I think they should use the 180s to run a London to Westbury semi fast service to replace the Thames Turbo service to Bedwyn. London - M'head - Reading etc.
Then make occasional HST▸ calls here and there to keep people happy.
Aside from the fact that 180s are needed elsewhere
I am sure that a good mix of fast/semi/stopping servce could be devised for Plymouth and West/Torquay to all intermediate staions to Reading via Westbury. However, whilst there is shortage of DMUS and electrification is still a dream we are stuck.
A possible solution is allegedly the 100 Mark 2 coaches in store although what condition they are in and how much it would cost to restore them I don't know. Also are there sufficient suitable locos to haul the say the 16 6 coach trains you could make?
But it's probably cheaper than buying 100
DMU▸ new coaches. Ian Walmsley (head of Porterbrook Leasing) suggests, in a personal capacity, that the
IEP▸ will cost 3 million per vehicle making a 10 coach set 30 million where an electric loco would be 4 million and a coach 1 million making 14 million for the same number of seats. Even if you make it two locos one electric and one diesel (to haul the set off the wires) that's still only around 20 million per set. So if you buy 50 IEP (electric only) then you pay 150 million, wheres you could get 75 sets of coaches each with two locos. Also if you buy only electric IEPs you still have the problem of through trains into unwired territory. Definitely more bangs for your bucks. Quote is from Modern Railways November.
