50049 has moved from Kidderminster to Derby on hire to Cross Country Trains. It will be a route learner for crews for diversions when Derby Station is rebuilt. Diversions are expecte to be via Stenson Junction, Trent , Toton and Trowell Junction to Clay Cross.
Times for XC diversions already in realtimetrains, but some EMT alterations seem to have not been done.
Quite an interesting document about the next franchise , the main problem i see with this franchise is that the trains currently used on these routes are TOO small. The main north to south axis services should be a minimum of seven coaches , four and five coaches is now insufficient at most times now.
Another case of Bi-modes do you think ?
(09/06/2018 06:50)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Quite an interesting document about the next franchise , the main problem i see with this franchise is that the trains currently used on these routes are TOO small. The main north to south axis services should be a minimum of seven coaches , four and five coaches is now insufficient at most times now.
Another case of Bi-modes do you think ?
It might be a case of wait and see what happens with the next East Midlands franchise. If East Midlands no longer requires the 222s then they could be useful, even if they can't be used in multiple with 220s or 221s.
When Cross Country brought 221144 back into use they used the two spare power cars 60394 and 60494 which had been out of use since Virgin Trains disbanded the unit to extend 221142/43 to five car. They also reduced 221136/40 to four car by removing 60986/90 to provide the centre cars for 221144.
However confusingly 60986 actually went into 221142 and 60794 moved to 221144.
This has meant that there were two carriages changing TOCs and 60794 returning to the unit that it was built for.
Ex LNER Powercars 43208 and 43239 left Eastleigh today for Laira having been on overhaul since January. Both in full XC Livery.
170518 to 170523 will soon be / are in the process of being converted to 3 car units with the centre carriages coming from units 170630 to 170635 transferring to EMR as 2 car 170530 to 170535. Once done the XC units will become 170618 to 170623.
(07/03/2021 20:25)ant17612 Wrote: [ -> ]170518 to 170523 will soon be / are in the process of being converted to 3 car units with the centre carriages coming from units 170630 to 170635 transferring to EMR as 2 car 170530 to 170535. Once done the XC units will become 170618 to 170623.
Up to now 170620/623 have received their new centre cars