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Leeds to Glasgow Central via Hebden Bridge and Preston: Calling at Mirfield (for services to Huddersfield), Brighouse, Hebden Bridge, Burnley Manchester Road, Rose Grove, Blackburn, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith North Lakes, Carlisle, Lockerbie, and Glasgow Central. Stock would be Class 158s, 1 per service. Leaves Glasgow xx50, Leeds xx10
The only thing here I would change as the service would be going via Accrington is to swap the call at Rose Grove with Accrington as Burnley already is served by Burnley Manchester Road which has far more passengers then Rose Grove.
Premise: In France, there is an operator called Ouigo (means 'yes, go' in French). It was created by SNCF to combat the ever-growing budget airlines. It combated the budget airlines by beating them at their own game. Ouigo is a budget trainoperator. I think that this could work very well in the UK with the lack of useful airports and the huge (apparently, but that's for another thread) prices on the likes of Virgin WC and LNER. We've already seen GNWR and their (at present) successful attempt at disrupting Virgin's market (that nobody other than Chiltern have tried to take on), so I thought 'What could I do?'
Reviving the name used by Northern Rail for their 319 services (a name I like very much), Northern Electrics would run 4 services:
Route 1: London Euston to Crewe. Calling at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Crewe.
Route 2: London Euston to Manchester Mayfield. Calling at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent, Stockport and Manchester Mayfield. Late night services would bypass Northampton except on Fridays and Saturdays.
Route 3: London King's Cross to Leeds calling at Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Peterborough, Newark North Gate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate and Leeds.
All trains are 2tph off-peak and 3tph in the peaks and on selected days. All trains are formed of 8 coaches but because of reasons you'll find later, trains can be extended if needed.
Reading the map and service information, you would have noticed Manchester Mayfield station being the station of choice in Manchester. I have decided that Northern Electrics will reopen Mayfield station to ease congestion at Piccadilly, which was the station I originally opted for. This will cost a lot but this is a fantasy thread. I want to.
NE will use LHCS which will be cheaper and quicker to introduce than MUs. NE would use Mark 5 coaches with 3 different types of seats depending on the class. While I am usually not a fan of a class system, I decided that it could be useful on a budget train operator:
Economy Class: For somebody who wants to get there while not caring about comfort or style. Quantum L100 Double Seat - The least comfy seat in the cheapest class. Well, what were you expecting? In coaches 1 and 2.
Economy Plus: You want to get there, but you don't want to be seen in Economy. Quantum M101 Double Seat - Slightly comfier. Used in the Renatus 321s and possibly the Class 385s. In coaches 3, 4 and 5, up until the buffet, where there is a separating door.
Express Class: Ooh, look at you! Too rich for Economy but too poor for LNER and Virgin Standard. Quantum M104 Double Seat with headrest - The comfiest of the bunch, but probably not as good as the offerings from Virgin or LNER. In coaches 6, 7 and two thirds of 8.
Business Class: a small section suitable for frequent travellers or businessmen. More expensive than Virgin/LNER Standard on one trip but when bought in multiple (like a season ticket) has massive savings. Has got the same seats as Express Class but has more legroom and cushioning as well as 2+1 seating. There is also free snacks and drinks included with your ticket. Situated in the remaining third of Coach 8 with a separating door between Express and Business Class.
All seats will have armrests and some form of table. All classes have 2+2 seating except Business Class.
Quantum also made the M100 which was used on the Class 321 Demonstrator. However, this has been removed from the product page. I believe they have rebranded it as the L100 Double Seat for metro use, like the L100 longitudinal seat. I don't particularly agree how they've branded the L100 Double Seat. I think it should have stayed as the M100 or should have become a new series.
Coach 1 is the DVT at the North end. There is also a buffet in coach 5 that sells snacks and drinks. All passengers can use this. There is also a trolley service for Express and Business Class only. In all classes there would be an even mix of airline and table seats. Trains are hauled by Class 92s, 88s and/or 91s. All locos will be able to do 110mph (yes, the 92s will have to be modified for this). Also, 92022 (which is currently a spares donor) would be brought back in service because of how much I love 92022 for various reasons.
Passengers with National Rail Standard Class tickets can travel anywhere on the train except Business Class but it is preferred if they stay in Express. Economy, Economy Plus, Express and Business Class tickets would be available on the OAO's website, which must be booked in advance. Seat reservations can be made and passengers can either choose whether they want a table or airline and what direction they are facing (free) or pay £2 to choose a specific seat on the website. You cannot choose a table seat if someone else is on the table (ie a family of 3 can pick 3 seats at a table but a stranger can't take the fourth seat). Similarly, you cannot choose an airline seat if somebody else is sitting on one of the seats (similar example to before, I don't need to explain it). This is to stop those awkward moments where you're facing someone you don't know.
The livery would be silver with a black stripe and doors with the name written in block capitals at the centre of the coach or loco. The logo would be a combined NE, like this:
The interior would be grey seats (with slightly darker NE logos) with black headrest 'areas' (with a large grey NE logo on it sewn on) made of leather (it is long-distance, after all, and I'm not that heartless (other than forcing people to sit on ironing boards for 3 hours, but this is a budget train operator). There would also be black handrails and armrest fabric (if needed). The carpet would be black with grey NE logos on the centre isle. The vestibules would have grey vinyl flooring with black NE logos dotted around semi-randomly. The inter-carriage doors would be glass with a frosted glass stripe at 1/4 and 3/4 heights. In these frosted glass bits would be a non-frosted NE logo at the higher one and the words 'NORTHERN ELECTRICS' in the bottom one.
One of the Services is Taunton to Weymouth via Bristol Temple Meads
This service's Calling Pattern would be Taunton,Weston-Super-Mare,Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Westbury, Castle Cary, Yeovil Pen Mill, Maiden Newton, Dorchester West and Weymouth
I would have the service hang around for 5 minutes at both Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads
I've made a full blown timetable for Monday-Friday(Saturday and Sunday to Follow)
I've Made it in Excel and tried to make it look as professional as possible.
Here is where I would run it:
Route 1:
London Paddington to Swansea with 4-5 trains a day calling at London Paddington, Heathrow Airport, Bristol Parkway, Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath and Swansea.
Its USP would be the direct link to Heathrow from Bristol and South Wales, and it would, like the planned First East Coast, be run as a budget airline on rails, aimed at taking passengers off the coach.
Route 2:
London-Aberystwyth 2/3 trains a day - Fast to Birmingham New Street but stopping service within Wales.
Route 3:
Holyhead-Newcastle via Manchester and Leeds.
It’s name would be Cyflymder which is Welsh for ‘speed’ and would be run with class 800s in a jet black livery.
And because I support the Welsh Language, both would have totally bilingual train announcements preferably with a Gwynedd accent, as that’s my favorite variety of Welsh.
Route 1: London Euston, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Brighouse, Halifax, Bradford Interchange
Route 2: Glasgow Central, Carlisle, Oxenholme, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan, Manchester, Derby, Leicester and then after that it gets into a bit of a mystery.
I would like to propose a Leeds to Glasgow service via the Settle and Carlisle line using Class 68s with Mk5s calling at the following stations 4 times a day:
Calling at: Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Hartford, Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Peterborough, March, Ely, Cambridge North and Cambridge
1tph: Liverpool Lime Street-Bristol Temple Meads
Calling at: Liverpool South Parkway, Crewe, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads
1tph: Liverpool Lime Street- Leicester
Calling at: Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough and Leicester
Liverpool Connect would use new Class 802 9 car bi-mode units for Bristol and Cambridge and 5 car for Leicester. It would provide Liverpool with Direct Links to Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Bristol, Cheltenham Spa and Melton Mowbray. Obviously none of this will happen but its a nice thought at least.
Most of the ideas in this thread are very normal and realistic. However, I am going to show you now my absolutely ridiculous OAO...
Basically Nightlife would run very late-night services between big, popular towns to serve as 'transport' for partygoers, nightclubbers and chronic alcoholics.
Trains would run once per hour from 11pm to 1am, on each route in each direction.
Trains would be Class 700s with no first class, or buffet car, or catering trolley, but plastic, easy-to-clean seats and a bouncer and every other door. The livery would be the basic Thameslink livery, with vinyls of vomit, wine and blood on the side.
Company name: Britannia Rail
Livery: passenger express blue, with the lady Britannia on the side of engines.
Routes: National Forest line calling at Burton on Trent, Gresley (for Swadlincote)*, Heart of the National Forest (for Moira) Ashby de la zouch, Ashby Parkway*, Coalville, Ellistown*, Leicester Forest East, Leicester South(for Stadia and University).
EMA service: Leicester South, Coalville, Gresley (for Swadlincote), Burton on Trent, Derby, Castle Donnington, Nottingham
* P&R facilities
Rolling stock: Mk2s +dbso, class 47 cascaded down from Scotland. Permits enormous flexibility for peak and off peak.
Something different but using the success story of OBB's sleeper service I intend to provide a sleeper service covering Cross Country routes such as:
Plymouth to Aberdeen
Aberdeen to Plymouth
Dover to Glasgow
Glasgow to Dover
Edinburgh to Harwich
Harwich to Edinburgh
Using a rake of 5 Mk3 Sleeping Coaches, a Mk3 First Class Seated Coach with Buffet and a Mk3 DVT being hauled by Class 68s throughout.
This will be an alternative to the day time Cross Country services currently in operation and leave you feeling fully refreshed which isn't the case with the day time services.
Euston-Cleethorpes via Northampton, Birmingham, Lichfield, Nottingham, Lincoln and Grimsby
Using Class 43s, (InterCity 125 set)
Stops:
London Euston
Bletchley
Milton Keynes Central
Northampton
Rugby
Coventry
Birmingham International
Birmingham New Street
Lichfield Trent Valley
Burton on Trent
Nottingham
Grantham
Newark North Gate
Lincoln Central
Grimsby Town
Cleethorpes
St. Pancras-Skegness via Kettering, Leicester, Nottingham, Grantham and Sleaford (one each way every Saturday and Sunday during Summer)
Using Class 43s, (InterCity 125 set)
Stops:
Luton Airport Parkway
Luton
Bedford
Wellingborough
Kettering
Market Harborough
Leicester
Loughborough
East Midlands Parkway
Nottingham
Grantham
Sleaford
Boston
Skegness
And finally Northampton-Southampton Central
Using Class 800s
Stops:
Northampton
Milton Keynes Central
Hemel Hempstead
Watford Junction
Clapham Junction
Gatwick Airport
Burgess Hill
Brighton
Hove
Southwick
Worthing
Chichester
Havant
Bedhampton
Cosham
Fareham
Southampton Central
And finally Northampton-Southampton Central
Using Class 800s
Stops:
Northampton
Milton Keynes Central
Hemel Hempstead
Watford Junction
Clapham Junction
Gatwick Airport
Burgess Hill
Brighton
Hove
Southwick
Worthing
Chichester
Havant
Bedhampton
Cosham
Fareham
Southampton Central
Euston-Cleethorpes via Northampton, Birmingham, Lichfield, Nottingham, Lincoln and Grimsby
Using Class 43s, (InterCity 125 set)
Stops:
London Euston
Bletchley
Milton Keynes Central
Northampton
Rugby
Coventry
Birmingham International
Birmingham New Street
Lichfield Trent Valley
Burton on Trent
Nottingham
Grantham
Newark North Gate
Lincoln Central
Grimsby Town
Cleethorpes
Not being funny but it would be more faster to simply either start the service from St Pancras International and head to Cleethorpes via Nottingham OR even London Euston to Bletchley then across to Bedford and up the Midland Mainline to Nottingham and then across to Cleethorpes.
St. Pancras-Skegness via Kettering, Leicester, Nottingham, Grantham and Sleaford (one each way every Saturday and Sunday during Summer)
Using Class 43s, (InterCity 125 set)
Stops:
Luton Airport Parkway
Luton
Bedford
Wellingborough
Kettering
Market Harborough
Leicester
Loughborough
East Midlands Parkway
Nottingham
Grantham
Sleaford
Boston
Skegness
My OAO has a service that calls at Stockport and then Manchester Airport via a non-existant junction and another service that calls at Carnforth's WCML platforms. I think the title of this thread is a dead giveaway.
My OAO has a service that calls at Stockport and then Manchester Airport via a non-existant junction and another service that calls at Carnforth's WCML platforms. I think the title of this thread is a dead giveaway.
But why bother calling at Hove and Brighton especially as Hove is just Brighton North in all but name...
Also note, the OP said nothing about non existent infrastructure therefore routes proposed although fantasy in nature should use existing infrastructure.
Also note, the OP said nothing about non existent infrastructure therefore routes proposed although fantasy in nature should use existing infrastructure.
First off - livery. I like pink. So of course it would have some pink, maybe pink and white?
Route as follows:
Newcastle - Hexham - Carlisle - Lockerbie - Glasgow Central
Bi-mode units would probably be apt here, since the Tyne Valley is unelectrified. Perhaps some 5-car 801s similar to the LNER order? This route builds on the direct joint service by Northern and ScotRail, but during the daytime to fill gaps until these services.
First off - livery. I like pink. So of course it would have some pink, maybe pink and white?
Route as follows:
Newcastle - Hexham - Carlisle - Lockerbie - Glasgow Central
Bi-mode units would probably be apt here, since the Tyne Valley is unelectrified. Perhaps some 5-car 801s similar to the LNER order? This route builds on the direct joint service by Northern and ScotRail, but during the daytime to fill gaps until these services.
Decent shout! I like the livery idea too, it's original and distinctive. There's probably some demand for more Newcastle-Glasgow services, and you could also slide in a call at Beattock if it were to reopen.
The company will be called International Railways.
The routes that will be run are - Edinburgh to Berlin, Glasgow to Rome, Manchester to Madrid, and Leeds to Lisbon.
The Scottish services will be operated by currently off-lease HST sets with high density 3+2 Class 700 Fainsa seating fitted in standard class, and 2+2 Class 800 standard seats in first class. The non-scottish services will be operated by soon-to-be-withdrawn Class 317 sets, with 4+3 plastic seating fitted in standard, and 3+2 700 standard seats in first class.
I'd consider extending this through to Birmingham too. Swinson-Birmingham flows are probably bigger than, for example, Bromsgrove-Cheltenham flows, though I could be wrong.
I'd consider extending this through to Birmingham too. Swinson-Birmingham flows are probably bigger than, for example, Bromsgrove-Cheltenham flows, though I could be wrong.
That’s probably true. My thinking was to provide a bridge between Swindon and Birmingham without needing to find a path through the busy commuter route from Bromsgrove, bypassing the super-expensive XC trains between Gloucester/Cheltenham and Birmingham and without spending ages crossing the tracks and reversing in Gloucester like the GWR trains, plus you’d improve the service at Aschurch and Worcestershire Parkway. Mostly just filling in the gaps and enabling more ‘minor’ train journeys that are currently too slow, inconvenient and expensive. There probably is a case for a direct Swindon-New Sreet train, but Bromsgrove to New Street is pretty well served and there’s not much capacity at New Street. Also makes some sense as a bridge between the electrified bits of the network without taking more dirty diesels into the centre of the city.
That’s probably true. My thinking was to provide a bridge between Swindon and Birmingham without needing to find a path through the busy commuter route from Bromsgrove, bypassing the super-expensive XC trains between Gloucester/Cheltenham and Birmingham and without spending ages crossing the tracks and reversing in Gloucester like the GWR trains, plus you’d improve the service at Aschurch and Worcestershire Parkway. Mostly just filling in the gaps and enabling more ‘minor’ train journeys that are currently too slow, inconvenient and expensive. There probably is a case for a direct Swindon-New Sreet train, but Bromsgrove to New Street is pretty well served and there’s not much capacity at New Street. Also makes some sense as a bridge between the electrified bits of the network without taking more dirty diesels into the centre of the city.
The company will be called International Railways.
The routes that will be run are - Edinburgh to Berlin, Glasgow to Rome, Manchester to Madrid, and Leeds to Lisbon.
The Scottish services will be operated by currently off-lease HST sets with high density 3+2 Class 700 Fainsa seating fitted in standard class, and 2+2 Class 800 standard seats in first class. The non-scottish services will be operated by soon-to-be-withdrawn Class 317 sets, with 4+3 plastic seating fitted in standard, and 3+2 700 standard seats in first class.
I can definitely imagine that these suggestions have already been made. But if I was running an OA service I would follow this criteria:
Does the service create new links?
Does it add capacity on existing routes where capacity is near or is full at present?
Can the service be viable to run operationally speaking?
Can the service raise employment in areas that need it most?
Can the service help to regenerate areas that need a catalyst or would add further to the value of an area undergoing regeneration?
For that reason I would propose on the East Coast:
A London King's Cross to Cleethorpes service calling at Sandy (when EWR opens), Huntingdon, Newark North Gate, Collingham, Lincoln Central, Market Rasen, Harborough, Grimsby Town and Cleethorpes. I would ideally try and base a lot of the operation in the Humberside area to help regenerate this area by providing a direct link to London, increasing employment opportunities, adds capacity to the South end of the ECML and to the South Humberside Main Line. Paths would most likely be granted to 125mph stock however most platforms on that route will only take at most 6 coaches. Sourcing a 4 or 5 car train like the 222s, as an example could work.
I can definitely imagine that these suggestions have already been made. But if I was running an OA service I would follow this criteria:
Does the service create new links?
Does it add capacity on existing routes where capacity is near or is full at present?
Can the service be viable to run operationally speaking?
Can the service raise employment in areas that need it most?
Can the service help to regenerate areas that need a catalyst or would add further to the value of an area undergoing regeneration?
For that reason I would propose on the East Coast:
A London King's Cross to Cleethorpes service calling at Sandy (when EWR opens), Huntingdon, Newark North Gate, Collingham, Lincoln Central, Market Rasen, Harborough, Grimsby Town and Cleethorpes. I would ideally try and base a lot of the operation in the Humberside area to help regenerate this area by providing a direct link to London, increasing employment opportunities, adds capacity to the South end of the ECML and to the South Humberside Main Line. Paths would most likely be granted to 125mph stock however most platforms on that route will only take at most 6 coaches. Sourcing a 4 or 5 car train like the 222s, as an example could work.
I agree NE Lincs (formerly Humberside) does need new rail link to London long been campaigned for. Stock could be an Class 800 5 coach set and why did you not call at Barnetby (allows passengers from Scunthorpe to change on to the service).
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I'd like to see that...
