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Old April 11th 10, 02:12 PM posted to uk.railway,uk.transport.london
D7666 D7666 is offline
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First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Jul 2003
Posts: 529
Default "10-Car" South Central

On Apr 11, 1:16*pm, Andy wrote:

The planned 458/460
rebuild would provide 54 extra vehicles and the 456s an extra 48 to
give a total of 102. Making up the shortfall of 38



508201-508212 = 12 3car units = 36 cars.

I am not suggesting these go to SWT , however I think they could
contribute to the cascade calculation and we do not know all the
pieces of the jigsaw puzzle yet.

I know there are various suggestions and proposals about where these
508s go, and IIRC none involve SE England, and AFAIK pre-date any of
the NR/DfT electrification plans. Cascades must have or may have
altered, or need re-working. 12mo ago for example we did not have 319s
in any frame for cascade to GWML / NW ... so there is a precedent for
things changing.

For example, speculation, suggestion, discussion, 20 313s go to SN
under the current known plans. There are 28 3car 377s. Logic might
suggest once BTON has 313s it is but a small step for 508/2s, and
theres your cascade of 36 cars - 8x3 + (say) 3x4 377s BTON - SHST
and then (say) SN 455s - SWT.

would say it is impossible/very expensive to convert the whole 455
fleet to 10 car operation (along with consistent power per unit when
running in shorter formations). Of course, in the future, 12 car will
be easy.


On the subject of power per unit yes with 455s BoBo and 456s Bo2 motor
coaches it does not add up fully.

Again there may be more to this than we know - not just because of
that but presumably SWT might want the 456s to be of the same internal
specification as their 455s. That could mean a full refurblement (yes
I know 456s are just getting some kind of overhaul now - but that sort
of thing never stopped 442s getting overhauled for SWT stopped then
xferred to SN/GEx and refreshed again).

Add this to the recent suggestion from Informed Sources about possibly
ding a complete traction pack rebuild on 321s, the similar thyristor
contemporaneous 456s would seem to fit this program. Who knows, if
456s got a VVVF upgrade they might reform them at the same time and
that adds more fuel to the fire.

Lastly, I believe the Lymington line may come into the is SWT 140 cars
somehow. The 3Cigs go soon, yes we know SX is going to be covered by a
158. I suggest this is a temporary measure until SWT gets more EMU. It
make more sense to me for Lymington to be covered by a 456 if SWT get
them as 2car units. Depending on how you decide to do the sums,
releasing the 2car 158 foe Watelroo Salisbury releases the equivalent
of a 4car 450 ... you might have one more longer Salisbury train
serving Basingstoke in the peak traded off against a shorter Bomo line
train etc etc. As has been commented, SWT is keeping silent on their
plans, so no-one can dismiss this idea as there is nothing from SWT on
any of it.

--
Nick