InterCity 125 - Developments and Changes - Replacements

Replacements

The first replacement of HSTs occurred from 1988 on the East Coast Main Line, with their partial replacement by the InterCity 225 when the line to Edinburgh was electrified. Some were retained for services to Aberdeen, Inverness, Skipton, Bradford and Hull.

As the Intercity 125 has become old compared to most stock used in passenger service, it has been recognised that it is near the end of its days. More recently HSTs have been replaced (or augmented) by high-speed DMUs such as the Voyagers and the UK express version of Alstom's Coradia.

These new DMUs have better acceleration than the HST due to a higher power/weight ratio, with greater efficiency and braking performance in addition. However, passengers are often annoyed by the vibrations and the level of noise onboard many DMUs from the underfloor engines, compared to the much quieter Mark 3 coaches.

In 2005 the initial concept of HST2 was rejected by the government and the rail industry as a like-for-like replacement for the HST fleet. In the light of this rejection, in 2006 existing operators turned to refurbishments of the Intercity 125 trains.

Nevertheless, HST2 has been expanded and replaced by the Intercity Express Programme, with proposals for a joint replacement of both HST and Intercity 225 trains. The likely successor to the two Intercity trains is the Hitachi Super Express, which has emerged as the preferred bidder.

On the Greater Western franchise, the current fleet of HSTs is expected to remain in service until 2017, the scheduled date for introduction of the Intercity Express. Between 12 and 20 HST sets will then be retained and refurbished to carry on providing services between London and Devon and Cornwall, where no electrification is planned, through to the mid-2020s. A 2011 report on the HST concluded that the train could remain in service as late as 2035.

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Famous quotes containing the word replacements:

    The replacements are all like that. Not even old enough to carry a pack. All they know how to do is die.
    Maxwell Anderson (1888–1959)