The Anonymous Widower

Will It Be More Of The Same?

London Overground has short-listed four manufacturers for the new rolling stock for the Gospel Oak to Barking and the newly taken over lines. There’s an article on Global Rail News.  Here’s the first paragraph.

Siemens, Hitachi, CAF and Bombardier have been shortlisted for a contract to supply a new suburban train fleet for London Overground.

The order will include 39 new trains in total, of which 31 will be used on the newly devolved West Anglia franchise routes and eight will replace diesel stock on the Gospel Oak to Barking route.

I obviously don’t have the figures, but surely the current Class 378 trains on the Overground don’t have any drawbacks that are talked about by passengers or the media. Except for the overcrowding, which is due to the success of the Overground.

But surely, it would be a common sense decision to just extend the Class 378 fleet.

1. Maintenance of a single uniform fleet would surely be easier and less costly.

2. All of your drivers and other staff would only have to be familiar with one class of train.

3. The configuration of the Class 378 is flexible, so it would be possible to run three coach trains on one line and four or even five car trains on another.

4. The Class 378 trains are becoming an icon to Londoners and regular passengers know how to use them effectively. Do passengers really want two train fleets on the Overground?

5. We also have the extra procurement costs if another type of train is chosen, as it will have to be fully tested.

I would be surprised if any train other than a Class 378 is chosen.

July 16, 2014 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 378 Train, London Overground