Re: MML HST's to be stood down - per RAIL magazine

> Here we go again
> 1. Underfloor dmu's are neither fuel efficient or maintenance efficient

Maybe so but they are available now.

> 2. HST2 is not only going to be diesel

And why do we need an electric HST when an electric Pendilino is
already available?

> 3. Tilting trains are expensive and offer little advantage the GW
> metals where expenditure on trains and track systems into billions
> would save only around 20 minutes between London and Penzance.

But what about London - Exeter and London - Plymouth surely these are
the major markets for WC and remember Exeter and Plymouth are served by
limited stop services unlike Penzance.

Also, what was so expensive about tilt between Oxford - Banbury?

> 4. What would be useful is a train with the capacity to offer a proper
> passenger environment in a diesel version that is convertible to
> electric when electrification is provided.

And pigs might fly. Since when has any train designed to be convertible
later ever ended up actually being converted?

In any case, why electrify for no service improvement? You could never
make a business case that would stand up.

> 5. Per vehicle 22x series cost around 23% more to maintain than current
> HST. In the case of Virgin it is far more but warranty claims for
> Cummins may get some back. Track access is about 40% more.

But how much would an HST2 conforming to all the regs and standards of
today cost to maintain compared with HST1 or a Voyager?

Track access charge for HST2 same as for HST1?

> 6. Tilting Voyagers are not used in the West Country at the moment in
> any case. All the Voyagers used there do not tilt now and are very
> unlikely to in the future, it simply isn't worth spending the money.

Again, it was do-able for Oxford - Banbury.

If ever there was a route crying out for tilt it just has to be Exeter
to Plymouth.

Surely ,Exeter and Plymouth could benefit from the sort of journey time
(and revenue) improvement that's been possible for Manchester and for
that matter so could Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Why are we turning our backs on the proven readily available 21st
century technology of the Voyager, that could offer virtually immediate
service and revenue improvement in favour of something that harks back
to the eighties, take years to deliver and offers zero service
improvement?

Unless HST2 offers tilt it's just a monumental waste of time and money

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Scrap HST2
    ... the scrapping of the HST2 project in favour of further electrification. ... There is also a review of the new Irish Rail Mark 4 coaching stock. ... Perhaps Peter, you may care to quote your editorial in the newsgroup ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: MML HSTs to be stood down - per RAIL magazine
    ... Source hybrid electric+diesel trains for the whole fleet ... but difficult to justify lugging diesel engines ... Obviously the HST2 camp's favoured outcome - it would provide the GW ... electrification was underway. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: MML HSTs to be stood down - per RAIL magazine
    ... Underfloor dmu's are neither fuel efficient or maintenance efficient ... I admire and respect your confidence, but to talk of HST2 as though it ... > electric when electrification is provided. ... Developing a convertible version would indicate the use of power ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: HST2
    ... electric train and don't need to be involved in HST2? ... should some GW electrification bid suceed? ... GNER now have the opportunity to set their own timescale, ... HST2 as a purely GW problem. ...
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