The process - a couple of questions

[whole diary]

[grahame]

The invitation to tender is to be issued to the bidders this month. When in the month? Will it be a generally available / published specification?

[paul7575]

Previously the ITTs^▸ (Invitation to Tender) were never published until after the new franchisee was in place.  The last government did eventually say that this was going to change though.  Perhaps researching the publications associated with last franchise to be awarded, Greater Anglia, might reveal the current routine?

Paul

[grahame]

Previously the ITTs^▸ (Invitation to Tender) were never published until after the new franchisee was in place.  The last government did eventually say that this was going to change though.  Perhaps researching the publications associated with last franchise to be awarded, Greater Anglia, might reveal the current routine?

Paul

Thanks Paul - I'll take a look from an Anglian Angle.   Does anyone have any extra feedback / heard anything which might relate specifically to the current franchise process?

[paul7575]

With a bit of time to spare, I found that a press release on 26 April 2011 included a link to the Greater Anglia ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender), and it was issued about 1 month after the announcement of the shortlisted bidders:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20110426/

So that suggests that the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) ITT should be issued about 4 weeks from now, assuming similar timings?

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

Interestingly, the announcement of the shortlisted bidders and publication of the Invitation to Tender for the West Coast Main Line were both on 20 January 2012: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=10181.0 

[JayMac]

There was however a delay in the InterCity West Coast re-tendering process due, I believe, to a fupp up by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

That might explain why the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) and shortlist were released at the same time.

[grahame]

Interesting feedback, many thanks, folks.  Looks like it's worth being prepared to tune any further inputs made to the bidding process in fairly short measure if and when elements of the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) emerge.

[The SprinterMeister]

There was however a delay in the InterCity West Coast re-tendering process due, I believe, to a fupp up by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).

That might explain why the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) and shortlist were released at the same time.

The delay in the ITT for West Coast was the discovery by Alstom of extra work required in the periodic overhauls in the class 390 fleet. This extra work was deemed suffficient to warrant advising the other bidders of, hence the slight delay.

[Nickt]

Not strictly on topic, but this should offer some insight to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s approach to passenger services:

Thorncombe Railway Activities Club's June meeting will feature Andrew Pennington, FGW's Head of Train Planning:

A Master Class in Train Planning

An introduction to the people and processes that deliver the timetable; hoping to answer the question "why did they do that to my train"?

The train plan has to meet many objectives including customer service, operational performance and cost effectiveness. What does "good" look like for a Passenger, an Operator, an Engineer or an Accountant? Is it possible to keep everybody happy all the time? What role do planners have in meeting current industry objectives and how might this emphasis change with the need to deliver industry efficiency targets arising from the McNulty report?


This is sure to be a fascinating evening, and a valuable insight for those of us who use FGW services.  All are welcome; visitors ^3.00 on the door.  Starts 19:30.  Thorncombe is in west Dorset, between Chard and Lyme Regis.  Full details here:

https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hi, Nickt, and a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum! 

Your invitation to that meeting has certainly raised some interest among the members of the administration team here, although some of us - purely due to the distances involved - are reluctantly unable to attend.

However, we do wish you all the best for your 'master class'! 

[Nickt]

Hi, Nickt, and a very warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum! 

Your invitation to that meeting has certainly raised some interest among the members of the administration team here, although some of us - purely due to the distances involved - are reluctantly unable to attend.

However, we do wish you all the best for your 'master class'! 

Thanks Chris.  Just a reminder that the visit by Andrew Pennington (Head of Train Planning at FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) to TRAC is this Wednesday, 20th June.

https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/

We look forward to welcoming visitors.

[grahame]

Hi, Nick ... I would love to come, but haven't shouted that yet as I'm not sure that I'll be able to get away from home early enough to make it.  I checked on public transport - there http://www.wellho.net/pix/tothorncombe.jpg (asked for arrivals by 19:00) and back http://www.wellho.net/pix/fromthorncombe.jpg (asked for departures after 21:00) ... and that's not practical for me (hey, if public transport in the SW was perfect we wouldn't have a forum!) - driving's just under 90 minutes and I'll be there if I can.

[Nickt]

Hi, Nick ... I would love to come, but haven't shouted that yet as I'm not sure that I'll be able to get away from home early enough to make it.  I checked on public transport - there http://www.wellho.net/pix/tothorncombe.jpg (asked for arrivals by 19:00) and back http://www.wellho.net/pix/fromthorncombe.jpg (asked for departures after 21:00) ... and that's not practical for me (hey, if public transport in the SW was perfect we wouldn't have a forum!) - driving's just under 90 minutes and I'll be there if I can.

Grahame, you'll be very welcome.  It's a fact that Thorncombe is in the middle of deepest Dorset and near impossible for public transport.

[Nickt]

Grahame, you'll be very welcome.  It's a fact that Thorncombe is in the middle of deepest Dorset and near impossible for public transport.

Thanks to all of those who braved a wet night to visit TRAC at Thorncombe last night, particularly those who haven't attended our meetings before.  Andrew Pennington gave a very interesting talk and answered lots of questions about both the Train Planning process and SW issues.

And now for something completely different......our next meeting is on 19th September and is entitled "More of Graham's Mis-Spent Youth".

https://sites.google.com/site/traclubsite/

[grahame]

Thanks to all of those who braved a wet night to visit TRAC at Thorncombe last night ...

Sorry I couldn't get there in the end; real shame, but couldn't leave our own customers ...

The invitation to tender is to be issued to the bidders this month. When in the month? Will it be a generally available / published specification?

Understand that it's not out yet, and perhaps a month away still ... that should probably go in "Rumour Mill".  Anyone have anything firmer?