Great Western Coffee Shop

First Group shortlisted for West Coast main line franchise.
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1415279_west-coast-fight-ahead-for-virgin

Feel free to comment on why your particular choice should win the right to run WCML services from April 2012.

I'm going to stick my neck out on this one and say Virgin Rail will retain this franchise.

I vote NV because they use a nice shade of yellow for their livery  ;D

And I voted for them because they have a 'double arrow' logo like BR had. I think that'll look quite nice on the side of a Bendyleano.  ;D

Can we have a "none of the above" vote?

Run by BR with a sensible fare structure as an alternative.

Although I tend to agree with Timmer and go with Virgin.

It would be a real kick in the teeth for Virgin if they were to lose the franchise after having having kept it running throughout the shambles of WCML upgrade the post Hatfield speed restrictions plus introducing the Pendelinos (OK I know the financing of them is complicated). So that there is now a 20 minute interval timetable to Manchester and Birmingham. Plus they lost XC previously.

The lawyers would be laughing all the way to bank.

 

Good call eightf. The poll is only a bit of fun so I'll add a 'none of the above' option. :D

None of the above for me - bring back British Rail please Mr spending cuts.

Could you add a 'Don't Know/Don't Care' option as well, please?

 ::) Okay.

I am certainly glad Veolia/transdev were not  shortlisted as they cant seem to run their bus operations properly at the moment.

Although they may be disapointed with this, they will probably bid for the other franchises once they come up.

Glad it's not just me who would like to see baguettes in the Pendo buffets.  ;D

i voted for NV for the simple reason that the Dutch are cool

Does it really matter who gets the franchise if the Department for Transport micromanage the franchise like at the start of the First Greater Western franchise.

First group! only reason being that i'll get free travel on WC then!

Don't first group (1) want to give up FGW and (2) also want east coast

I cant see them getting east coast AND west coast or either of them in addition to FGW

So vacman, you still wouldnt get free travel if they gave up FGW

The ECML franchise competition was delayed long enough for it not to start before the WCML competition is over and done with, so it is probably OK for First Group to consider both as of now.

Paul

I can't find the comment at the moment from another meandering thread, but it would seem that we'll be seeing a lot very stupid bidding going on again. First want out of their current franchise commitments, all their backers say keep your eye on the buses, supported by serious industry commentators. They then start bidding for other work in the rail industry. ???

Virgin(not Virgin) have made a fortune from their T&C's due to WCML upgrade cock ups, they weren't that good at actually running anything.

The only company people wanted to continue to run trains were on the ECML and they were thrown off on a technicallity, not that they weren't doing a good job.

Total b*ll*cks, and will be again. Not holding out much hope on who wins the next one.

I've not looked but are the franchise documents in the public domain, if not they should be.