Refurbed HSTs. A folly?
Moderators: 52D, Tom F, Rlangham, Atlantic 3279, Blink Bonny, Saint Johnstoun, richard
Re: Refurbed HSTs. A folly?
As well as the Castle HSTs gradually coming off lease by the end of 2023, GWR have given up on another type of refurbished train with the announcement just before Christmas that the 769 fleet is being returned to the owners before they even entered service and TfW returning their small fleet in the coming months and Northern reported as running out of patience with reliability issues with their fleet. Refurbishing and upgrading 30 to 40 year old trains does not always seem to work. Hope lessons will be learnt.
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Mersey508138
- NBR J36 0-6-0
- Posts: 114
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 1:22 am
Re: Refurbed HSTs. A folly?
I think that converting HST powercars into hybrid locomotives like the class 88s would be a good idea, they could run off thd elecy system where possible and use the diesel engine where there are no wires or possibly add 3rd rail shoes and make them into tri-mode locomotives
I don't know what the performance of the GWR 769s has been like on diesel power but there have been videos on youtube showing them running on southern 3rd rail power with no issues, the difference being that as class 319s the 3rd rail shoes were on the bogies at the cab ends of the driving coaches, however, on the GWR 769s the 3rd rail shoes are only fitted on the inner bogies of the driving coaches.
I don't know what the performance of the GWR 769s has been like on diesel power but there have been videos on youtube showing them running on southern 3rd rail power with no issues, the difference being that as class 319s the 3rd rail shoes were on the bogies at the cab ends of the driving coaches, however, on the GWR 769s the 3rd rail shoes are only fitted on the inner bogies of the driving coaches.