This franchise is confusing. RTT classes it as West Midlands trains and NRE as West Midlands railway for everything. PIS as West Midlands railway and London north western. This will cos so many confusion. What is going on?
Apparently whoever was awarded the West Midlands franchise was given a whole year by DFT from the start of operation to split off into two brands. This obviously would allow time to eradicate any teething problems and find solutions to any issues.
So obviously it probably wasn't expected to be without issue or the DFT wouldn't have given them a year to implement the brand split.
As for potentially using LNW, it does seem to make more sense them using LNR as Northwestern is one word on their branding. Also the confusion with the London Northwestern Network Rail route, which is referred to on open train times maps section.
Also yes it seems the Wmtrains want the word Railway as a full part of the branding.
A poster further up said they thought there was going to be more local control, and they've seen none down south. I think the local control is going to be more on the West Midlands Railway, with local authority input, not on the WCML part of the franchise.
Regarding people saying service suffering on the Marston Vale line, WCML south etc, no TOC is going to solve all the problems in a day, a week, a month, or 6 months. Apparently it's a full year until they recast a full timetable and lengthen trains etc. Also, they have no new trains yet. And obviously that is gonna take years.
Also, the infrastructure will be as it is for whatever TOC operates. Someone said there was level crossing problems on one of the branches off the WCML. The TOC is not likely to be able to sort this.