FirstGroup win InterCity West Coast Franchise

[whole diary]

[smokey]

I'm aware that the Virgin fleet both Pendolinos and Vomit Comets are leased, but it's not what you would think from former Virgin publicity! 

[Btline]

I am worried that First Group will add stops to trains, lengthening journey times for commuters.
Hopefully the extra MK^▸ (Milton Keynes) and NUN calls will be supplied by the second Preston train ONLY.
Why not add the second Liverpool service (that's had a path for years but wasn't used due to the Pendo required being in a crash) to cover some stops too?

[Btline]

BREAKING NEWS:

The West Coast mainline is set to be RENATIONAlISED in December due to the Virgin/First chaos. It will be operated by DOR until the mess is sorted out.

[JayMac]

Source for this breaking news?

[bobm]

Reuters is quoting an article in the Sunday Times - but the article is, I assume, behind their paywall as I cannot find it.

[grahame]

Source for this breaking news?

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/09/09/uk-virgin-rail-idUKBRE88806H20120909?rpc=401&feedType=RSS^▸ (Regional Spatial Strategy)&feedName=businessNews&rpc=401

Also

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/business/government-to-nationalise-rail-line-1-4911833

[JayMac]

BREAKING NEWS:

The West Coast mainline is set to be RENATIONAlISED in December due to the Virgin/First chaos. It will be operated by DOR until the mess is sorted out.

The West Coast Main Line may be renationalised in December. It may be operated by DOR.

Sensible planning by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) who have said it is 'only prudent to increase our focus on contingency planning.' As quoted from the links posted by grahame. The legal challenge may take some time, although personally I'd like to see it dismissed at the earliest opportunity. Also a shot across the bows of the good ship Branson.

But bad for the wider industry and especially the staff at Virgin Trains.

[Btline]

What a mess if we end up with 3 TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) in as many months.

Just let DOR take it over. All profits go back to the tax payer. Surely that is miles better than having First/Virgin lining their pockets and depriving the railway of money.

[birm2lond]

Also in the Sunday Times (and behind the paywall) is an interview with Tim O'Toole: He^s the rail boss without a private Caribbean island...

[ellendune]

Just let DOR take it over. All profits go back to the tax payer. Surely that is miles better than having First/Virgin lining their pockets and depriving the railway of money.

So how good is DOR on East Coast then.  Profits may go direct to DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) but service doesn't sound that good from what I have heard.

[Southern Stag]

And DOR aren't going to make the improvements that First or Virgin have promised. It's bad news for passengers as it's going to delay any improvements.

[Btline]

So how good is DOR on East Coast then.

Very good. Excellent overall service. Guard's not Train Managers, fast frequent services, reliable, staff very friendly.
First Class is very similar to Virgin during peaks and better off peak and at weekends.

They're making a good profit and the money is pouring straight back into the Railway, unlike when NX bled the route dry - pushing passengers away.

[vacman]

So how good is DOR on East Coast then.

Very good. Excellent overall service. Guard's not Train Managers, fast frequent services, reliable, staff very friendly.
First Class is very similar to Virgin during peaks and better off peak and at weekends.

They're making a good profit and the money is pouring straight back into the Railway, unlike when NX bled the route dry - pushing passengers away.

You really do talk complete and utter crap.

[EBrown]

So how good is DOR on East Coast then.

Very good. Excellent overall service. Guard's not Train Managers, fast frequent services, reliable, staff very friendly.
First Class is very similar to Virgin during peaks and better off peak and at weekends.

They're making a good profit and the money is pouring straight back into the Railway, unlike when NX bled the route dry - pushing passengers away.

You really do talk complete and utter crap.

Right, both of you provide sources and don't post your opinions. 

[Southern Stag]

Very good. Excellent overall service. Guard's not Train Managers, fast frequent services, reliable, staff very friendly.
First Class is very similar to Virgin during peaks and better off peak and at weekends.

They're making a good profit and the money is pouring straight back into the Railway, unlike when NX bled the route dry - pushing passengers away.

NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) and GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) had Guards not Train Managers. Personally, I don't see this as the most important gauge of a TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) success though. The staff are the same as under NXEC^▸ (National Express East Coast), albeit perhaps with greater morale, but you still get plenty of complaints about over-zealous revenue collection on East Coast, it's only a subjective measure but they seem to be one of the more complained about TOCs on that matter, not at FCCs^▸ (First Capital Connect) level though. The timetable they introduced was the one planned by, and would have been introduced by NXEC. East Coast works just like other franchises in that it's paying a premium back to the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about). The public purse is of course worse off than had NXEC stuck at the franchise, as NXEC would have paid far more back than East Coast is required to. Because of their over ambitious bid National Express certainly weren't making any money on the franchise, that's the whole reason they had to give it up.