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Alliance Blackpool service to be run by Grand Central and start in 2021

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Mogster

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dk1 said:
The more I hear about pilot training the more I'm shocked. Even heard that some budget airlines don't even supply trainees with pens. Crikey on t'railway we'd be shocked if we didn't get lunch & constant tea/coffee whilst in the classroom then a phone &/or tablet & a half decent wage whilst training with many getting overtime/Sunday pay too if their instructor does. The sky is certainly not always the limit :lol:
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The Sky is for rich people and their children...
 
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pt_mad

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train_lover said:
I read somewhere that a open access operator had applied to run 91s from Cardiff to Paddington.
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Aye it's the same applicant as this one, Alliance Rail under Grand Union Railway or something similar.
[Edit: I have been corrected that Alliance Rail are not connected to this open access application, with the Grand Union applicant being the former chief at Alliance Rail.]
There is also speculation that Virgin's West Coast Mainline open access application involves the use of class 91 sets. There is another thread open for it.
 
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swt_passenger

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pt_mad said:
Aye it's the same applicant as this one, Alliance Rail under Grand Union Railway or something similar.
There is also speculation that Virgin's West Coast Mainline open access application involves the use of class 91 sets. There is another thread open for it.
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The Cardiff proposal has a thread here:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/grand-union-trains-plans-to-run-from-london-to-cardiff.180669/
I don’t believe Grand Union has any connection with Alliance any more. Ian Yeowart signs as chief executive. Forum members seem to think it will never happen...
 
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geoffk

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Can anyone explain why we need to add to our overcrowded network trains which don't add any new links? OK the Virgin Pendolinos don't stop at Poulton-le-Fylde or Kirkham but the Voyagers do and the new operator Avanti is getting new stock. What happened to "not primarily abstractive"? I know I've asked that one before. Perhaps the new Government after 12th December will have other ideas.
 
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swt_passenger

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geoffk said:
Can anyone explain why we need to add to our overcrowded network trains which don't add any new links? OK the Virgin Pendolinos don't stop at Poulton-le-Fylde or Kirkham but the Voyagers do and the new operator Avanti is getting new stock. What happened to "not primarily abstractive"? I know I've asked that one before. Perhaps the new Government after 12th December will have other ideas.
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There won’t be any point in open access when all fares are reduced to the level of local bus fares...
 
pdeaves

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I have found no sign of a track access contract or station access agreements on the ORR website. Granted, such things do not have to appear in advance of them taking effect (as long as they are in place between the relevant companies) but that could potentially indicate some delay.

There is also no operator's licence yet, though that might be sorted out by working under the Grand Central licence. If not, there must be at least four weeks public consultation from the application, which hasn't been made yet, so that would indicate an earliest start date (i.e. start cannot possibly be less than four weeks from now!).
 
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Glenn1969

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I believe these rights were granted two or three years ago. Not sure whether approval has lapsed given how long it has been without services starting though
 
Aictos

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pdeaves said:
I have found no sign of a track access contract or station access agreements on the ORR website. Granted, such things do not have to appear in advance of them taking effect (as long as they are in place between the relevant companies) but that could potentially indicate some delay.

There is also no operator's licence yet, though that might be sorted out by working under the Grand Central licence. If not, there must be at least four weeks public consultation from the application, which hasn't been made yet, so that would indicate an earliest start date (i.e. start cannot possibly be less than four weeks from now!).
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I was under the impression that it WAS going to be operated under the Grand Central brand?
 
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scouseyb123

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pdeaves said:
I have found no sign of a track access contract or station access agreements on the ORR website. Granted, such things do not have to appear in advance of them taking effect (as long as they are in place between the relevant companies) but that could potentially indicate some delay.

There is also no operator's licence yet, though that might be sorted out by working under the Grand Central licence. If not, there must be at least four weeks public consultation from the application, which hasn't been made yet, so that would indicate an earliest start date (i.e. start cannot possibly be less than four weeks from now!).
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seems like there’s still a lot of unanswered questions!
 
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The Planner

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Its like I said elsewhere, May 2020 at the earliest. They have got test paths in from Feb next year I think, but those are likely to be Q paths and run as and when.
 
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pt_mad

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The Planner said:
Its like I said elsewhere, May 2020 at the earliest. They have got test paths in from Feb next year I think, but those are likely to be Q paths and run as and when.
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When does a firm timetable have to be offered up for May 2020? Very soon?
 
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ainsworth74

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Glenn1969 said:
I believe these rights were granted two or three years ago. Not sure whether approval has lapsed given how long it has been without services starting though
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They were granted, for the first time, in 2015 but these then lapsed in 2017 when they couldn't find suitable rolling stock. They then reapplied I think at the same time as the original rights lapsed and these were granted in June 2018 through to December 2026 with the rights commencing in May 2019 (though obvious the service hasn't as yet!). So currently they should be granted.

The ORR letter on this can be found on their website here.
pdeaves said:
There is also no operator's licence yet, though that might be sorted out by working under the Grand Central licence.
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They are operating as Grand Central so it'll be under their licence.
geoffk said:
What happened to "not primarily abstractive"? I know I've asked that one before.
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They passed the test? It's "not primarily" not "none at all" after all! The ORR letter goes into some detail on it if your interested in reading more (see the letter here).
 
Neptune

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pt_mad said:
When does a firm timetable have to be offered up for May 2020? Very soon?
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They like to have them up to a year prior to implementation. The reason May 2018 was such a mess was it wasn’t firmed up until around 3 months prior to the change (in my area anyway) leading to a mad dash to get unit and crew diagrams done which didn’t go too well.
 
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ainsworth74

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DoubleO said:
A timetable has already been published
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Yes I wonder if some people are behind on the news (keep up at the back :lol:) but there's a bit of info about the outfit (including the proposed timetable) on the Grand Central website which you can find here.

From Spring 2020, Grand Central plans to expand its services to new parts of Britain, running services on the West Coast Mainline between London Euston and Blackpool North.

With five return services per day (four on Sunday), and calling at a number of popular destinations, we’ll be giving customers more choice and flexibility in how they travel between North West England and London, in addition to our already popular routes to Yorkshire and the North East.
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irish_rail

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Looking at that timetable I still can't work out how the drivers will get sufficient breaks at London. Generally 30 to 40 minutes isn't going to cut it taking into account preparation time and late running etc. Similarly arriving at London and having a longer break until the next service would lead to shifts of well over 10 hours which would be unlikely to work.
Yet the website suggests the only driver depot will be Blackpool , none at London etc so does anyone know how they are going to work the crewing????
 
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