On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:37:30 -0000, Paul Scott wrote:

SWT's Desiro SDO is done by switching out whole units, with the guard
controlling it from the front cab of the rearmost unit - but only if he can
get out onto the platform. This leads to the fairly unusual sight of only 4
cars of a 12 car train being opened at some '8 car' platforms e.g Fareham,
because the 3rd unit's cab is alongside the platform ramp.

IIRC the DfT are insisting on GPS controlled individual carriages as the way
ahead, as is done by Southern, with their annoying 'this is carriage number
n of m' type announcements.

And the extended wait for the doors to open at Victoria while the
driver manually overrides the GPS system.