Almost 4,000 currently serviceable vehicles will be withdrawn when their lease ends within the next three years.
The Rail Delivery Group’s sixth annual Long Term Passenger Rolling Stock Strategy, published on March 22, indicates that a number of fleets will be withdrawn as new trains are delivered.
Some 2,400 vehicles due to be withdrawn are more than 30 years old. The future of these remains uncertain, although RDG predicts that some will be scrapped.
The report states that the number of new vehicles committed for delivery is 7,187. This equates to more than 50% of the current in-service fleet of 14,025 (of which 7,377 were built since privatisation). These deals are worth £13 billion, and the number of vehicles in traffic as a result of these orders will rise by 6% next year and by 5%-13% by 2024.
RDG says the long-term outlook remains unchanged from previous studies, with an increase in the national fleet of between 40% (5,500 vehicles) and 85% (12,000 vehicles) forecast over the next 30 years. The mix of traction is uncertain, but by 2047 the number of vehicles in traffic could be as high as 25,969.
- For the FULL story, including lists of what is due off-lease, read RAIL 850, published on April 11, or available now on Android and iPad.
AndrewJGwilt1989 - 09/04/2018 13:57
Why can’t West Midlands Trains keep the Class 350/2’s but use them on London Euston-Northampton, Milton Keynes Central, Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street services. Or perhaps transfer the Class 350/2’s to Cardiff and South Wales once the electrification has been completed. Or cascade them to ScotRail to use them on Strathclyde suburban services and to replace the Class 314’s and Class 318’s. And to work alongside the Class 380’s and Class 385’s. Heathrow Express could inherit the Class 379’s instead of using and modifying the GWR’s Class 387’s. Or Greater Anglia to retain the Class 379’s but use them on local branch lines in Essex. Southern might inherit the Class 707’s to use them on London Victoria/London Bridge-Caterham, Tatternham Corner, East Grinstead, Epsom Downs and to replace the Class 455’s as SWR have ordered the Class 701’s that will enter service from next year. But the real question is. Why displace the newish trains that were built in the early 2000’s as most of them are still very reliable. Just because brand new trains will replace them in the upcoming years ahead. It’s just not on.