NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have been working toward these trains for a few years, the aim is to get some basic switch and crossing renewals done in 8 hour possession's.  The Rule Book is also being looked at to speed up the taking and giving up of Possession's (T3's) and electrical isolations.

This may have more to do with the drives action based on ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))'s "Professional Driving Policy," than the units themselves

The permutations of what can fail or go wrong are endless therefore it is impossible to have and off the shelf plan of action for every eventuality.   

To nights problem seems to be a major signaling power supply failure, signaling power supply systems do have backup supplies but if the problem is with the main switchboard in a power signal box or IECC^▸ (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) then there is not much that can be done except fix the equipment in the switchboard, in the mean time all that the signal and other traffic personnel can do is attempt to move trains basically one at a time out of the affected area this is something that has to be done with extreme care.

There is also a large NR^» (Network Rail - home page) recycling plant at Whitemoor Yard March.  These are needed as the landfill tax exemption NR currently enjoy well end in 3 years time.

As for heritage railway buying the scrap I am sure they have made contact with NR as the article say NR want sustainable use of its waste

I can empathise with bus and TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) staff if they have not had a pay rise this year; the band I am in in NR^» (Network Rail - home page) did not get a pay rise due to the RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) plus 0.5% agreed a few years ago and it does dent your enthusiasm, I count my self fortunate because I work office hours and do not have to turn too at 05:00 or finish shift at 23:59 and very rarely work weekend or nights

Quite simply yes, I do agree it can be annoying. I use the Southern, Southeastern and Southwest services a lot and the amount of people who ask is this part of the train going to Y while its on route to Z 

The 165/6's will not be cascaded until at least Crossrail is completed and then it will only be a few sets, even after the electrification to Oxford and Newbury quite a number of 165/6 will be retained in the TV for the branches, Guildford / Gatwick, Bedwins etc.   You are looking at 2017 at the earliest

Generally very reliable, trains are packed like the 07:03 not sure about the evening trains as I escape early  I know the 17:18 gets packed

Bit of a fudge that one  they do run on what could be classed as light rail, oh and the infrastructure is maintained by the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)

The Mk3 and class 43 have served the railway way beyond what they were conceived to do, the HSDT^▸ (Original name for High Speed Train)'s were the 1970's BRB^‡(resolve)'s stop gap to full main line electrification here we are 40 years on and finally we have a rail industry that looks like it will deliver it, it will be a hideous mistake for the politicians to stop it.  But lets not have our mainline railway system looking more like a heritage railway (nothing wrong with heritage railways I might add) than where it should be back as the world leader

mmmmmm that'll make the oldest coaches and power cars 52 years old in 2030, the equivalent today of traveling in a Mk1 with a warship or western hauling it or even a classic DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit).

I think the works at Reading will have been packaged, the two main bridges either side of the station being the crucial first stage possibly to allow the relief line platforms to move north give space for the construction of the fly under or over can be built between the main and relief lines.  Cow Lane area will be done I suspect at a later stage.

Guess work on my part as I don't know what the staged works details are

Which is exactly my point the 165's do not need first class especially the 2 car units it is also questionable that the 3 car units and even the 166's need first class, the London & Reading suburban services need the space.  The first few rows of seats inside the vestibules need turn 90 deg to increase standing room. 

Lets make the TV commute more tolerable, no tables and no first class

My guess is NR^» (Network Rail - home page) would have been looking at ways to help quite quickly as soon as it was known the extent of the damage done to the roads system, remember the railways set up a support system to help the Army supply water etc in the Glos area a few years ago, lets no knock NR for not responding like Gisele it is a large organisation and emergency relief is not core to its business

You can miss the coach, just look for 1984 Orwellian looking passengers staring blankly at screens 

Also Network Rail have made their bridge & structures examiners and civil engineers available the local authorities to assist them.