Adelante trains on their way back?
Reports in Rail magazine and on the First Great Western passengers' forum suggest that the much-missed 'Adelante' trains are to return to the Cotswold Line.
The trains were originally built for FGW, but were then passed on to other operators when the company decided to standardise on High Speed Trains ('InterCity 125'). On the Cotswold Line, however, many services which had been operated by the 125mph, comfortable, air-conditioned Adelantes actually went back to Turbo operation with cramped five-abreast seating.
Since then, three of the Adelante trains have been on suburban commuter duty in Manchester; two originally earmarked for East Coast services to Lincoln have remained out of use. It's expected that some of these five will be returning to the Cotswold Line.
If the reports are correct, the trains would be unlikely to enter service on the Cotswold Line until December.
(Photo by Matthew Black at Flickr, CC-BY-SA.)
Richard Fairhurst · Mon 7 Feb 2011, 19:05 · Link