TransPennine Express

[childwallblues]

RE: First Transpennine Express

(29/03/2016 09:21)knutstransport Wrote:  I heard the plan was to take on the soon to be off-lease Pretendolino set, split it in to two and haul the two sets using 68s on Liverpool-Newcastle services, freeing up 2 x 185s to replace 170s on South TPE. Then one of the current TPE North West diagrams (which will transfer to Northern) will get Sprinters instead of 185s to free up a third 185, so that 3 x 185s replace 4 x 170s.

I have been told from a reliable source that the Pretendolino stock will not be going to TPE, also that 442 stock will also not be available.

[knutstransport]

RE: First Transpennine Express

(30/03/2016 17:58)childwallblues Wrote:  I have been told from a reliable source that the Pretendolino stock will not be going to TPE, also that 442 stock will also not be available.

442s are available but First don't want them. Apparently Kelios and Stagecoach would have used them if they'd won the TPE franchise.

[motormayhem1]

RE: First Transpennine Express
The class 442 looks very ugly

[knutstransport]

RE: First Transpennine Express
One of 3 new orders for TPE has been announced - 19 AT300s in a blue 'sweet-wrapper' livery for North TPE: http://www.globalrailnews.com/2016/03/31...e-express/

[wirralbus]

RE: First Transpennine Express
Hitachi seem to be the go to builder for these bi-mode trains , there order book is getting to be looking very congested.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: First Transpennine Express
They're the only ones really offering them at the moment. To go to anyone else for an order of that size would incur serious development costs. This order is also using options that First Group already had with Hitachi from other franchises so will have been available both more quickly and slightly cheaper.

I do think that the new livery looks absolutely excellent and I'm glad to see the first livery without the yellow front looking so good too - big fan of the black front. I'm also glad to see that proper intercity trains have been chosen. The 185s are good units but they're not true intercity to me.

[wirralbus]

RE: First Transpennine Express
If it wasn't for the 185's success story over the years , we wouldn't be getting these bi mode trains .

Looking forward to a look at this new livery for the class 185 being unveiled today at Manchester Piccadilly .

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: First Transpennine Express
The 185s were always too small at just 3 carriages though and given the quite natural growth in the rail sector since their introduction, I wouldn't attribute these bi-modes to just the use of 185s being a success.

As I said, the 185s are good units, capacity issues aside, and specifically designed with powerful engines for climbing the Pennines but it was always going to become uneconomical running diesel trains under the wires for such long distances anyway.

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: TransPennine Express
I think the Class 185 looks really smart in the new livery having seen 185108 in person but I'm undecided on the AT300 until I see one - I think the absence of the yellow cab ends will probably take some getting used to. Like CX54 I'm also pleased that intercity trains have been selected - I have always found as good as the Class 185s are they are simply too small (they should have been four car in my opinion) and they're definitely not intercity trains. I'm looking forward to seeing what other trains are ordered for TransPennine Express

[wirralbus]

RE: TransPennine Express
Think Transpennine had got a business case for the fourth coach but the DfT had said no and that's as far as that went , because the DfT went electrification crazy then.