Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:51:17 on
Thu, 3 Aug 2017, Recliner remarked:

I take it you don't read any railway magazines?

I don't read magazines yet to be printed. MML electrification was
only cancelled ten days ago.

RAIL dated yesterday (Wednesday) has the story on its front cover.

What does LIAR say about the fleet post-HST?

It quotes Grayling as saying that bi-modes will be used.

Ask again in three weeks, and you'll probably get a different answer.
He's just regurgitating a somewhat tired figleaf.

Serious question: does Grayling have a reputation for regularly changing
his mind? Offhand, I can't think of any examples. He was a poor justice
minister, but his bad policies weren't overturned during his period in
office. And he's been too ideological in the DfT, but I don't recall him
changing his mind at the drop of a hat. If anything, he's pig-headed.

Truncating the electrification project was an inevitable decision,
following NR's failure to deliver, and probably reflects the mandarins'
long term scepticism about electrification. Choosing the DfT-specified IEP
for the MML would also be in line with their policies for other main lines.
I doubt that Grayling knows much about rolling stock, other than on his
local line, so he's probably just accepting civil service advice. Why do
you think that would change?

In any case, I have a strong suspicion that the decision on bi-modes was
taken at the same time that they decided not to electrify beyond Kettering
and Corby. So it's very unlikely he'll change his mind in the next three
weeks. But why do you think he would?