REDUNDANT TRAINS
TRAINS replaced by the introduction of Hitachi Azumas will be withdrawn by LNER from the end of May.
The first to be withdrawn will be High Speed Train set NL65, which is usually confined to a Hull-London-Leeds-Hull diagram. It is owned by Porterbrook, and at eight coaches is one vehicle shorter than the other LNER HSTs. It is formed of Trailer Kitchen Buffet First (TKFB) 40751, Trailer First (TF) 41068, 41112, Trailer Standard (TS) 42194/225/227/229 and Trailer Guard’s Standard (TGS) 44027.
The other 14 HSTs used by LNER will be withdrawn between October and December, while a set hired from East Midlands Trains will be returned to that operator. The HSTs are owned by Angel Trains and Porterbrook.
As for the Class 91/Mk 4 sets, LNER spokesman Peter Hess told RAIL that “about 25% of these will be taken out of traffic between June and September”. The rest will be withdrawn between January and summer 2020.
LNER is introducing its Hitachi Class 800 bi-modes from May 15 ( RAIL 875), initially on the LondonLeeds route and then on other routes quickly afterwards.
Sixty-five Azumas will be introduced, comprising 13 nine-car and ten five-car bi-modes (Class 800) and 12 five-car and 30 ninecar electric sets (Class 801). So far 800102-104/107/109/111-113 have been accepted for passenger traffic.
The nine-car Class 801/2s will enter traffic from September.
An uncertain future awaits the HSTs. The same applies to the Class 91s and Mk 4s, although new open access operator Great North Western Railway plans to introduce four sets (rising to five) on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Blackpool North from September. These will use six Mk 4s and a Mk 4 Driving Van Trailer.
Twelve Mk 4 coaches will also be used by Transport for Wales from this year.
Additionally, Alliance Rail proposes to use Class 91s and Mk 4s on a new open access service between London Paddington and Cardiff Central that it hopes to start from December 2020.
Rail Operations Group has also expressed an interest in using the Class 91s for high-speed logistics trains.
There are 34 power cars and 139 Mk 3s (including the EMT set), while LNER has 31 Class 91s, 271 Mk 4s (formed into 30 nine-coach sets plus a DVT) and 30 DVTs.