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Virgin Trains

All these comments about Solihull Sation are off topic on a Virgin Trains thread so I will just comment that Solihull used to have four platforms and the remains of the closed platforms can be seen in the undergrowth.
 
Ok, back on topic ...

West Coast Mainline could be nationalised, according to Reuters ...

West Coast rail franchise to be nationalised - paper

(Reuters) - The British government is preparing to nationalise Virgin Trains' West Coast railway train operating franchise following its attempts to delay the handover of the network to rival operator First Group which won the franchise renewal bid, the Sunday Times newspaper said.

Virgin's campaign for a judicial review of the government's decision to award the franchise to First Group has delayed the signing of the contract and could put back indefinitely the handover, which is due to take place on December 9.
Ministers are now preparing to transfer the service to state-owned Directly Operated Railways, the paper said, quoting the Department for Transport as saying it was "looking at our responsibilities under section 30 of the Railways Act and it is only prudent to increase our focus on contingency planning".
The Department for Transport declined to comment further.
Virgin Trains, a joint venture of entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group and trains and buses operator Stagecoach, could not be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Laurence Fletcher; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
(This story was refiled to correct typographical error in spelling of "entrepreneur")
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Preparing for War by the looks of things. Strange how we have spent all this time and energy in transferring Rail
costs and now putting the Network back in Public Ownership for a tempory or semi permanent state.
It looks as if First Group are not happy and Branson seems to have pulled ahead with the Court.
Wait and see must get the new Rail.

Mike Jenks
 
HI MIKE ;
Yes i am all eyes on the news and wait with debated breath to see the out come of whom is gonna get the contract and i do not wish to see nationalised
ownership again you only get the unions striking and sickness scams again shortageof drivers and all the ecuses that go with it
and regarding the costing of fares going up and up if will not make any diffentence
whom ever runs it it will high cost ast usal like xmas and the new year its always that time ofthe year and the unions aint to happy either again ;
best wishes ASTONIAN
 
hi

thinking about I suspect the Government has to protect the position should things go over
Dec 6th deadline should the ownership not be decided.
Clearly if First Rail / Government win in the Court then this would revert to them. This cases
drag out so the government legal advisor's must see it beyond Dec 6th.
Bransons battle with the Government years ago went on for ages over Air Space at Heath Row
with british Airways.
Well have to wait and see

Mike Jenks
 
The Virgin franchise will expire in December whatever happens so even is Virgin win in the courts there will be a hiatus. Presumably Virgin were hoping for a temprary extension but the government have a responsibility to keep the trains running and so a short term transfer to governement control, I think is inevitable.
 
Thanks for Phil and Ellbrown for showing me where Solihull Station is, I will be spending Christmas with my son this year and will probably travel by train, and think Birmingham International is more convenient to get to than going into town either New Street or Moor Street where I think Chiltern operate from.
 
Article and video here with Sir Richard Branson giving his evidence

Richard Branson claims Virgin's West Coast rail loss 'bad for UK'

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has told MPs it will be "bad for the UK" if the West Coast mainline rail franchise is awarded to rival First Group.

Sir Richard said Virgin's bid was "more deliverable and financially robust".
In evidence to the Commons Transport Committee, he said the government had not followed its own rules when it awarded the franchise.
But First Group said Virgin had made a series of "bad guesses" about its bid and it could deliver more growth.
Ministers awarded the franchise to run the line - which Virgin has operated for the last 15 years - to First Group last month after the latter made the highest bid.
Virgin has mounted a legal challenge over the decision, claiming the process was flawed although ministers have said they acted scrupulously and fully in line with proper procedures.
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Good News if your a Virgin Fan. Seems as if the Tendering process was flawed. Missed out
Inflation and Passenger rise. Clearly re-tendering will take ages. How long First can hang in there
is another matter. At least it wont be around the Tax payers neck if Branson agrees to run it till
this process is complete.

Mike Jenks
 
Well the chickens have come home!! The whole process of de-nationalisation was set up by accountants for accountants and the franchising 'game' has proved problematical once again. The railways should be run by railwaymen, like it was before it was nationalised in the late 40's

Mike.
 
So DaFT (The Department for Transport) strikes again. Question is, Will Virgin get an extension of their franchise until it is sorted out or will the government train company Directly Operated Railways take over on 9th December? Either way the taxpayer gets lumbered with a £40m bill for compensation.
 
Hi

virgin look like they will continue till the new Franchising is completed. it seems the bidders got different info.
There appears to be no problem with each of the Bidders tenders but the High Court action resulted in
the errors were found out. Im not a fan of anybody here but the former secretary didnt do her homework.
It was a brave decision today by the current secretary to stand up and scrap in essence the whole bidding process
till the various reviews. Well done. Another £40 mil down the Rail.
As a footnote Rail Magazine since August have completely supported the Former Secretary decision with First.
Reams of Articles rubbishing the Virgin position. I was surprised how journalist people if it suits them dont dig deep.
Virgin from day 1 outlined the flawed bid. Who knows why its that nasty word Politics entering the Commercial World.

Mike Jenks
 
None of this would have come out if Richard Branson had not gone to court and the government lawyers found they could not defend the case. Civil servants may have been sent on gardening leave but I doubt if they will suffer too badly.
 
As yep its aint what you know whom you know to get on in life
and every man as got a price as the old saying goes ;
but to be honest virgin did bring it up to scratch and spent one hell of alot of money on the net work so he desevs it right ful person ;ie richard branson ] even thou i am not a fan of is; and brought some smart trains in as well;
if you are familar with first trains and bus servives operated by them they are total unrelibale ;services are rubbish welcome back richard branson and his employee,s
best wishes everybody ; take the strain and go richard bransons virgin train astonian;;
 
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