There is no more room to run anymore Firstgroup services (well HST▸ 's) Reading to London is saturated already so having an open access operator is just pie in the sky.
And where would a go it alone outfit if it decided to run a "local" service get it's rolling stock from? If Great Western can't get it then they probally won't.
Still, Dream On!
I agree with your comments about stock and space on the lines / through Reading - indeed there are othe issues too - not only where is the stock obtained from, but where do you get it stabled, serviced, staffed. And what about convincing the powers that be that you have everything in place and are a fit company to run a train service.
And yet ...
Looking that little bit wider. Looking at the proposals that are linked to earlier in this thread. The issues are acknowledged and solutions offered - at least in the "Save the Train" case.
At the Southern end of the TransWilts line is a depot that's already got a load of class 159 diesel units based there, operated by a company which has clearly convinced the powers that be that they can run a train service. Terminating at Salisbury from the South and East you have trains from Southampton and from Waterloo - run them on through as a commercial exercise up to Trowbridge (along a line already served by those trains) then up to Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
Extra stock? You may be able to juggle it cleverly - in the interim before the newly autorised Axminster loop is installed, there may be a little slack in the stock of 159 units, and there's a unit not on lease at Doncaster too. I understand it might not be in running order - but it's just an option. It's what is run our from Salisbury, so woul dbe natural for them to use - but the St Phiips Marsh team wouldn't want one oddball, would they?
Track capacity? I have correspondence from Network Rail assuring me that there isn't a track capacity issue in getting an extra passenger service along the TransWilts above the current pathetic two per day. And onwards from Salisbury to London or Southampton - NOT an issue; the train runs already!
Extra traffic offered by the service? Well - the figures for the TransWilts are around and I can dig 'em out again. They look excellent for a corridor that's got six
SSTCs▸ on it for now and for the future. Add to that (if we take the London case) direct trains from Melksham, Trowbridge and Warminster to London where there is no or linited thhrough service at the moment. Major additional London service from Swidnon, Chippenham and Westbury. Yes, it woul dbe slower but in would also be lower cost, give extra capacity against overcrowded routes that look set to get even busier, and for anyone travelling to the South of the river in London would give a fare better London arrival point.
But, yes, I probably am dreaming ... there's a difference between coul dbe done and will be done. And a feeling that all the
TOCs▸ are so busy coping with expansion and traffic and issues on existng routes that they may not feel able to expand into other routes.
