Above: GEC Alsthom's impression of what the DMUs will look like
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Above: GEC Alsthom's impression of what the DMUs will look like |
Great Western Trains, and North Western trains have both ordered 125mph (200km/h) diesel multiple units. These will be from GEC Alsthom (different from the 125mph DMUs ordered by Virgin from Bombardier).
The Great Western has ordered 8 DMUs which will be 5 cars long and will complement the existing inter city 125 trains. These will be used to supplement services to allow a half-hourly service to Cardiff from London Paddington. Delivery of the new DMUs will be at the end of 2000. The 5 car versions of these trains will have 350 seats.
North West Trains has ordered 9 DMUs but these will only be 3 cars long. This is perhaps more exciting because North West Trains currently does not operate any 125 mph (200km/h) trains, so new high speed services are to be made, which will serve key cities in the NWT network. The 3 car versions of these trains will have 190seats.
It will be interesting to see the first 125mph (200km/h) DMUs. Under coaches will be a 750 hp engine, very much more powerful than the standard 450hp engines for 100mph (160km/h) DMUs. It will be interesting to see how noisy these carriages will be with such a powerful engine beating away underneath them!
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