But who would operate something like the CLC?
(I suppose a traditional bus-style "joint operation" could be used)
The other danger is that that leaves a "Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire rural branch lines" franchise which would be ripe for death by a thousand cuts.
Well a good starting position might to be to carve a franchise area focused on the area covered by the Liverpool City Region and Manchester Metro mayors
If you mean the CLC lines, then they are within the Liverpool/Manchester metro area anyway.
Or do you mean some services would cross the boundary & so not have an obvious operator?
WMTrains services go beyond the TfWM/Centro area, & that works.