Again, by analogy, the  unlamented "Tadpole"units that once inhabited this route weighed in at 113t with a 500hp diesel and only one motor bogie.

Slipping was a minor feature of the Southern's EE507, big traction motor, single motor car policy - part of the reason the 508's were banished to Merseyside.

The other problem is the perennial Diesel electric problem, that the generator/alternator produces more power at "right away" than the TM^‡(resolve)'s can use, leading to excessive windings' temperature rise. I think the 47's had a minimum continuous speed of 27mph to avoid TM damage, which limited their freight use.

What it does mean is that the makers need time to get even an adaptation right before launching anything new into service and making the public or at least the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s driver managers put up with an unfinished job.

OTC

By analogy, an 08 shunter with three axles and only 400/260hp can move almost anything, although not very quickly!

OTC

A train's performance on a gradient does not depend on whether it is diesel or electric but on its adhesion and therefore tractive effort. This in turn depends on axle load, number of driven axles and rail conditions, where friction can vary typically between 12% and 30%. A  diesel might be less inclined to slip as it could not lay down as much power as when under electric drive.

There are a number of c1:100 gradients at the Eastern end, the worst is 1:96, not the 1:40's experienced in the Pennines!

OTC

The d.c. traction motor and pneumatically operated doors are not exactly key NASA space technologies. There is a little more excuse for software but that has had decades on the learning curve.

The 769 problems say more about present UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rolling stock engineering expertise than they do about the relatively simple 319 stock. This should last indefinitely, like the 4SUBs which went to the torch in full working order with only wear and tear maintenance over their (several) lives.

OTC

It might help to consider the "dripping tap" approach to wiring presently occurring.

There are definite schemes progressing at least between:

Man Vic and Stalybridge
Stalybridge and Guide Bridge
Huddersfield (West) and Dewsbury
Dewsbury "right through to Leeds"
Colton Jn and Church Fenton (North)
Lostock Jn and Wigan Wallgate
Leeds and Bradford Int
Glendon Jn and Market Harborough (reported that one crew erected 29 masts in a single possession)
East Kilbride.
Cardiff Valleys

Only some have been "announced". Others have just started piling without fanfare. Yet others are either promised or included in budgets such as MML^» (Midland Main Line. - about) and Midlands Engine. Perhaps we'll see something nearer us soon, the Oxfordshire LEP^» (Local Enterprise Partnership - about) is the key.

There'll be a lot of pan upping and downing if the gaps aren't filled!

Greetings,

OTC

His career was one of serious corruption of local government, aided by it being a one party sub-state. The issue of regionalism was voted on nearly two decades ago so the memory was fresher.  Fading memories mean lessons have to be re-learned.

Westminster is not an English rotten borough as there is enough transparency and shared oversight to expose many of the abuses of any party. Rottenness happens under Labour as well.

The relevance to railways is that large rail contracts would be let purely locally. At least the GWEP^▸ (Great Western Electrification Program) overspend was a result of incompetence not of cronyism.

OTC

I think what you are really advocating is Regionalism, something that John Prescott failed to get adopted, largely because the prototype in the North East would have become a Labour Rotten Borough - something most Labour voters recoiled from - remember Newcastle's T Dan Smith?

There were sort of Regional assemblies and a Government Office for the South East, about the same size as the devolved Nations (in Britain at least).

So we are back to England being run from Westminster (i.e the South East).

OTC

I think that RSSB^▸ (Rail Safety and Standards Board) SD001 refers.

All three power units were TDM/RCH fitted although the 125 originally had a 36 way jumper. The ETS^▸ (Electric Train Supply) had to come from the 125 as it was 415/3/50, not 1000V/600A.

The Southern was the master of this sort of thing, with weird consists all plugged together with 27 way jumpers, all motored!

Apologies for abbreviations.

OTC

Good example of stock compatibility. Couplings, brakes, ETS^▸ (Electric Train Supply), control all working together (was the power car just providing ETS or was it providing traction as well?)

OTC

I would at least, list every Midland Station from St Pancras to Sheffield. They would now have full AT electrification and doubtless a better timetable.

Additionally, HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) trains would directly reach Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield Midland stations.

Also, connecting services to these points would now act more as feeders.

I agree that there's work to do in and for Yorkshire but we need an integrated HS2 not a cuckoo, divorced from the existing network, with timetable footnotes of, "passengers make their own way between x  and the HS2 station".

OTC

That's true of any Govt Report.

If they intended to renege on it they would have left the Eastern Leg in etc, so as not to incur criticism at this stage.

As it is it tidies up HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) and TP to an extent and admits that more work is needed on access to Leeds. It does include welcome upgrades to a much wider group of destinations that HS2 would bypass, being a politicians' vanity project, excessively distanced from the existing, mature railway.

What will happen to our XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) services, both from Bristol and Oxford Northwards?

OTC

I was in Palmer Park, Reading about 1210 today and saw 3V11, 769 937 returning ecs to Reading from Gatwick on time. Looked very smart.

Try the Park's TuTu's Cafe, it's very good.

OTC

I wonder if GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is waiting sensibly and quietly for Northern and TfW to sort out the 769's, one way or another, before taking the plunge on (and expense of)  driver training and introduction into service.

OTC

He will have worked closely with the remarkable Phillip Rees, then CCE, who  had c60 miles of line closed and excavated for deep ballasting, allowing the (then) billiard table smooth ride. I'm told the depth  has now been halved for future work! He retired in 1981 I think and there was a photo of him handing on the staff of office, Brunel's walking stick. He was still inspecting GWS Didcot at age 101, pronouncing the track, "quite good" - a rare compliment!

OTC

My favourite French-ed  phrase is,

"Donnez moi une charcuterie..."

OTC