On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:25:23 -0700 (PDT), Jamie Thompson
wrote:

Yup, but one of the main reasons the passing loop got deferred is
because one of the franchise commitments that came in when LM took
over was to harmonise their fleet or some such, meaning that the line
can only be worked by a hugely excessive new 377, when a much smaller/
cheaper non-standard unit would suffice ( I believe a Silverlink Metro
unit used to operate the line before the franchise change).

It was a 313[1]. But IMO it makes no sense to add it to the
incredibly slow DC lines. Better use of the loop, if built, would be
to attach it to a self-contained AC Euston-Harrow-Bushey-Watford
shuttle, with most stops south of Watford being removed from existing
LM services. This would make better use of units, as there are quite
a few LM trains that are quite quiet north of Watford but full and
standing south of either there or Harrow.

This kind of thing has already started with some peak services, and is
likely to expand. Ideal stock for it is to use LM's retained 321s.
If the branch platforms are too short for 8 cars (as I think they
are), one set could be left at Watford while the other one does the
branch - if it can work at Northampton it can work there.

[1] These days it's a 321, which isn't exactly a super-high-tech unit,
though is newer and more pleasant than a nasty unrefurbed graffitied
Silverlink 313.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.