Virgin May Lose West Coast Rail Franchise

guinnessaddick

The Government is due to announce the winner of the bidding for a new West Coast franchise in the next few days.


Don't know how this will affect people who have already booked trains for away games, I've already book Blackpool train tickets. Don't know what dates for changeover if one happens.

Bedsaddick

it wont affect you whatsoever . It will take several months for things to change when First Group takeover and for the worse in my opinion.


Virgin will get the East Coast franchise which is up for tender next year , which is regarded as the most sought after route .

Derek1952

I do hope Virgin keep the West Coast line.I have been to Carlisle(holiday) for the past five years,and you could not wish for a better service,comfortable trains,and efficient staff. Will they transfere rolling stock to the East coast if they loose the franchise?.I think we should write to Sir Richard(Branson) and ask him to up his bid.

Bedsaddick

Derek1952 said:

I do hope Virgin keep the West Coast line.I have been to Carlisle(holiday) for the past five years,and you could not wish for a better service,comfortable trains,and efficient staff. Will they transfere rolling stock to the East coast if they loose the franchise?.I think we should write to Sir Richard(Branson) and ask him to up his bid.

They won't transfer rolling stock . They will use existing trains which is not ideal. Some are over 30 years old now. ( I'm an engineer who works on the electrified trains)
East coast have ordered new trains fom Hitachi which are expected to be ready in he next 4 to 5 years.

Derek1952

Am I right in thinking Virgin Rolling stock,Pedolino, and Super Voyager were made by an Italian Company.

Bedsaddick

The Pendolino's are Italian . Yes.

Derek1952

Are there plans to Electrify the East Coast?

Bedsaddick

It is electrified up to a certain point in Scotland . I doubt they will electrifying it any further hence we still run HST's diesel trains.

Friend Or Defoe

:-)

Noss

Bedsaddick said:

Derek1952 said:

I do hope Virgin keep the West Coast line.I have been to Carlisle(holiday) for the past five years,and you could not wish for a better service,comfortable trains,and efficient staff. Will they transfere rolling stock to the East coast if they loose the franchise?.I think we should write to Sir Richard(Branson) and ask him to up his bid.

They won't transfer rolling stock . They will use existing trains which is not ideal. Some are over 30 years old now. ( I'm an engineer who works on the electrified trains)
East coast have ordered new trains fom Hitachi which are expected to be ready in he next 4 to 5 years.

The Pendolinos and other WCML stock will transfer to First Group

SE10

Can't beat a thread on trains.

NathanPrior

Derek1952 said:

I do hope Virgin keep the West Coast line.I have been to Carlisle(holiday) for the past five years,and you could not wish for a better service,comfortable trains,and efficient staff. Will they transfere rolling stock to the East coast if they loose the franchise?.I think we should write to Sir Richard(Branson) and ask him to up his bid.

You can't up the bid now, the winner will be announced on Tuesday.

Virgin are looking at the ECML yes, they ran a Pendilino on a trial run from Edinbrugh to Kings Cross a few months ago.

The new (or old) franchise will start running the WCML from December. The ECML franchise ends in December 2013 so more time to go.

boggzy

For gods sake can we not make this members only??!!

NathanPrior

boggzy said:

For gods sake can we not make this members only??!!

I could make it worse.

On Saturday I'll be going on a Class 168/1 or Class 168/2 Turbostar Clubman (code 1G16) from Marylebone to Brummy Moor St non stop to High Wycombe, passing Northolt Park Junction at 09:11 ;-)

buckshee

my mates from Liverpool will be gutted , they've been on this for the last few years and use it to travel the land first class for free

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/traveller/

Floyd Montana

One for you, Nath. It's the famous and wonderful 168/2.

killerandflash

Am I right in thinking Virgin Rolling stock,Pedolino, and Super Voyager were made by an Italian Company.

They were largely assembled in Birmingham (at the now closed Alstom/Metro-Cammell factory)

Hastingsaddick

Oh well they did....lose it.

ken from bexley

He criticised the Government further saying: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When will the Department for Transport learn?". Richard Branson
It is also thought that the cost of the process to tender cost in excess of £12 million and Virgin will not bother to tender again. Sour grapes? possibly.
Not sure how you can deliver a more effective railway, unless you cut costs,( sack staff) or get the goverment to put in more money. Still that is the issue with the free market, not convinced that the guarantee bonds sought by the goverment will enable them to find a new buyer if this lot go bust, and hand the contract back.

Bournemouth Addick

By some accounts the penalty for handing back the keys if it goes tits up is not a big enough dissincentive to making an unrealistic bid.

Bit of a win-win situation for them, if it works, fine, everyone's happy except those paying more for their tickets or those who have lost their job. If not, call it a day and the taxpayer steps in again as had happened elsewhere.

Time will tell I suppose but as Branson points out where they've been out bid before the winners have not been able to deliver in their promises.

Lincsaddick

VirginRail is 49% owned by Stagecoach. I had to catch a Stagecoach bus into town this morning. The bus broke down .. say NO MORE !!!!

killerandflash

Of course it's possible that First bid more because they are prepared to accept a lower profit margin than Virgin...

Obviously Branson is upset, he's made a fortune our of Virgin Trains!

Bedsaddick

killerandflash said:

Of course it's possible that First bid more because they are prepared to accept a lower profit margin than Virgin...

Obviously Branson is upset, he's made a fortune our of Virgin Trains!

Lower profit margin - First group ? Never

Saga Lout

Branson is very upset and he's kicking off bigtime - Cameron must be wondering if there is a way to remove the 'sir'!

It seems that First are aiming to lower the standard which Virgin have set and which is very popular with their passengers. Customer satisfaction levels on Virgin have been very high.

To quote Jessie J 'it's all about the money'.

tangoflash

boggzy said:

For gods sake can we not make this members only??!!

I start my clown training next week......................................

Bedsaddick

It's really bad news for the west Coast line. To meet the Franchise agreement and payments to the government , First have to increase profit by 10% every year for 15 years . Impossible in my book. Within 18 months you will see them asset stripping , cutting jobs and increasing fares like you have never seen before. safety will be severely compromised as well.
I saw it 3 years ago when National Express got hold of the East Coast franchise and they nearly ran that route into the ground. They lasted 2 years and bailed out - Thankfully.

Today is a sad day for the railway industry , A day where our pig gready government picks money over quality and safety.
I'm desperately hoping Branson bids for the East Coast franchise next year because he knows how to run a railway .

guinnessaddick

First take over on the nw line on 9th Dec. We play Bolton away a week later, not sure how far in advance you will be able to buy train tickets.

Lincsaddick

Bedsaddick said:

It's really bad news for the west Coast line. To meet the Franchise agreement and payments to the government , First have to increase profit by 10% every year for 15 years . Impossible in my book. Within 18 months you will see them asset stripping , cutting jobs and increasing fares like you have never seen before. safety will be severely compromised as well.
I saw it 3 years ago when National Express got hold of the East Coast franchise and they nearly ran that route into the ground. They lasted 2 years and bailed out - Thankfully.

Today is a sad day for the railway industry , A day where our pig gready government picks money over quality and safety.
I'm desperately hoping Branson bids for the East Coast franchise next year because he knows how to run a railway .

Branson doesn't 'run the railway', he's the figurehead, the Brandmeister. Souter, the Stagecoach maestro is the MAN. His company owns 49% of Virgin, he and his sister are the real transport gurus.