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The SprinterMeister
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« Reply #30 on: June 28, 2012, 12:23:41 PM » |
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Two nods to modern rolling stock design:
1) The 180s. I'd forgotten just how much leg room you get in standard class. For my money the right combination of tables and airline seats for a long distance train and all seats having a good view out of the window. Though in many ways a lovely carriage, Mk2's with nothing but table seats were not so good when you wanted to have a little privacy and not play footsy with the person opposite. Oh, and I hate fixed armrests!
The 180's were the best of a bad bunch (above the underframe and between the cabs anyway) and far superior to the 22x. IEP would appear to be the long wheelbase lovechild of a class 395 and a class 221 and I'd be very surprised if thats exactly what you end up with. Same width as the Voyager / 158 / 153 apparently. |
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Trundling gently round the SW
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Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #31 on: June 30, 2012, 12:26:22 AM » |
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A year or two ago , a locomotive hauled train of (I think MK2 coaches) ran regularly from Taunton
Many passengers believed that this was "all first class" or looked in vain for steerage. Being presumably used to modern DMUs, they could not believe that the large and well spaced seats, every seat at a table, could be steerage class !
No doubt they enjoy the modern DMUs now used in that service.
Ah, the Orient Express! It worked cardiff to Taunton, IIRC. I caught it to Weston from BTM many times. It was smoother, quieter, and more comfortable than the regular DMUs, and I didn't know it had been taken away. I caught a similar train from Blackpool to Manchester some few years back, that did have a first class carriage, although the train was shown as standard class only in the timetable. So I sat in it with my mate, the only two in the whole carriage, with no problem. The conductor didn't mind. Standard class was standing room only, and not much of that either. You have to think these things through, sometimes. |
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The SprinterMeister
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« Reply #32 on: July 10, 2012, 01:28:13 PM » |
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IEP appears to be an inevitability now. From a normally impeccable source on WNXX; It's official, Thanks to Uncle Roger for the information.
IEP has won the HST replacement contract.
Make up of the order to be confirmed. Following so-called standstill period to be signed 20th July. Some positive murmurings about OHLE to Swansea though. |
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Trundling gently round the SW
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Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #33 on: July 11, 2012, 06:59:11 PM » |
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IEP appears to be an inevitability now. From a normally impeccable source on WNXX; It's official, Thanks to Uncle Roger for the information.
IEP has won the HST replacement contract.
Make up of the order to be confirmed. Following so-called standstill period to be signed 20th July. Some positive murmurings about OHLE to Swansea though. Er, rejoice? |
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broadgage
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« Reply #34 on: July 11, 2012, 10:24:01 PM » |
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Not a cause for regoicing at all in my view. Mainline services to be downgraded to DMUs, even if these can also use electric power. I stand by my earlier remarks about the likleyhood of bus style seating layout, reduced legroom, minimal catering, and shorter trains. Voyager mark 2  |
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"When customers say that they want a seat, they dont mean they want to sit with their knees behind their ears so that 4 more can sit down. They mean that they want an extra coach so that 74 more can sit down"
"Capacity on intercity routes should be about number of vehicles, not compressing people"
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The SprinterMeister
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« Reply #35 on: July 12, 2012, 11:14:43 AM » |
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Not a cause for regoicing at all in my view. Mainline services to be downgraded to DMUs, even if these can also use electric power. I stand by my earlier remarks about the likleyhood of bus style seating layout, reduced legroom, minimal catering, and shorter trains. Voyager mark 2 It has been decided that the Western has had it too good for far too long. All these splendid comfortable HST's roaring round in profusion while other passengers have to make do with truck engines on steroids roaring away under narrow cramped saloons. Now it is our turn to have standards reduced / dumbed down to the levels of the rest of the post 1996 replacement Intercity train fleets I'm afraid. |
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Trundling gently round the SW
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Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #36 on: July 12, 2012, 07:39:27 PM » |
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Not rejoice, then.  |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #37 on: July 23, 2012, 11:39:30 AM » |
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Roger Ford tweeted this, this morning.... Unless someone has protested, the IEP contact has been awarded. Suspect that DfT may save the announcement for the GW franchise ITT launch |
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homsar
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« Reply #39 on: July 25, 2012, 10:09:49 AM » |
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« Last Edit: July 25, 2012, 11:06:38 AM by homsar »
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #40 on: July 25, 2012, 10:10:55 AM » |
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and no compromise on leg-room
That bit should please 'Broadgauge'!
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #41 on: July 25, 2012, 10:22:34 AM » |
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It's interesting to note that noises from Govt. regarding HS2 have recently gone decidedly quiet. The cynic in me sees the Govt. saying, 'look what we're doing for the existing rail network'.
No mention whatsoever for HS2 in Network Rail's next Control Period......
I do agree it's gone a little quiet regarding HS2, but that might partly be due to the huge amount of work sitting in the DfT's inbox. HS2 is not a Network Rail scheme, yet, so they will not be making references to it, though the HLOS released last week makes two references (at least) to HS2: 'The strategic intent is to develop the network in a way that will enable it to shoulder demand until High Speed Two (HS2) becomes operational, but is then able quickly to adapt and integrate around the high capacity HS2 corridor.'
'The Secretary of State wishes the industry to prepare for the future and, to this end, is providing £140 million over CP5 to fund innovation and the development of potential enhancement schemes for CP6 (2019/20 to 2013/24) including all necessary work on development of the linkage of High Speed Two with the existing rail network.' |
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paul7755
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« Reply #43 on: July 25, 2012, 10:53:27 AM » |
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Apart from the interfaces with the exisiting network, HS2's core route may well remain in separate ownership to NR anyway, like HS1 - (notwithstanding NR have the maintenance contract).
As you say the main project isn't HLOS subject matter - that's why there is a separate HS2 company, again like set up for CTRL1/2 (later HS1), and HS2 has a separate funding line outside NR...
Pointing out its absence from the HLOS as a poosible sign it is being sidelined is clutching at straws, I think.
Paul
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« Last Edit: July 26, 2012, 11:32:43 AM by paul7755 »
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homsar
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« Reply #44 on: July 25, 2012, 11:08:15 AM » |
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Thanks, I fixed the fixing of my link. (Why can't forum software agree on whether url tags need quotes or not?) |
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