'IMPROVEMENTS’ to the rail service lauded by SW Railway (Advertiser 16 March) on the introduction of the ‘Class 700’ units have no relevance to customers on the Basingstoke to Exeter rail line.
The ‘700s’ are electric ‘thirdrail’ operation and are thus unable to operate on that route.
Passengers from Andover and the other towns served by SW Railways diesel-only line are, for at least a bit longer, going to travel in the cramped over-crowding prone Class 58/59 units – a ‘semi-strategic’ (long distance) rail link, served by DMUs* which were originally designed for ‘local’ services.
Paddy Keenan, Ward Close, Andover.
Editor’s note: *DMUs means Diesel Multiple Units.
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