FGW livery change due soon?

[whole diary]

[John R]

Lengthening all or some of the 2+7's to 2+8's would go some way to alleviating the summer weekend crush down to Devon and Cornwall though as the extra 80 or so standard class seats would come in very useful.

That's true, but given they've only just been reduced to 2+7 how likely is it?

[Tim]

I read in the current Rail that there are a few dozen HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) Mk III not being used.   It would make perfect sense to add these to the trains that need them (and the London to devon/Cornwalls must be prime canditates).  No problem with depot lengthening because the depots have all managed with 2+8 until recently.

This is the kind of thing were BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) would have done better.  We are not talking about buying expensive new trains or anything just using coaches which the taxpayer paid for 40 years ago and which are now presumably costing money to store.
However, the Roscos will want money in rental and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will in turn want money from the governement and the whole thing is just too expensive and complicated rather than just a case of getting the best use out of assets already in the country. 

I am in general a suporter of market forces, but we have created the structure of the industry all wrong when it makes financial sense for old stock to be stored rather than being used on trains by fare paying customers.   

[dog box]

The Few dozen vehicles you read about will be 2. 3 and 7 series catering vehicles, i am 99% sure there are no stored TS or TF hst compatable mk3 trailer vehicles any where, all there is is whats being used, remember also there are also approx 30 ex loco hauled coaches which have been converted for hst use.....

[willc]

There are a number of TSO^▸ (The Stationary Office (now OPSI), or, possibly Trailer Standard Open (carriage), depending on context) and FOs of the loco-hauled variety in store which are owned by DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) Regio and are being retained for their project to provide loco-hauled Mk3 peak workings for Chiltern.