'Progress' in overcrowding talks (BBC News)
 

Transport leaders in Greater Manchester are "confident" of getting extra train carriages to ease overcrowding, they say.

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Whatever happened to the 1200 extra carriages that were to be built? The DfT are concentrated on London and that is their first priority, the rest of the country gets the castoffs. No doubt Manchester would welcome back the 142's that were sent to Devon/Cornwall last year? We would love to see the back of them (again!).

We have been hpoing for better rolling stock but about a week ago the 156s began to vanish to be replaced by, you guessed it, 142s. AGGGGHHHH!

Tony my good man we don't want them either. To be honest they all need withdrawal. We need more 185s to be built, 3 car ones at that. These DMUs were built in the 80s when rail travel was at its lowest point. Pretty much noone used train.

So if the people of Devon would like to have our slightly less grotty (but still disgusting and unsafe) class 150s they are very welcome to them. ! :D

Really though, we need a new generation of higher capacity DMUs to be built. Not just to todays passenger numbers, but tomorrows as well.