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Class 800 - Updates


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Apologies if this is an obvious question to those in the know, but what is (if anything) planned for all the units that will be displaced by the production of classes 800 and 801?

 

Will the HSTs all be withdrawn? What happens to the 91s and Mk4 stock?

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.....Will the HSTs all be withdrawn? What happens to the 91s and Mk4 stock?

 

Think I read that some of the HSTs going to Scotland for internal services.....

 

FGW will be retaining quite a few of their HST's for services from London to the SW (Devon & Cornwall) for the foreseeable future. 

They'll obviously be replaced at some later time on, as yet to be decided.

I think it likely, follow on orders or later iterations of the SET will supplant them early in the next decade.

 

I suspect FGW's Class 180's will be gone as soon as the first Class 800's go into service.

 

On the ECML, all the EC IC franchise (Virgin Trains EC) HST's will be withdrawn.

The IC225 sets were also due to be displaced, but there is currently some talk or speculation that a few sets may be retained for a while. I'm not sure how much credence can be placed on those stories though?

 

The future of the IC225 sets hasn't been decided yet.

Rail enthusiast forums are full of speculation and imagined proposals, but we'll just have to wait and see what transpires.

 

There is a firm proposal to use some shortened HST sets in Scotland and it's possible some others will be put to use elsewhere. 

People who work on them have reported on the condition of many Mk3's, suggesting quite a few will be ready for the scrapyard by the end of this decade.

In any event, I'd expect the first HST's to be scrapped not long after the Class 800/801's are introduced into full service.

 

 

.

Edited by Ron Ron Ron
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I like the idea of an HST to Kyle of Localsh. Far better than the current dog boxes.

 

But I suspect that the curves would be too much for regular Mk3 services.

I believe the intention is to use them on internal long-distance services, such as Glasgow/Edinburgh> Perth/Inverness and Glasgow/Edinburgh> Dundee/Aberdeen> Inverness. Even a 5-car set would be a bit over-specified for the number of passengers on the Kyle line; I don't think that it would be the curves that would pose the problem..

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FGW use 180,s on the Cotswold line so they probably will retain some for here as an 800 cannot be viable on this line even though an occasional HST ventures down the line ,agree about the state of MK3, they must be reaching the end of their lives .Was there some talk of the mk4,s going to the Midland Mainline this would provide a ready made solution for this line but I do hope the interiors are brightened up !

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FGW use 180,s on the Cotswold line so they probably will retain some for here as an 800 cannot be viable on this line even though an occasional HST ventures down the line........

 

The 5-car Bi-Mode Class 800 is designed specifically for routes like that.

Pairs of 5-car units from London will split at places like Oxford.

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The 5-car Bi-Mode Class 800 is designed specifically for routes like that.

Pairs of 5-car units from London will split at places like Oxford.

Why ON EARTH don't cross country units do the same? I've stood all the way Birmingham-Sheffield on a stupid 4 car unit so many times now...... Bring back a class 45/0 with13on ..........

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I believe the intention is to use them on internal long-distance services, such as Glasgow/Edinburgh> Perth/Inverness and Glasgow/Edinburgh> Dundee/Aberdeen> Inverness. Even a 5-car set would be a bit over-specified for the number of passengers on the Kyle line; I don't think that it would be the curves that would pose the problem..

 

 

Passenger numbers must have deteriorated since my first trip on the Kyle line, when the train was 8 Mk1s including a buffet car and was packed in both directions, and hauled by a class 26.

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Passenger numbers must have deteriorated since my first trip on the Kyle line, when the train was 8 Mk1s including a buffet car and was packed in both directions, and hauled by a class 26.

It mght approach that in the summer, but I doubt it's that busy in winter. I wonder how much traffic has been lost to the roads since the Skye Bridge opened.

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FGW use 180,s on the Cotswold line so they probably will retain some for here as an 800 cannot be viable on this line even though an occasional HST ventures down the line ,agree about the state of MK3, they must be reaching the end of their lives .Was there some talk of the mk4,s going to the Midland Mainline this would provide a ready made solution for this line but I do hope the interiors are brightened up !

 

I'd read somewhere that Grand Central had signed up for the 180s once they become available from FGW.

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I'd read somewhere that Grand Central had signed up for the 180s once they become available from FGW.

They have. GC Have signed the lease for all the FGW 180's to replace their HSTs from 2017, the original due date for the IEP to enter service. How many or indeed any of these cascades will run to time will be anyone's guess, as FGW is reliant on TV Electrification to release the 165/166s to Bristol, to in turn release the 150s and 158s to Exeter - which limits anything down west until that cascade is completed: Abellio ScotRail is dependant on HSTs to be released from FGW, which will release the 170 fleet to other UK operators: and all this revolves largely around the readiness of the GWML electrification and IEP testing being completed in time, although I get the feeling that the initial amount of work / timescales on the GWML has been substantially overestimated and is causing to be something of a headache for Network Rail. Otherwise it'll be Bi Modes to Paddington.

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I do hope that nobody drops these things unloading them in the UK.  Will they come in via Port of Tyne does anybody know?  (BTW Reading - Didcot is supposed to be ready for IEP testing us by late 2015 according to one NR issued electrification programme - it might be achievable but it would need the electrification work to crack along a lot more rapidly then it has so far I reckon.)

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Wonder if Scotrail would release it's HST displaced diesel units south of the border or would they be used for more internal services.

ScotRail will be receiving 27 HSTs, plus a few spares (enough for one more set)   

Initially they will operate as 5 coaches, but this will be increased to 6 coaches once the refurbishment of Glasgow Queen Street is completed

Equally, once Glasgow Queen Street closes the sets can be increased, but it has now been realised some of the sets could be dedicated to serve Edinburgh only and commence as 6 coaches

 

Along with EGIP this will release all the Class 170 units to be returned to RoSCo

The remaining services will be operated by Class 158, and most services will swap over to 4 car sets with a refurbishment to give them all the same internal layout as those based at Inverness (a hint as where they will all be based from 2018)

Some Class 156 units will also be returned to RoSCo, the remainder will be overhauled and placed into semi-permanent 4 car sets

 

The AT200 EMU will take over all the EGIP routes and Ayrline (hence the increase from 56 to 70 units when Abellio were confirmed as the new franchise holder)

In turn this will release the Class 380 units and see their full use on the remaining infill Glasgow electrification projects

The Class 314 units will then returned to RoSCo

Edited by mjkerr
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