GreatWesternto increase fleet of 'Castlec' lassHSTs
CHRIS MILNER :, Yourreportsand picturesare mostwelcome. Highlycompetitiverates arepaid,especiallyif exclusiveto TheRM.
THEDepartmentforTransport hasgiven permissionfor the GreatWesternRailway(GWRt)o procurethree more2+4'mini' HSTsets,despiteconcernsover future passengenr umbers.
Theywill join the 11already with theTOC.
TheStandardClass-only GWR'CastleClasss' etsare now designatedClass255,taking the classnumberoriginallyproposed byVirginTrainsfor its aborted planto retainshortenedHSTsets within its CrossCountrfyleet.
Theyarebeing refurbishedby Wabtec,with the fitting of power doorsaheadof their newduties.
Evaluating
GWRwill eventuallyhavea fleet of 14'Castlec' lasssetsand will diagram12of the setsfor serviceeachday.Theircurrent dutiescovertrainson the CardiffBristolto Penzanceroute,but the companysaysit isstill evaluating how theseadditionalsetswill be used.
Thisnew procurementexercise hasseenGWRacquiring15 additionalMk3vehiclesand sevenClass43 powercars from AngelTrainsa, ndthree additionalcoacheso, wned by FirstRailHoldingsT. helatterwill befully refurbishedandmade availableasoperationalspares. In addition,GWRhasbought outright five Mk3TSDvehicles from Porterbrookw, hich are purelyfor the provisionof spare partsfor the Class255fleet. Theselatestacquisitions takeGWR'sHSTfleet to 63 Mk3 passengevr ehiclesand 35 power cars. An unexplainedmovehasseen the new setsdesignatedGWR14 to GWR16,skipping12and 13, eventhough the originalsetsare referencedasGWR01 to GWR11.
Complexity
Thecomplexityof this arrangementseesthe TOCusing vehiclesowned by the franchise itselfand its parentcompany aswell asthoseleasedin the conventionawl ayfrom a ROSCO. Thepowercarstakenon by GWRare Nos.43009,43010, 43022,43027,43029,4317a1nd 43172.
Coachesacquiredfor the three new setsare44005,42005, 42015and 42016(setGWR14), 44016,42050,42066and 42048 (GWR15),and44002,42074, 42081and 42071(GWR16).
Sparerefurbishedcoachesare 44042,42087and 42580,while the five boughtfor partsare 42173,42195,42217,42310and 42353.