Do the new 'Star trains not have ribbon glazing because the company who did them went bust? Thats what I remember reading somewhere.
I really feel sorry for the people who have to use the trains in the NW, even after electrification they dont get nice new trains but knackered things with no aircon from the south!
Oh and they definitely are just a 379 judging by the CGI image!
http://www.rail.co/2012/11/16/southern-plans-to-extend-electrostar-order/ The drivers seat even has the NX moquette from the 379's! Haha
Remember that the 379 are not true Electrostars but Electrostar 1.5 with some of the Adventra features such as window detail.
There is nothing for certain on this. Some media reports said North TPE would get refurbished 365s if commuter IEP goes ahead and replaces the 365s. It could also replace the 350s on Northampton-London meaning LM need less 350s not more 350s.
Seriously? IEP will only replace one service that the 365 do which off peak is only four cars and peak four cars north of Cambridge. IEP if it had happened to King's Lynn would release about 6-8 units at best. Not enough for TPE.
Has the Thameslink order actually gone through yet?
This is not the build up to the whole thing being scrapped and replaced with lots of Class 377 orders or something right?
I thought the Thameslink outcomes could not be delivered without ATO?
No, 377s won't be quick enough to deal with requirements. Remember the 700 fleet is able to do 30tph in disruption to allow recovery of service. Even Bombardier knows the 377s are suitable, hence the Adventra design.
Thameslink 2000 (!) should free up
Not sure whether anything "south of the river" will be freed up (by more services being moved over to "Thameslink") - and assuming that the FCC 377s are going to be needed on "Southern" services (inc the Wimbledon loop which 700s won't run)
700 are going around the loop. Everything into Blackfriars will be a 700.
It hasn't gone through. The DfT's current 'guesstimate' is 'in the new year', but we've heard these a few months in the future estimates for the past 18 months.
I doubt the Thameslink order is going to be scrapped, although we'll have to see whether it proceeds in its current form and to its current timetable. These orders will be the contingency plans they spoke about and my guess is the new units will find their way onto what is now the Southern network once the Thameslink trains do arrive.
These orders are not contingency plans got Thameslink but for other schemes requiring the current fleet to be released.
23+3 377 back to South - and 40 365s, but they may or may not be retained (for north and south of the Thames? Just an idea :3).
All 365 are being kept on GN, none are displaced. That's been stated before. All the 377/5 are planned to allow the Milton Keynes- Croydon service to go to eight car 2tph. They aren't 'spare'.
If there's to be no Thameslink order (i.e. a bespoke EMU with ATO capable of running high frequency trains automatically through the Blackfriars "core) then we might as well rip everything up and start again, because so many things hinge on this.
No bespoke EMUs (i.e. just ordering more 377 compatible units) means significantly fewer trains through the core, means all the infrastructure works at London Bridge etc are overblown, means no automatic cascade of EMUs for elsewhere in the UK...
...it all hinges on getting this next bit done.
I was of the understanding that the 377s were moving "back" to Southern services and the 365s were going to be required for Kings Cross services (inc the Cambridge fasts, peak extras)?
Would be stupid to get the fleet after everything else being done. Don't forget that the final Phase has started and will really kick into action in May when platform closures at London Bridge start.
365 are doing extra Kings Cross services.
The 700 deal is not in trouble, its just rumours because of a lack of information stirred by the needs of some to try and illegally form the Government to hand the contract to Bombardier. Without saying much the deal is progressing but has been hit by events outside of its control. Siemens are busy working through the problems with the DfT but neither have caused a significant part of the delay. And Bombardier would have had the same problem and likely had it worse.
However its finally come to the DfT that the whole cascade timetable is out the window. So they are looking at ways to move stock over but also get Derby building killing two birds with one stone.
