HST to replaced by IEP

[battlearrow]

The message is photograph the HSTs while you can,as today 1 March 2011, the UK Government officially announced the InterCity Express Project or IEP the HST replacement project was to go ahead, with around 500 vehicles built for use on the East Coast and Great Western routes. The trains to be built by Agility Trains, with construction undertaken by Hitachi at new facilities to be built at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. The factory will commence building trains in 2013 for fleet introduction in 2016. In addition to the IEP announcement today, the Government has also announced the electrification forward from Didcot to Bristol and Cardiff. So, the existing HST fleet will start to be phased out from 2016

 

[usaoz89]

shouldn't this be in prototpye talk
always there goes british type of XPT
i will probably never see one except for the aussie one

 

[wholbr]

Hi Everybody.
I really do not understand why they are going to spend the billions of pounds necessary to electrify the London to Bristol route. I regularly travel on that route and find the HST 125/130s a very smooth, quiet and comfortable ride.

Considering that most of the power that will drive the new consists will come from power stations fueled by natural gas or oil I can see no advantage security wise in this conversion or likewise any great upgrade in terms of speed for the overall journey.

I feel it makes little difference to most passengers whether you take one hour 45 minutes or one hour 30 minutes for the journey between Bristol and London Paddington. The main concern is reliability and actually arriving at the scheduled time.

One advantage the push/pull diesels have is that if one power unit breaks down the other can keep the train going and also it can be moved into a passing loop so that other trains can get past. I cannot see this happening with the new electrified system as if the power goes off everything comes to a stop.

Therefore I can think of far better ways in the present economic situation to spend those billions of pounds (that we do not have) than electrifying railway routes that do not need it

Just my thoughts

Bill

 

[IsambardKingdomBrunel]

Spoken like a true tory, Bill.

I suppose you think Wales is not entitled to electrification either ?

IKB.

 

[Euphod]

IKB, I think Bill made a reasonable argument, and I agree, from far away. I have to ask you if by using the word "entitled" I should assume you feel that your region deserves electric rail, no matter what the financial consequences?

 

[NSWGR_46Class]

Rule COC 14

Hi gents time to read up on Rule Coc 14 and 16 before it gets to heated

 

[daveinblock4]

Do you think that Auran, by putting a HST picture on the cover of the Trainz 2010:EE box have put a jinx on the HST? (a bit like the American Football players that appear on the cover of the Madden NFL games. They always seem to have a cursed existence after appearing on the cover).

 

[Euphod]

Hi gents time to read up on Rule Coc 14 and 16 before it gets to heated

I'm not seeing where this is getting heated at all. I'm just curious to find out IKB's opinion on the issue, as I believe it mirrors the controversy here in the US about the HSR issue. We've conversed before, and I am confident we can remain civil.

I guess thanks for the word of caution though.

 

[BLACKWATCH]

Spoken like a true tory, Bill.

I suppose you think Wales is not entitled to electrification either ?

IKB.

I have nothing against Wales having electrification, if they can afford it.
But that's all down to the Welsh Assembly now, it's up to them to raise the taxes to pay for it now that they have the powers.

I refer you to the latest news from west of the Severn ..................

Now the debate is over and the ballot boxes have been stored away until the Assembly elections on May 5, what does the referendum result now mean for the people of Wales? How will things be different in the future?
Well, from now on, we have a much more effective and efficient legislative process that will enable the Assembly to deliver the change Wales needs in those areas we are responsible for – such as health, education, housing and transport.

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...s-in-themselves-91466-28289248/#ixzz1Fubqp5HU
​

 

[WestSideRailways]

I have nothing against Wales having electrification, if they can afford it.
But that's all down to the Welsh Assembly now, it's up to them to raise the taxes to pay for it now that they have the powers.

I refer you to the latest news from west of the Severn ..................

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...s-in-themselves-91466-28289248/#ixzz1Fubqp5HU
​

The only thing that has changed is the people holding the purse strings :hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:

 

[wholbr]

Hi IKB And Everybody.

Spoken like a true tory, Bill.

I suppose you think Wales is not entitled to electrification either ?

IKB.

First of all all those reading this thread, do not worry this is not likely In any way to turn into a flaming session between IKB and myself. We have in the past agreed to disagree and undoubtedly that will always be the case.

Now back to topic, I did think about the electrification to Cardiff and Swansea when I was dictating my post. However, I read the report on the upgrade between Bristol and London in a local Somerset newspaper and so it did not mention South Wales.

Having said that, I think the money would be better spent on the Swansea, Cardiff route than the Bristol section. The South Wales services to London stop far less frequently on Route than the services from Bristol and therefore spend far more time running at high speed than there counterparts from Somerset and Bristol. Therefore the benefits of electrification ( if any) would be better served.

However, as stated in my first post I do not feel there is enough overall benefit to the London rail traveling public to warrent any electrification of the route(s). At times like these when there is enormous pressure on public services such as health, education and pensions, I feel undoubtedly that they are much more deserving of the billions needed as against this project.

In any case............. I like the HSTs and that's all that matters, so nobody's getting anything else, there

The balls in your court IKB, over to you.

Bill

 

[IsambardKingdomBrunel]

No probs Bill.

I just think that they find money very easily for new routes, updates and expansions in the S.E. of England and to the Midlands.

But when it comes to any other parts of the UK, suddenly the coffers are empty and disinterest sets in rapidly.

For your information Blackwatch, this falls outside the remit of the Welsh Assembly Government's powers, so engage your brain before opening your mouth.

IKB.

 

[wholbr]

Hi Everybody

~snip

I just think that they find money very easily for new routes, updates and expansions in the S.E. of England and to the Midlands.

But when it comes to any other parts of the UK, suddenly the coffers are empty and disinterest sets in rapidly.~snip

IKB.

I could not agree with you more IKB. In the United Kingdom much of the wealth, services and better standards of living have become concentrated in the Southeast. it is driving this nation apart which I believe will be to the detriment of our grandchildren in the future.

Having got off my high horse, why has it got to be London to Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff for the upgrades. Always London has to be involved. If they were to broaden their horizons by looking out the windows of their tower block offices in London they would see that there are much better deserving cases for rail improvement than the above.

The railway between Plymouth and Penzance is "diabolical" in terms of speed and service. Unemployment in Cornwall is one of the highest in the country with many younger people forced to leave their place of birth to seek employment elsewhere with the properties then sold to second-home owners all too often from London.

The offshoot of the above is that we now have a growing movement in Cornwall for a super type County Counsel that would have legislative powers similar to those in Wales which would define the counties future by the wishes of the people living in it, something I would find very understandable.

However, Unfortunately if this comes about, again we shall divide.

Bill
from the sad side of Somerset

 

[BLACKWATCH]

For your information Blackwatch, this falls outside the remit of the Welsh Assembly Government's powers, so engage your brain before opening your mouth.

IKB.

OOOOOOOoooo don't get yer knickers in a twist taffy, it wasn't a pop at the leak eaters from dragonland, it was more of a sarcastic comment, on the fact that all this political 'handing over of power', actually amounts to a big fat ZILCH.

Until the top government ministers in Westminster have to commute from Wales to London, they ain't likely to even let the Welsh lines disturb their thoughts, Wales gets about the same consideration that we do in Lincolnshire, another fat ZILCH.

You really should take note of the smileys, they indicate the manner in which the comment is posted.

 

[IsambardKingdomBrunel]

Hi Everybody


I could not agree with you more IKB. In the United Kingdom much of the wealth, services and better standards of living have become concentrated in the Southeast. it is driving this nation apart which I believe will be to the detriment of our grandchildren in the future.

Having got off my high horse, why has it got to be London to Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff for the upgrades. Always London has to be involved. If they were to broaden their horizons by looking out the windows of their tower block offices in London they would see that there are much better deserving cases for rail improvement than the above.

The railway between Plymouth and Penzance is "diabolical" in terms of speed and service. Unemployment in Cornwall is one of the highest in the country with many younger people forced to leave their place of birth to seek employment elsewhere with the properties then sold to second-home owners all too often from London.

The offshoot of the above is that we now have a growing movement in Cornwall for a super type County Counsel that would have legislative powers similar to those in Wales which would define the counties future by the wishes of the people living in it, something I would find very understandable.

However, Unfortunately if this comes about, again we shall divide.

Bill
from the sad side of Somerset

I agree with everything you said there Bill.

But i can understand Cornwall wanting to go it alone.

Tell a real cornishman that he is english and he will spit in your face.

I live ( and am from this area originally ), as far south west as you can go.

Without getting your feet wet.

The train service is almost non existent and the line only survives because of the oil traffic.

Which in itself is only a shadow of it's former frequency.

Blackwatch,

ignorance again..........a "Taffy" is someone who comes from Cardiff. It originates from the association with the river "Taf", that runs through the city.

IKB.

 

[Dean_Forest]

The train service is almost non existent

I would blame Wales & West (remember them?). Wales and West cutback loads of successful services (!) which seems stupid to most of us but...

They were based in Swindon despite this being right on the edge of their territory and their main business being in (guess what) Wales and the West!

Outside of London and the Home Counties, the only region with a good service is Scotland thanks to the Scottish Parliament.

While London has Networkers, Desiros, Electrostars etc. and Scotland has 158s and 170s, all of the regions (the North of England, South Wales, the West of England) make do with those ghastly Pacer things.

So, while highspeed lines only really can go between major cities, what about local services for the rest of us? At least the cascading of Networkers from the London area means that the Pacers may finally go from here (even if they just go up north).

 

[Yorkshire]

Gentlemen

Perhaps we should go back to steam and develop the Yorkshire and Welsh coal fields!!!!!

Kind regards

Yorkshire

 

[BLACKWATCH]

Blackwatch,

ignorance again..........a "Taffy" is someone who comes from Cardiff. It originates from the association with the river "Taf", that runs through the city.

IKB.

That wasn't ignorance, but have it your way daffodil. :hehe:

 

[airtime]

I am so sorry to read about the sad way they are going to get rid of our beloved HST sets, and replace them with always failing to work in the winter Japenese Hitachi plastic rubbish, and they call this progress...

I think it's time to start saving up, and see how many full piggies I can get to buy a complete HST set, even though I don't think there is a preserved line anywhere long enough that will be able to run it at top speed...

Thank goodness JN114 and Nexusdj are making a new HST set for Trainz, at least we will have a high quality HST 125 set in Trainz forever...

Joe Airtime

 

[pfx]

You can't accuse the politicians in London of being selfish. Just look at the Limpics they're giving us all. The benefits are going to be spectacular apparently. In fact, it's going to be so great, I'm actually fed up of it already.

Sorry, I digress. Work is obviously getting to me.

I've always been lucky enough (over the past 10 years) to be close enough to stations that are well served, to make great use of trains. I'm all for progress and expansion but as long as it's the right progress and expansion.

Nothing of the sort happens over here. There's a minute rail network and one cross-border connection which isn't particularly high speed.