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Recliner[_3_] · August 9th 17, 10:01 AM posted to uk.transport.london

wrote:
In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 07:44:52 on Thu, 3 Aug
2017, Roland Perry remarked:

2. Bedford to Kettering. Newly electrified,

Is it, already?

Not completed, but intended to be.

We are talking about NR and Grayling here. The only thing you can
reasonably expect is that whatever they claim today may change tomorrow.

suitable for 125 mph electric
or diesel trains. IEPs will outperform the existing diesels.

3. Kettering to Leicester and on to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Electrification work started,

Just a few bridge works.

but work will be suspended indefinitely. Bi-mode IEPs will be able to
run, but performance will be worse than current diesel trains,
specially the Meridians.

So keep the Meridians.

Yes, but not the HSTs.

There's only one tph (to Nottingham) operated by HSTs, and now
electrification has been cancelled they'll have to find something else
to replace the HST. But I doubt it'll be IEPs.

It occurs to me that if the line is electrified to Corby (despite it
being "North of Kettering", that's what the "Bedford to Kettering
electrification" is all about) then they could release the three
Meridians used for that service to replace HSTs on the main line.

Three short Meridians wouldn't be enough, surely?

No. And it would be politically unacceptable for the new MML franchise to
make no use of the newly electrified line. So it's a safe bet that Grayling
knew what he was talking about when he announced that bi-modes would be
used.

In the absence of any other obvious options for a partly-electrified 125
mph line, I think that must mean IEPs, probably a new 802 variant. I think
Bombardier missed its chance to insert a pantograph car into the class 22x
fleet.