From
Worcester News:
More and longer trains could be on the way to boost capacity on the Cotswold Line between Worcester and London.
And Class 180 Adelante trains, which worked many services on the route from 2004 to 2008, could be in line for a surprise comeback.
Train operator First Great Western has issued a tender invitation to rail engineering firms asking them to lodge bids to refurbish up to six of the five-coach Adelante trains and convert at least 20 coaches, mostly redundant buffet cars, to lengthen high speed trains which operate the busiest Cotswold Line services.
This change would add about 80 extra standard class seats to each unit.
FGW▸ estimates that the work could cost up to ^10m.
Under a rolling stock plan drawn up by the last Government, FGW^s Thames Valley and Cotswold routes were expected to get 50 extra diesel multiple unit coaches but the plan was dropped when it was decided instead to electrify the line between London Paddington, Reading and Oxford by 2016.
However, according to surveys by the Office of Rail Regulation, FGW has the worst overcrowding problems of any rail company in the UK▸ and the firm has been in talks for several months with the Department for Transport about ways to provide extra coaches for the five years until electric trains become available.
An FGW spokesman said: ^Since the beginning of our franchise we've significantly increased capacity on many of our routes. However, with more and more customers choosing to use our services it^s difficult for us to keep up with demand.
^I can confirm we are working with the Department of Transport to evaluate a number of possible options for increasing, including lengthening our seven-coach HST▸ sets by adding an extra standard class carriage and the introduction of some Class 180 units.
^We recognise there is a real need to improve capacity in key areas of our network, so this evaluation is about understanding the costs and benefits associated with these plans.^ The return of Adelante trains on FGW services would represent a U-turn by the firm, which withdrew them from service in March 2009, blaming poor reliability and high operating costs compared with its HSTs.
FGW announced last Wednesday that it would not to take up an option to extend its franchise for three extra years from 2013 and would instead bid for a new deal from the Government.
However, managing director Mark Hopwood pledged it would be business as usual until the end of the current franchise agreement in March 2013.
The annual meeting of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, which represents passengers on the Worcester-Oxford rail route, takes place at 10.30am on Saturday.
The meeting will be held just across the county boundary at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire, at the WI Hall, in New Road, close to the town^s station.
Mr Hopwood will be among guest speakers to give updates on the current ^67m project to improve the line and extra train services from September.
