Adonis comes clean on 'Autumn' Rolling Stock Plan

This from Lord Adonis yesterday...

In July I undertook to review the Department’s rolling stock plan in the light of the electrification announcements and other developments. The Government remains committed to providing an additional 1300 carriages by mid-2014.

Until commercial negotiations on the Thameslink programme are completed, I am not in a position to update the rolling stock plan, which is critically dependent on the determination of the Thameslink rolling stock contract.

No shit Sherlock (see Eye passim)

UPDATE: This from a Mr Chips with Everything...

The ex Thameslink Class 319 units appear to be the answer to all Lord Adonis’ prayers.

According to various sources, following:

• “thorough refurbishment, including the installation of air conditioning”;
• electrification of various lines; and
• completion of the new Thameslink fleet,

they will be used: -

• to operate all suburban services between Oxford, Newbury, Reading and London;
• to replace Class 323 EMUs, which would be transferred to the West Midlands;
• to operate regional services on the Liverpool & Manchester (Chat Moss, Bolton and Wigan); and
• to enable sufficient cascades from above, to bring about the replacement of all the Pacers.

Given that there are only 86 x 4-car Class 319 units in total, and that seventeen 323s will apparently move south (so a net of 69 units), that leaves only the “soixante-neuf” to replace all 102 x Class 142 and Class 144 units on Northern.

And that's before you’ve even touched the other 38 Class 142 and Class 143 units on ATW and FGW.

No way Jose!

And if they're so good why not leave them on Thameslink?

Is this another case of favouring the South East with new rolling stock whilst the rest of the country has to put up with cast offs?