New Trains for CrossCountry?

[James Kevill]

Would anyone have an opinion on CrossCountry Trains they could order new trains like Hitachi AT300 to replace the Class 220 Voyagers and Class 221 Super Voyagers after the franchise changes in October this year? Because the diesel trains run under the overhead wires between Coventry to Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham New Street and from Wakefield Westgate to Leeds and between York to Glasgow Central via Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley. However, the electrification between Leeds to York line will be completed in 2024 so the electric trains could go beyond to York, Newcastle Central and Central Scotland.

 

[Energy]

Plenty of threads on it, IMO the best for XC is to take on the 20 221s leaving/left AWC and reform their fleet into 20x 6 car and 58x 4car, operating as 29x 4+4car. Should be enough to run all services with at least 6 cars and busier ones with 8.

 

[RobShipway]

Would anyone have an opinion on CrossCountry Trains they could order new trains like Hitachi AT300 to replace the Class 220 Voyagers and Class 221 Super Voyagers after the franchise changes in October this year? Because the diesel trains run under the overhead wires between Coventry to Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham New Street and from Wakefield Westgate to Leeds and between York to Glasgow Central via Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley. However, the electrification between Leeds to York line will be completed in 2024 so the electric trains could go beyond to York, Newcastle Central and Central Scotland.

as @Energy says plenty of threads on the subject, but I would add that there is plenty of places south Coventry where they operate where diesel is currently required and also potentially you could do with a train that can operate from third rail lines when doing services from Bournemouth or Southampton. You also need to remember that there is also trains that start from Reading. I believe that some trains stable in Reading, if this is the case you need to think about what space is available for the trains to be stabled? This would be the case whether it is new AT300 trains or being reformed into 20 x 6 car and 58 x 4 car trains.

 

[swt_passenger]

Would anyone have an opinion on CrossCountry Trains they could order new trains like Hitachi AT300 to replace the Class 220 Voyagers and Class 221 Super Voyagers after the franchise changes in October this year? Because the diesel trains run under the overhead wires between Coventry to Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham New Street and from Wakefield Westgate to Leeds and between York to Glasgow Central via Newcastle Central and Edinburgh Waverley. However, the electrification between Leeds to York line will be completed in 2024 so the electric trains could go beyond to York, Newcastle Central and Central Scotland.

No. The most likely scenario is that they continue using Voyagers until they’re life expired, so give it at least another 10 years before a decision gets made.

… I believe that some trains stable in Reading, if this is the case you need to think about what space is available for the trains to be stabled?

They don’t, they run ECS to or from Eastleigh.