If you won the Euro Lottery, what new Passenger services would you introduce?

If you won the Euro Lottery & money was no object, what new Passenger services would you introduce & what motive power would you use?

My own Mark three first class coaches and a 37 to haul them ..

TimSYoung40145 said:

If you won the Euro Lottery & money was no object, what new Passenger services would you introduce & what motive power would you use?

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£80m last night.

What would that buy me?

Seriously.

Could I buy the entire network and then close it down, for example? And then put it out to tender to grown ups (FGW need not apply).

A genuine question, I have no idea how much the whole shooting match is worth.

A fantasy I would reintroduce the Thames-Clyde Express with Blue & Grey Mk 1s & a 45.

In reality, the Oxford to Cambridge service I would use HSTs or as by then Super Voyagers would be available & also alternate the service from Oxford or Marylebone via Aylesbury.

Burton - Lincoln with a 50. Friday only, leaving at 1650. Ooh, just in time for me to go to my dads or I'd put a platform in outside my house on the Up Goods, and stable the stock at Nemesis Rail

Edit: scrap that, Glasgow to Lincoln via Burton (for my dad so he doesn't have to suffer a voyager from glasgow)

So, a Class 50, with a few Mk2 air cons, all in Rail Blue, 12:00 Glasgow - Lincoln via Birmingham, stopping only at my house.... :P

I think 158's would be perfect for a Oxford - Cambridge Run

Colne - London Euston via Blackburn, Bolton and Manchester Airport.

Or reopen Buxton - Matlock.

Why not Skipton to Euston via Colne?

Class 173s (172s with 170 interiors) with 4 car and 380 style front ends between Stourbridge Junction and Walsall via the Old Worse And Worse/South Staffs Line

I'd quite like to see a service from a major town in Kent (think Maidstone/Ashford/Dover or one of the others) to somewhere major in the West Midlands, via Tonbridge, Redhill, Guildford, Reading, Oxford and other further destinations on the line of route to the selected destination. A portion would detach at Redhill for Brighton or another Coastway destination, and then one would attach from this destination on a subsequent Up movement.

To get anywhere quickly, you'd have to be radical with stock, pathings and calling patterns! How about a 180?

Other than that, I had a completely crazy idea to extend the former Brighton-Glasgow service... but use the ECML and continue to somewhere in the Highlands... perhaps a North to South Coast Sleeper!

I think it would need a bit more than a lottery win, but I think I would re-open the Great Central Main Line.

I've got a fascinating book called "The Great Central Then and Now" which compares the route how it was then with how it is "now" ("now" being when the book was first published, 1991).

None because this govt wouldn't let me. I'd give it to NYMR & SVR.

TimSYoung40145 said:

Why not Skipton to Euston via Colne?

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That would be hilariously slow compared with via Leeds hock:

Id have all the Pendo's replaced with a full, working fleet of APT's

Penzance to Fort William, Oban, Wick, Thurso & Kyle of Lochalsh, using 5x2 car 158s, refitted to be 1+1 throughout, with buffet in the Wick portion of the train, trolley service provided on other portions upon dividing (excluding Thurso).

From Penzance, this train will call at St Erth, Truro, Par, Bodmin Parkway, Liskeard, St Budeaux Ferry Road, Plymouth, Totnes, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Exeter St Davids, Taunton, Weston-Super-Mare, Bristol Temple Meads Bath Spa, Westbury, Salisbury, Romsey, Southampton Central, St Denys, Swanwick, Fareham, Portchester, Cosham, Havant, Chichester, Barnham, Ford, Worthing, Shoreham-on-Sea, Hove, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Gatwick Airport, Redhill, East Croydon, Norwood Junction, Beckenham Junction, Bromley South, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Otford, Bat and Ball, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Headcorn, Ashford International, Folkestone Central, Dover Priory, Deal, Sandwich, Ramsgate, Margate, Faversham, Sittingbourne, Rainham (Kent), Gillingham (Kent), Chatham, Rochester, Strood, Gravesend, Dartford, Slade Green, Abbey Wood, Woolwich Arsenal, Charlton, Blackheath, Lewisham, London Bridge, London Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, London St Pancras, Kentish Town, West Hampstead Thameslink, St Albans City, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby, Oakham, Melton Mowbray, Leicester, South Wigston, Narborough, Hinckley, Nuneaton, Coleshill Parkway, Water Orton, Birmingham New Street, Smethwick Galton Bridge, Sandwell and Dudley, Wolverhampton, Telford Central, Wellington, Shrewsbury, Whitchurch Shropshire, Nantwich, Crewe, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Heald Green, East Didsbury, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Deansgate, Salford Crescent, Bolton, Horwich Parkway, Chorley, Leyland, Preston, Lancaster, Carnforth, Arnside, Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston, Dalton, Barrow-in-Furness, Ravenglass for Eskdale, Sellafield, Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Carstairs to Motherwell, where the train divides. The front Four coaches continue to Fort William and Oban, calling at Bellshill, Argyle Street, Glasgow Central, Partick, Hyndland, Anniesland, Westerton, Dalmuir, Dumbarton Central, Dalreoch, Cardross, Helensburgh Upper, Garelochhead, Arrochar and Tarbet, Ardlui and Crianlarich, where the train divides again. The front two coaches continue to Fort William, calling at Upper Tyndrum, Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch, Corrour, Tulloch, Roy Bridge, Spean Bridge and Fort William. Coaches 3 and 4 of this service continue to Oban, calling at Tyndrum Lower, Dalmally, Loch Awe, Falls of Cruachan, Taynuilt, Connel Ferry and Oban. The rear six coaches of the train are for Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh, and from Motherwell will call at Whifflet, Coatbridge Central, Greenfaulds, Cumbernauld, Camelon, Falkirk Grahamston, Polmont, Linlithgow, Dalmeny and Inverkeithing, where this train will divide again. Coaches 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this train continue to Wick and Thurso, calling at Dunfermline Town, Dunfermline Queen Margaret, Cowdenbeath, Glenrothes With Thornton, Markinch, Ladybank, Perth, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Newtonmore, Aviemore, Beauly, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Fearn, Tain, Ardgay, Culrain, Invershin, Lairg, Rogart, Golspie, Dunrobin Castle, Brora, Helmsdale, Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder and Georgemas Junction, where the train will divide again. Coaches 5 and 6 continue to Wick only. Coaches 7 and 8 continue to Thurso only. The rear two coaches of this train are for Kyle of Lochalsh, and from Inverkeithing, this portion of the train will continue to Kirkcaldy, Markinch, Ladybank, Cupar, Leuchars, Dundee, Arbroath, Montrose, Laurencekirk, Stonehaven, Aberdeen, Dyce, Inverurie, Elgin, Forres, Nairn, Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Garve, Lochluichart, Achanalt, Achnasheen, Achnashellach, Strathcarron, Attadale, Stromeferry, Duncraig, Plockton, Duirnish and Kyle of Lochalsh.

But if this did end up becoming a real service, I would hate to have the job of annoucing at Penzance (assuming that it isnt already automated)

gnolife said:

But if this did end up becoming a real service, I would hate to have the job of annoucing at Penzance (assuming that it isnt already automated)

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Why do I suspect we'd be at Truro by the time the initial announcement is made...

Hmm, Anglo-Circular Railways Ltd:

Using 153s on a London Underground frequency:

MetroCentre - Darlington - York - Doncaster - Grantham - Peterborough - Acton Central - Hounslow - Staines - Ascot - Reading - Didcot Parkway - Bath Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill - Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton - Crewe - Preston - Lancaster - Oxenholme Lake District - Penrith - Carlisle - Hexham - MetroCentre.

Carefully calculated to avoid reversals.

Oh, and the services will never terminate and yes, Hexham to Darlington would be valid the long way round, but no Break of Journey allowed

So what does it do at Carlisle? go flying for a bit to avoid the reversal?

Ballcocks

Were I to win £148million, I'd open stations rather than introduce new services.

I'm sure competition rules, bribary laws and all the rest of it would permit me to go "I'm building a new station right here, by the way, here's a couple of million."

"But Mr PR1Berske, we need to investigate the business case, alter the timetables, consult with the DfT and local councils and...."

"I said, here's a couple of millions."

"....we'll get the automatic announcements re-recorded straight away."

A real Stansted Express.

gnolife said:

Penzance to Fort William, Oban, Wick, Thurso & Kyle of Lochalsh, using 5x2 car 158s, refitted to be 1+1 throughout, with buffet in the Wick portion of the train, trolley service provided on other portions upon dividing (excluding Thurso).

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Interesting, but why via...

gnolife said:

From Penzance, this train will call at ... Bristol Temple Meads ... Southampton Central ... Gatwick Airport ... Beckenham Junction ... Dover Priory ... London St Pancras ...

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Good thing the 158s have a Mystery Tour option for their destination displays.

gnolife said:

Penzance to Fort William, Oban, Wick, Thurso & Kyle of Lochalsh, using 5x2 car 158s, refitted to be 1+1 throughout, with buffet in the Wick portion of the train, trolley service provided on other portions upon dividing (excluding Thurso).

From Penzance, this train will call at St Erth, Truro.... and Kyle of Lochalsh.

But if this did end up becoming a real service, I would hate to have the job of annoucing at Penzance (assuming that it isnt already automated)

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It's not actually a stopper - where's St Austell, Hayle, Redruth, Camborne + Tiverton Parkway :P

Could you imagine the length of the window sticker or how long the dot matriox screen would take to scroll across! hock:
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Tim R-T-C said:

Good thing the 158s have a Mystery Tour option for their destination displays.

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And Paris Gare du Nord!

AdamW said:

Could you imagine the length of the window sticker or how long the dot matriox screen would take to scroll across! hock:

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The PIS on a 450 can't cope with the SWT Weybridge - Waterloo via Hounslow service; it gives up at Chiswick

I'd reintroduce the Sutton Coldfield to Stirling Motorail. Ideal really:
1) Drive 2 miles to the station, load car and get on train.
2) Take dinner in the dining car, followed by a chat or read of the papers.
3) Retire to the sleeper car for a night of (possibly poor quality) sleep.
4) Awake in Stirling, ready to drive off on the start of a Highland holiday.

Alas I was too young to have used the original service myself, but my folks enjoyed it a fair few times (I believe it ran to Inverness by the 70's) - no doubt enhanced by taking their e-type.

Obviously a certain amount of that can still be done on the Highland Sleeper, but I never enjoy the wait at Crewe station.

The following assumes: 1) I win the Euromillions, 2) HS2 gets built (at least as far as the West Midlands), 3) the HS2-HS1 link gets built, and 4) the Birmingham station can be built with at least one platform available for international services.

Should this all happen, then I would seriously consider a service from Birmingham to Amsterdam and Munich. This would probably be splitting at Brussels first, but there may be the possibility of providing separate services, should the demand be high enough (especially at weekends for Amsterdam and special occasions like Oktoberfest in Munich). I would also include a stop at Old Oak Common (pick up only on the way to Europe, drop off only coming back) for connecting into the GWL. Essentially this would be similar to DBs proposed St P service, but a bit further on either end.

I would also consider a similar service from Manchester Piccadilly, should it be possible to convert a platform or pair of platforms for international use. I imagine something involving the mezzanine level and a ramp/escalator/lift down to one pair of platforms. Again, this could call at OOC to provide connections and improve the business case.

There is also the possibility of adding Paris services to the mix described above, if Eurostar decide not to serve Birmingham and Manchester. This would also present opportunities for Disneyland Paris (or whatever it’s called nowadays). I think Prague might just be a bit too far (especially for a Manchester service), plus I don’t know what other barriers are currently in the way to that, but it would be worth investigating, if nothing else.

Essentially, I would want to maximise the number of possible destinations I could get out of my new train set (should I get one). Based on a unit cost of £1 million per carriage, and trains being composed of 2x9 carriage sets, a budget of £108 million would get me 12 No. 9 car sets, or 6 doubles. If up to two of these are out of service at any one time, that would leave me with 4 double sets. A bit of forward planning could get that up to 5 for specials.

I'd look for locations where by building/reopen short lengths of line (possibly linking two existing lines) so you could provide new services, as then means that the capital costs were kept to a minimum. If I could find such a service was then commercially viable, over time I would look to repeat the exercise on other routes and then look to bid for franchises if I was successful enough.

I would look to attract existing passengers from the existing services (if they exist) buy providing a service that they couldn't get on the existing service. For example not having cycle bans on my services if at all possible. Providing reasonably priced catering on even as many services as possible. Offering 10 single trips for the price of a week season ticket, offering 40 single trips for the price of a month season ticket (as well as season tickets). Offer a sliding scale of discounts for season ticket holders while their tickets are valid (e.g. 5% for weekly, 12% for monthly, and 30% for annual) Look at Providing an additional service or lengthening any service which reached 75% full for more than any 20 consecutive minutes and/or more than 30% of the journey time (although no guarantee that it will be, but if it is not improved there would be a statement on the website as to why it is not).

If a new station was needed I would look to include other development (e.g. flats, shops, gym, etc) within the building to fund part of the construction costs and so that the station never a dark lonely location (it would also mean more customers for my trains from the users/owners of the developments!).

I would base much of my train "empire" on Open Access Routes, so I don't have to throw my toys out of my pram when I didn't win my last remaining franchise as I'd still be able to play with my trains!

Also by having my Open Access Routes I could use these to "subsidise" any franchises I did win by using their systems to minimise costs (e.g. head office costs and by re-branding the systems I had in place already for such things as web sites, ticket sales, catering, etc.).

I would run bi-model trains to remove the need for end to end underfloor engines on routes which were partly electrified (and limit the risk of trains getting stuck because of power outages), unless I could run EMU's.

I doubt even a large Euromillions win would last very long on a revenue earning railway so instead, I'd spend it on a tamper/liner and training for operators, then use that to improve the track geometry at my local preserved line (after extending the line by a couple of miles). That should still leave me plenty for a 5 star holiday each year.

I'm lighting my pipe now.

Instead of Anglo-Circular Railways, how about Preston-Bolton-Manchester-York-Newcastle-Carlisle-Oxenholme (Kendal Mainline)-Preston. Hourly semifast, hourly or half-hourly slow with an hourly express to go on top. Express service would be operated by a new breed of tilting express train, possibly another go at the APT, truely bi-mode. Semifasts would be a unit with an Optare Solo like front (I know ) with 110mph capabilities, which would call at new stations on the West Coast Mainline. Also bi-mode. Slows would be a new bi-mode Desiro Local unit. I may swap the Desiro and Optare ideas around so the semi-fasts get Desiros.
This would be in the future when capacity can finally be reached.

gnolife said:

...Shropshire, Nantwich, Crewe, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow...

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WHAT?! No call at Hartford. I don't like you any more!

On the subject of Hartford, if money were no object, I'd quad-track the WCML through the Weaver Valley, with the outer pair of lines as Liverpool/slow and the inner pair as Glasgow/fast, rebuild Winsford and Acton Bridge to accommodate the new lines and move Hartford station slightly further North to turn it into an interchange with the Mid-Cheshire line. Electrify the stretch from Hartford through to Chester and run CRE-WSF-HTF-CUD-DLM-MLD-CTR stoppers using something like 350s. I'd also have the ICWC EUS-CTR service call at MKC, CRE, HTF, CTR along that route.

Or I could just sod it all and reintroduce HSTs on the XC route that call at HTF.