Should bi mode trains be ordered for the SWR route from London to Exeter?

[SouthEastBuses]

Parts of the London to Exeter service is electrified at 750 V DC third rail, from London Waterloo until Basingstoke.

Should bi-mode trains (capable of diesel and 750V DC third rail) be ordered for the London Waterloo to Exeter St David's SWR service? They would run in electric mode until Basingstoke and diesel for the rest of the journey to Exeter.

And if you say yes, what trains would you order? I'd go for either the class 769, a variant of the 385 or 800 but only with third rail and diesel capability or the class 755 (but with third rail instead of OHLE when it comes to electric mode)

 

[swt_passenger]

I think it’s been discussed a few times already, in the last year. a search for “SWR bimode” gets a few hits...

Search results for query: SWR bimode

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Should bi-mode trains (capable of diesel and 750V DC third rail) be ordered for the London Waterloo to Exeter St David's SWR service? They would run in electric mode until Basingstoke and diesel for the rest of the journey to Exeter.

As has been mentioned many times just because a line is electrified it doesn’t mean it has spare electrical headroom, that is the case for the SWML it would need power upgrades to cope with this extra demand.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

And if you say yes, what trains would you order? I'd go for either the class 769,

If you think the 319 interior is acceptable for a 3.5 hour Waterloo Exeter journey than I’m seriously concerned

 

[randyrippley]

Waterloo to Basingstoke is 45 miles, less than a third of the 158 miles Waterloo to St Davids. What would be the point.?
Given the distance you need a full size diesel, not a small limp-me-home unit so you might as well use diesel all the way.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Waterloo to Basingstoke is 45 miles, less than a third of the 158 miles Waterloo to St Davids. What would be the point.?
Given the distance you need a full size diesel, not a small limp-me-home unit so you might as well use diesel all the way.

Waterloo to Exeter St David’s is 172 miles as you say Waterloo to Basingstoke is near on only a quarter of that.

 

[hst43102]

I think they should electrify Basingstoke-Exeter with AC OHL and order DC/AC units. The entire network will probably be electrified within the lifetime of any new stock ordered for the line.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I think they should electrify Basingstoke-Exeter with AC OHL and order DC/AC units. The entire network will probably be electrified within the lifetime of any new stock ordered for the line.

That would be my strategy too but then I don't hold the purse strings.

 

[Mollman]

Stagecoach's bid to retain SWT allegedly included bi-modes to replace 159s. Since that wasn't successful I would agree with the posts above that full electrification should be the strategy. Done correctly it would fit in with electrification of the Berks & Hants and (Bristol -) Bath - Westbury - Salisbury - Southampton routes.

 

[Grecian 1998]

We had the same thread as recently as mid-October: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/waterloo-to-exeter-replacement-trains.210233/

As I said on that thread, the route needs infrastructure improvements far more than it needs new trains.

 

[Irascible]

The GWML down to here needs wires before the WoE line. WoE needs cash spent on extra track first if there's budget for anything.