed.

On page 19 of "The Deltics A Symposium" (Ian Allan, 1973) G. F. Fiennes wrote:

I was just there for the Harvest Festival on September 11, 1961, when we accelerated a bunch of trains. Among them was the 19.30 down "Aberdonian" fulfilling our promise to John Strachey, MP, just a year late. In passing I can never resist the crack that whereas railways measure their punctuality in minutes late, their suppliers measure theirs in months or years.

Plus ça change...

 

[Bringback309s]

Now that you’ve got all that off your chest, don’t you think all the existing individual discussions about the listed classes have already covered all the points made?

The point of pulling everything together was to genrate a discussion on the overall state of rolling stock procurement and supply as a whole and how it is affecting the railways and service to the customer, and whether or not things should have been different

 

[EE Andy b1]

As has been mentioned elsewhere and as you have pointed out there is just so much going on at the moment. Don't think it's a crisis as such but all these delays are not helping anyone. Trouble is when most new rolling stock arrives the passenger experience after waiting so long is next to non-existent.

Most projects have been delayed which has a massive knock on effect. Infrastructure/overhead wiring late so unable to cascade trains and test new trains and get train crewe properly trained. It's a viscous circle all because the DfT haven't got a clue and no joined up thinking. So now they have more committees and inquiries to look into where it all went wrong.
Were a long way off a reliable railway yet!!


Spot on...coppercapped

On page 19 of "The Deltics A Symposium" (Ian Allan, 1973) G. F. Fiennes wrote:

"I was just there for the Harvest Festival on September 11, 1961, when we accelerated a bunch of trains. Among them was the 19.30 down "Aberdonian" fulfilling our promise to John Strachey, MP, just a year late. In passing I can never resist the crack that whereas railways measure their punctuality in minutes late, their suppliers measure theirs in months or years."

 

[Darandio]

I really think there needs to be some level of re-nationalisation, if for any reason to not be in this completely ridiculous situation where manufacturers are building stock to replace very young stock with no home to go to, whilst other engineering firms are bodging old toot and hoping for another ten odd years of service, when a whole load more stock procurement will be needed.

I'm not really sure how any level of re-nationalisation would be an advantage. I'd wager that it would just be a increase of 'bodging old toot'.

 

[43096]

I really think there needs to be some level of re-nationalisation, if for any reason to not be in this completely ridiculous situation where manufacturers are building stock to replace very young stock with no home to go to, whilst other engineering firms are bodging old toot and hoping for another ten odd years of service, when a whole load more stock procurement will be needed.

You are presumably oblivious to the fact that a lot of this "ridiculous situation" has been created by the DfT, and all of it has been signed off by Government, either by DfT or by Transport Scotland.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

One of the items of rolling stock not on your list is the class 700.
This time last year it was enduring a troubled Thameslink introduction and looked to be a programme in difficulty.
But the whole fleet is in now service and is delivering what it promised (barring timetable meltdowns for reasons other than the trains).
So it's not all doom and gloom.
Just as for infrastructure, there is an unprecedented volume of activity on the rolling stock scene at the moment, thanks to the mega£££ being spent.
Sure, it would be nice if it all rolled out smoothly as per plan, but that's not the railway way.