According to reports in the railway press, the Department for Transport Rail Group has announced that it will not be taking up the option to order an extra 42 vehicles to lengthen all Pendolinos to 11 car trains.
This means that only the initial order for 4 new 11-car trains and 62 additional vehicles to lengthen 31 of the existing trains to 11 cars will go ahead. From 2012 therefore the Pendolino fleet will consist of 35 trains of 11 cars, and 21 trains of 9 cars.
This is expected to cause operational problems for whoever takes over the Virgin franchise, as the whole fleet will no longer be interchangeable. Particular length sets will therefore need to be allocated to specific workings, which will reduce the operational flexibility of the fleet. Inevitably this will mean that, when the service is disrupted, some trains which should be 11 cars will run with only 9, and vice versa.