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Midland Main Line ready for 125mph running


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On 09/05/2019 at 01:47, phil-b259 said:

 

It depends what you mean by upgrading.

 

If it was upgrading solely for electrification work no - but if the work done now means the bridges are now good for another 100 years (I have no idea what it really is) or can have a weight restriction removed, or is more resistant to errant road vehicles damaging it etc, plus its now future proofed for a time when the current crop of idiots at the DfT have gone, then its money well spent.

 

Railways are a LONG TERM investment. Just because dunderheads at Westminster plus much of the media cannot get their heads round that does not mean we have to join them and also play at being bean counters!

 

It's only future proofed if the ORR brains trust don't increase the ole clearances again on the off chance that a giraffe on stilts gets careless with a selfie stick.

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8 hours ago, ess1uk said:

new trains announced are 33 sets of 5 car 800s

 

"According to Hitachi, the EMR units will be an ‘evolution’ of the AT300 design supplied to other UK operators, with 24 m long vehicles rather than 26 m, and a slightly modified nose profile. Each five-car set will have four underfloor diesel generator modules rather than the three used in the Class 800 and 802s." (RGI)

 

This suggests it might be an entirely new class.

 

Cheers

David

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1 hour ago, Shed said:

Will they run at 125 on both electric and diesel?

It is claimed they have the same performance on diesel as 222s, so as the 222s can reach 125mph then these new units will too.  The diesel engines will power the same motors as are used in electric mode. 

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12 hours ago, Shed said:

Will they run at 125 on both electric and diesel?

 

Yes.  As long as they are not between London and Bedford, it's not too hot and the pollen count is not too high they'll be fine.  At least they are unlikely to be doused with sea water (which has caused a number of engine shut downs on GW sets) so that's something.

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10 hours ago, Talltim said:

It’s the electric mode that’s a problem tho. The Bedford-St Pancras section of the wiring isn’t suitable for 125

There is allegedly a government commitment to fund OLE improvements south of Bedford. 

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12 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

There is allegedly a government commitment to fund OLE improvements south of Bedford. 

 

Indeed but I wouldn't bet a single penny on it being finished before the trains go into service.   My expectation at present is for a period of eased point to point times south of Bedford or diesel working between West Hampstead and Bedford or both.

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13 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

There is allegedly a government commitment to fund OLE improvements south of Bedford. 

 

1 minute ago, DY444 said:

 

Indeed but I wouldn't bet a single penny on it being finished before the trains go into service.   My expectation at present is for a period of eased point to point times south of Bedford or diesel working north of West Hampstead or both.

 

You can see the newspaper headlines about how the 'Government' has bought electric trains that can't use the electric wires.

 

I bet the RMT have done their soundbite calling for renationalisation already.....

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37 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

There is allegedly a government commitment to fund OLE improvements south of Bedford. 

Presumably a 'commitment' just like the one to make similar changes on the GWML west of Acton?  Only problem is likely to be the same as the one on the GWML - the timescale of the work will be 'flexible' (i.e. it will run into more years than has been implied).

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You are being optimistic. Years ago I was told that civil servants were instructed to come up with regular "initiatives" to be announced by the politicians, which they never had any intention of implementing. At the moment most of the announcements strike me as in this class.

Or if you really do intend doing it you make sure that you can make the same announcement of a "new initiative" (I know that is a tautology) at least four times before you actually spend any money.

Me cynical? Surely not!

Jonathan

PS Just the reverse of all rail fare increase announcements which are headline "news" twice - when the are announced in the summer and when they come into force in January.

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