Yes I don't know what the safety issue is, but if the 466s are the only units that can operate the line and can't work alone in 1-2 months time it will have to be solved quick, or pursue that 2nd derogation I mentioned earlier.
To be honest if they were gonna to that effort they might as well just finish off the PRM works on 466s as they are and be fully compliant on their own.
Though as someone mentioned upthread, a 2-car unit with an accessible toilet will be short on space (at least for down South: apparently we Northern monkeys don't count!
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True, I think though there is also the issue the Networkers are [sadly], near the end of their life and to reconfigure some of them into 3 car sets for what might only be necessary for a few years isn't really worth it.Though as someone mentioned upthread, a 2-car unit with an accessible toilet will be short on space (at least for down South: apparently we Northern monkeys don't count!
I agree, and if they don't sort out that safety issue causing all other units to be banned from the branch at the present time all passengers might have to settle on a bus, or overload Bromley South even more.
Yes TfW will still have 143s in service in January. And yes, stand on Platforms 6/7/8 at Cardiff Central on any day of the week and it won't be long before you come across a 143 or 142 working up the Valleys or to Barry/Bridgend via the VoG.
Yes as said in more recent posts since that surprising revelation Electrostars are banned as well it seems. If they don't solve the safety issues behind that apparently it's either get a bus or try and get more people through Bromley South (which is busy enough).
Recently there have been power supply issues on the Sheerness branch for 466 solo operations, causing 375s to go there earlier than originally anticipated. This has caused the Medway Valley line to briefly return to all 466 operation, which I suspect will stay in place until the timetable change at the end of next week.
Northern will still be using solo 153s without accessible toilets after the new year, on two routes out of Huddersfield (to Castleford and Bradford). This is because the Castleford service has to use P5 at Huddersfield which is only 39m long.
Will they receive northern livery?
Highly unlikely I'd have thought. That said, as the platform length situation is unlikely to change for a good few years, perhaps biting the bullet and putting a small fleet of 6 or so through the PRM process would be worthwhile. If that were to happen I'd expect them to get the current Northern white livery.
