The train arriving in 2017... Options

[Gazzadp]

Nice new trains coming to Newbury.... sadly not until 2017 though.

So you will waiting on the platform for a little while yet!

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/201...-rail-services/

[On the edge]

Yes, good news and they look as if they will deliver a very comfortable journey.

It's probably just me, and of course the Company concerned will be physically building the trains over here but have we really lost the skill of designing and building world class trains ourselves? It's the same old story, 'British industry' now reduced to metal bashing. It seems the only thing we do is financial services and then not honestly.

Sorry, I can't get excited any more.

[MontyPython]

Sorry, I can't get excited any more.

I bet you've got your anorak and notebook at the ready

[Andy Capp]

Reliability of service and seat availability are way higher in importance than the quality of train I'm afraid.

[motormad]

I went on a train today and hated it. It was 10 minutes late and so full that I could not even sit on the vestibule floor with any amount of space, let alone an actual seat.

No doubt I will still hate it in 2017.

[Turin Machine]

Last time I went to London by train I sat on my briefcase, nowhere else to go. Hellish, like a scene from ****. Never again. I pity the people who travel like that five days a week. Public transport? Public joke ismore like.

[JeffG]

Last time I went to London by train I sat on my briefcase, nowhere else to go. Hellish, like a scene from ****. Never again. I pity the people who travel like that five days a week. Public transport? Public joke ismore like.

I suppose a lot depends on what time you travel. I've not had problems recently.

[Andy Capp]

I suppose a lot depends on what time you travel. I've not had problems recently.

The problem starts when a train gets cancelled, or a station shuts; then the pressures on. Usually things are OK on the train, but if you are a heavy user, you will every so often have a nightmare journey to get home.

[Exhausted]

It doesn't say in the Hitachi blurb about dual propulsion on the basis that the electrification stops at Newbury. So if electric only, we are unlikely to see them on our route.

[Biker1]

It doesn't say in the Hitachi blurb about dual propulsion on the basis that the electrification stops at Newbury. So if electric only, we are unlikely to see them on our route.

The Intercity Express Programme (IEP) are designed to replace the HST's.
Some, I believe are going to be "bi-modal" i.e. they have diesel engines underneath the carriages (rather than in separate locomotives like the HST) so that they can work to places not electrified.
(An engine throbbing beneath you, is that progress?)

How many we shall see at Newbury I don't know but bear in mind 2 things....

1. Some HST's are to be retained for West of England services. The main purpose of the IEP is to replace services on the routes to be electrified i.e. Paddington to Bristol and Swansea.This leaves many routes still reliant on diesel, Cheltenham, Worcester, Wales beyond Swansea and, of course, the West of England.

2. They will not replace the "turbo" units which provide the majority of services to Newbury. These will be replaced by more conventional electric units but these should be in service before the IEP.

[On the edge]

I just think it's a pretty sad indictment on the present state of our nation that these apparently prestige new trains have to be designed and in reality, made by foreign firms. Don't we have skilled engineers anymore?

[Andy Capp]

I just think it's a pretty sad indictment on the present state of our nation that these apparently prestige new trains have to be designed and in reality, made by foreign firms. Don't we have skilled engineers anymore?

Define 'we'? I don't think this is about 'us' not being able to do it anymore, I suspect is more about economy and 'them' being better educated than before.

[On the edge]

Define 'we'? I don't think this is about 'us' not being able to do it anymore, I suspect is more about economy and 'them' being better educated than before.

We = UK PLC

Yes it IS exactly about economy and education. What happens when UK's bank balance runs out - all we have left to offer are services like tourism, or low grade fitting / metal bashing jobs. We don't even write much computer code these days, though we trail blazed commercial computing.

It might seem clever to let poorer less well paid people do the skilled jobs and clever to let foreign companies buy our firms and move 'managements' abroad. Until they overtake...

We've badly let down future generations by falling to properly educate them so that UK can maintain a reasonable level of national income. OK, we have financial services; but does anyone seriously think the emerging world economies will trust us to continue?

[JeffG]

What happens when UK's bank balance runs out

I thought it had a long time ago. Do you mean when our credit rating sinks too low for us to borrow? Actually, I don't think that's likely to happen.

[On the edge]

No one ever thought Lehman Brothers would go under either.....

[Biker1]

Now can folks see here why we need bus replacement services that many moan about? It isn't done for fun!
Makes me laugh though in the article where it says about the work on our line "electrification of the line would bring faster services and additional capacity to major UK cities, along the Great Western main line between London, Reading, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea."
Our line is not on any of those routes and will only have suburban electric services as far as Newbury

[Exhausted]

Now can folks see here why we need bus replacement services that many moan about? It isn't done for fun! Makes me laugh though in the article where it says about the work on our line "electrification of the line would bring faster services and additional capacity to major UK cities, along the Great Western main line between London, Reading, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea." Our line is not on any of those routes and will only have suburban electric services as far as Newbury

So, we will still see the old HST's crashing on through Newbury and the local services, although electrified will not get through to Hungerford and Gert Bedwyn. Is that how to read it.

Will the dual propulsion trains which may be used get their diesels started up as they roar through Thatcham.

[Washwaterman]

I just think it's a pretty sad indictment on the present state of our nation that these apparently prestige new trains have to be designed and in reality, made by foreign firms. Don't we have skilled engineers anymore?

Teaching boys to bake cakes? That’s no way to maintain an industrial empire.

[The Hatter]

Teaching boys to bake cakes? That’s no way to maintain an industrial empire.

Don't the Council feed our kids these days, so why would anyone need to know how to make a cake?

[Biker1]

So, we will still see the old HST's crashing on through Newbury and the local services, although electrified will not get through to Hungerford and Gert Bedwyn. Is that how to read it.

That's more or less it the way I see it at present unless the cash and will is found to extend the wires beyond Newbury.