And throw in the 360s for good measure too!
Just before they go off to Scotrail to replace the HST? hahaha
Beggars belief, doesn’t it?! A level of refurbishment is carried out to stock that is leaving relatively soon… yet it’s 2 1/2 years and counting for the 360 refurbishment; and surely the better Regional stock situation now allows some units to be withdrawn for refurbishment (or at least a deep clean beforehand)?!
The most likely case is that the ROSCO wanted the refurbishment to bring them up to scratch for future use, wherever that may be (Scotrail is just speculation). The colour of the new seating is a generic grey rather than EMR's lilac
Also no gangway connection when they are doubled up so people can't distribute themselves properly after boarding (which they do a lot on the 158s). And on a recent 2x170 the guard apologised that he wouldn't be available in the front set, so no ticket checks or queries answered. I wondered why he couldn't hop between sets during stops but maybe he had to dispatch from the rear set or something like that.
This is partly why I don't see 170s returning to Scotrail. They released them for HSTs because they wanted a single length IC style train for Glasgow/Edinburgh - Aberdeen/Inverness. I think the 222s once refurbished are more likely. 170s will probably stay on these routes to some extent for driver and route knowledge but they aren't ideal (though they are very comfortable).
You can hop between sets but it is a faff (you need to bring certain equipment with you) and if something cracks off in the back set you then have a load of hassle to get out to it, depending on where you are. Consequently most of the time for multi set working the guard will stay in the back set.
The main 170 diagrams will be going over to 3 car (6 car Nottingham to Liverpool) from the December timetable change.
Aye, this sounds the most likely reason.
Why not diagram them as 3+2 with the 2-car ones being detached at Nottingham? It would free up some 3-cars for use elsewhere on the network.
Because the interworking of the diagrams in Lincolnshire means using 3 car sets is difficult with the increase in service Northern and Thameslink have made. This means the Peterborough to Doncaster service can only use 2 car sets, and the only suitable diagram for a 3 car set is the Class 158 diagram which is the only booked work Lincoln have on Class 158s, so can't be changed for that reason.
If ever the Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse trains are restored to the timetable on Monday to Fridays, which I now very much doubt will ever happen, perhaps 2 car sets can run on all Robin Hood Line services. If the service was once more half hourly between Nottingham and Mansfield, then 2 car trains should be more than enough capacity outside of peak times, allowing the 3 car trains to be released to run elsewhere.
It is possible for both to happen, there are more 3 car 170s now then we had last winter timetable.
Part of me thinks this is more down to the leasing company wanting them to be good condition to attract another leaser?
Isn't it generally a case that units have to be returned to the ROSCO in good condition - not sure they'd accept the Meridian's back in their current condition so EMR have probably had their hands forced on this one
This sounds like a positive development. If only they could find a second set for their earlier trains that would be great but that’s for another part of the forum!
Why then did EMR receive so many 170’s in such an appalling interior condition? Some of them are in a far worse condition than the Meridians.
Good operational condition, usually - eg. not out of miles to an exam, not physically damaged, everything working as it should, in tact, etc.
