Pacer Replacement - What's Out there?

[61653 HTAFC]

153s are an issue for post-2020 too. The owning ROSCO (can't remember which but think it's Porterbrook) has suggested carrying out no modifications and only using them when coupled with compliant stock. Knowing how the current Northern franchise operates I'd expect there to be complaints about non-accessible single-car trains before the end of January 2020. The "do nothing" option also calls the future of the 7 class 155* sets into question, I'd have thought.

*=assuming they haven't all roasted themselves by then, of course!

 

[ainsworth74]

I think they may struggle with loads at some point of the day with every other route in the East Midlands franchise so would need to run as 3 car of doubled up.

Perhaps but it would seem a safe bet that the existing 153s have similar problems.

If they do come to the East Midlands Franchise they should be coming to improve the service on top of what is already in place. For example running trains to Edwinstowe and Ollerton. Introducing a new stopping service between Grantham / Boston and Nottingham. Increasing the frequency from Lincoln to Newark NG, Nottingham, Doncaster and Grimsby.

That would be nice but I suspect in the grand scheme of things is probably going to fall into the 'would be nice' category rather than 'this is a priority' category at the end of the day.

We've discussed how poorly Lincolnshire and it's surrounds are served when it comes to rail on this forum previously (and having recently explored the area on a Forum Meet I've seen it for myself as well) but I think it's a struggle to make the case for significant investment when you've got other much more populous areas of the country which are even more desperate for investment.