Daily Mail fails again?

[MyRule1]

I have placed this under discussions rather than questions even though it is framed as a question as it might be news.

 

Todays click bait brought this up:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12076829/Are-old-tube-trains-going-returned-service.html

 

In February GWR did announce that they had purchased the assets of Vivarail regarding the battery conversations, but this implies they have purchased all the remaining stock!

 

It's dated today as an exclusive so it might be new information, but I cannot find any other references online after Feb'. 

[Clive Mortimore]

I don't believe for one moment the Daily Mail has made a mistake.

 

[BernardTPM]

No, not old tube trains; old 'surface' stock. 😈

[Mike_Walker]

16 hours ago, MyRule1 said:

I have placed this under discussions rather than questions even though it is framed as a question as it might be news.

 

Todays click bait brought this up:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12076829/Are-old-tube-trains-going-returned-service.html

 

In February GWR did announce that they had purchased the assets of Vivarail regarding the battery conversations, but this implies they have purchased all the remaining stock!

 

It's dated today as an exclusive so it might be new information, but I cannot find any other references online after Feb'. 

The article is basically correct.  GWR did indeed go out to buy 230001, the rapid charge system and Vivarail's IP on behalf of the DfT but the administrators threw in the stored unconverted cars.  Mark Hopwood described it as the "mother of all bog-of deals".  There are no immediate plans to use them.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Mike_Walker
Left out the vital "no" word!

[Wickham Green too]

67 cars to keep the Greenford branch running ? ..................... 67 cars would probably fill the Greenford branch ! 

[John M Upton]

GWR going into the artificial reef business?  Drag the whole lot down to Dawlish and chuck them in the sea, about the only thing the old D stock is good for.

[keefer]

despite the whole VivaRail saga including how extensively reworked the stock is, everyone seems to automatically dismiss the trains as if they'd just been withdrawn from LT last week.

'Tatty old Underground trains' etc. i expect from the British media (esp. the Daily Fail) but it's disappointing to hear it from RMWeb members.

Of course, we all know the real answer is 'why didn't they just build new trains?' 🙄

[BMS]

There are units running on the Bidston to Wrexham route based at Birkenhead North Shed; 3 trains worth.

Tho these are owned, not leased, by the Welsh co. AFAIK

Edited May 14, 2023 by BMS
Amplification.