[TicketMan]

Originally Posted by The Railway Magazine

GNER's refurbished Mallrd fleet is expected to provide the mainstay of East Coast Mian Line services for the next decade,but the question of their replacements beyond that is a vexed one, which could cause an almost unthinkable scenario.
For, according to sources highly placed within the rail industry, one of the ioptions the DfT and GNER are examining is replacement of the ECML electric fleet with diesel HST2s.
The development of the HST2 is a priority at DfT Rail, but until now it had been assumed that the new train would replace only existing HST fleets, on such routes as Great Western and Midland Main Lines. The thought that they could also form the next generation of King's Cross - Edinburgh expresses could have extremely far-reaching repercussions, for with most freight operators and provincial passenger operators having already invested heavily in diesel traction, there would be insufficient demand for maintenence of electrification equipment along the 393 mile route.
Such a situation could actually be attractive to the government, as it would save the expense of upgrading the route, especially if the priojected all-new 'North-South' 200mph TGV style route (which would almost certainly have to be electrified) had been approved by then.
Unthinkable though it might seem, therefore, the ECML may end up being de-electrified.

From the Jan 2006 issue of The Railway Magazine

Your thoughts please