tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post967086656398982082..comments2024-03-29T07:01:08.281+00:00Comments on Plymothian Transit: South West Trainsdidbygrahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01858408719372985035noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-34025949619461732902017-06-29T20:09:52.645+01:002017-06-29T20:09:52.645+01:00I tried the new 700's on the Thameslink from E...I tried the new 700's on the Thameslink from East Croydon across London & while the acceleration is impressive the seats are so hard & thin that my legs were hurting after only a few minutes.Are they really a solution for Brighton to Bedford or Waterloo to Reading? DFT apparently did the specs.<br />Even the old 455's have a much better comfort level.<br />First/MTR have made the right call.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-84378236311053292122017-06-27T16:02:10.533+01:002017-06-27T16:02:10.533+01:00Unfortunately you can't just move vehicles bet...Unfortunately you can't just move vehicles between franchises even if they are largely under the same ownership without the DfT being involved. Not that there are any spare DMUs to be released......Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14179060513290116094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-30259749481817643012017-06-24T19:25:19.144+01:002017-06-24T19:25:19.144+01:00Honestly when I heard about these new trains I was...Honestly when I heard about these new trains I was annoyed, I thought they would be replacing nice new trains which look really nice with some type of other horrid train, but if they look anything like the picture these will be very nice trains, topping the Desiro for me! <br />Whilst morally I don't believe in these trains, they do look very nice and I am sure of several things: some company, somewhere, will eventually take at least a few of the old new trains (looking at c2c, London Midland and Arriva Trains Wales as the most likely to take them, possibly Scotrail too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-49778450356249746302017-06-23T10:37:42.967+01:002017-06-23T10:37:42.967+01:00The 707s are also a non-standard train - 150 vehic...The 707s are also a non-standard train - 150 vehicles represents 30 train sets. There is a big advantage to First/MTR in having a unified, standard fleet. <br /><br />Also the idea that they will be "scrapped" before they have even entered service is ludicrous. They WILL enter service with SWT and will be used until the last Aventras have arrived to replace them. Given that the 707s have a family resemblance to the class 700s operated by Govia Thameslink, and also given that commuting into London is forecast to rise relentlessly, with people moving ever further out of the city to find affordable housing, I venture that those 30 units will not be unemployed for long. Indeed it could even be that increasing passenger numbers require SWT to hold on to them anyway! Juliannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-34019702467566319692017-06-22T20:52:40.233+01:002017-06-22T20:52:40.233+01:00According to Wikipedia, these new Aventra trains w...According to Wikipedia, these new Aventra trains will be replacing the old 455 and 456 units, and the non-standard 458s. And yes controversially, they are also seen as replacements to the 707's that have not even started to enter service yet!<br /><br />Although this new train order does not effect us down here in the far south west, it does prove First/MTR have major plans for the SWT fleet. Considering First already spot-hire DMUs from SWT on nearly a weekly basis, it seems probable that they might start reallocating some DMUs between the two franchises.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com