2019 predictions

[Busaholic]

That time of year again.

I'm just going to make one;- that Donald J. Trump will no longer be President of the U.S.A. by this time next year. That's more than just a (fervent) hope, I think that all things considered there's a good 50% chance his presence will not be staining the office in 2020. All manner of things might lead to this, of course, not least that he might conveniently die. Anyway, we'll see.

Having said that's my only prediction, I have to sneak in the one that, again by next Christmas, we'll be no nearer hearing when Crossrail will finally open.

 

[Groningen]

Yes Trump and Brexit will be the main points. But what nature things will occure. Another hot summer?!

 

[Busaholic]

Yes Trump and Brexit will be the main points. But what nature things will occure. Another hot summer?!

I'm making absolutely no Brexit predictions.

 

[Intermodal]

I predict that we will either remain in or leave the European union by 2020.

 

[trash80]

May's deal will pass, no one will like it but the only alternative given will be no deal

May will stand down in the Spring afterwards but the next Tory leader will not be Johnson or Mogg, I am thinking maybe Javid

The Tories will win an election in the early Summer with a small but workable majority, cue civil war in Labour as Blair finally launches his new centrist party

 

[urpert]

Abellio will win Southeastern. The Networkers and 376s will go but otherwise it will be a make-do and mend franchise.

 

[hooverboy]

May's deal will pass, no one will like it but the only alternative given will be no deal

May will stand down in the Spring afterwards but the next Tory leader will not be Johnson or Mogg, I am thinking maybe Javid

The Tories will win an election in the early Summer with a small but workable majority, cue civil war in Labour as Blair finally launches his new centrist party

blair is not a centrist at all.
he is corporate fascist(national socialist)
corbyn is communist(international socialist)
the two factions don't like each other very much.cue popcorn and punch-up

 

[trash80]

Well its what he will call it, i suspect calling it a national socialist party would be a tough sell eh?

 

[Howardh]

Article 50 will be extended in January when the deal fails to get through to allow time for a May/June general election which a Labour coalition will win, Corbyn will be forced to stand down for the support of the SNP and Starmer will renegotiate a softer Brexit than May which will take place after the two-year period which begins on the day of the election.

Bolton's electrification will be delayed until December 2019.

 

[hooverboy]

Article 50 will be extended in January when the deal fails to get through to allow time for a May/June general election which a Labour coalition will win, Corbyn will be forced to stand down for the support of the SNP and Starmer will renegotiate a softer Brexit than May which will take place after the two-year period which begins on the day of the election.

Bolton's electrification will be delayed until December 2019.

I wouldn't take SNP performance in scotland for granted.

a lot of scots are mighty annoyed at wee jimmy's style of management.They find it rather overbearing, worse than englands nanny state in actual fact,plus they now have to pay extra tax for the privilege of being bossed about even more than the auld enemy!

I get that the scots were anti thatcher after the poll tax debacle,and are naturally inclined toward a more socialist state, but the scots don't like being dictated to from on high by anybody...

 

[najaB]

I wouldn't take SNP performance in scotland for granted....

All of what you posted it true, but I think the SNP would still be the biggest contingent of Scottish MPs just due to the underperformance of Labour and the Lib Dems in winning support away from the SNP - their majorities would be down considerably though.

 

[brad465]

Abellio will win Southeastern. The Networkers and 376s will go but otherwise it will be a make-do and mend franchise.

I might be biased on this but I don't think any stock will be leaving the franchise in 2019 (if this thread is strictly limited to 2019 predictions, not beyond), unless you can identify stock that can be sourced quicker than the now 6 months of 2019 the winner will have before 2020. I don't think any existing fleet can be cascaded (and be newer than the Networkers), plus complete driver training in that time; the 707 fleet is too small and a whole new fleet probably needs 2+ years to be fully introduced.

However, I do [regrettably] agree about the whole "make-do and mend" prediction

(This might be better taken to the main thread(s) on it)

 

[Busaholic]

Come on, let's see some non-transport and non-Brexit suggestions. We live in an age when what might seem improbably outlandish one minute becomes reality a microsecond later: exciting, perhaps, but frightening too. Who'd have thought a week or so ago that (putative) sightings of drones near Gatwick could close that airport for two days with no-one (other than the perpetrators, obviously) having the faintest idea of how to deal with the matter or who was behind it? Be bold, stick your neck out: it might get chopped off, metaphorically, but you might get seen as the Nostradamus of the RailUK forum in time (or, maybe, the Doris Stokes )

 

[trash80]

I dunno it's not that hard to predict, there have been a number of drone incidents over the last year, including a 737 having its nose smashed in by hitting one just a few weeks ago. Its only been a matter of time...

 

[urpert]

I might be biased on this but I don't think any stock will be leaving the franchise in 2019 (if this thread is strictly limited to 2019 predictions, not beyond), unless you can identify stock that can be sourced quicker than the now 6 months of 2019 the winner will have before 2020. I don't think any existing fleet can be cascaded (and be newer than the Networkers), plus complete driver training in that time; the 707 fleet is too small and a whole new fleet probably needs 2+ years to be fully introduced.

However, I do [regrettably] agree about the whole "make-do and mend" prediction

(This might be better taken to the main thread(s) on it)

Agreed, I don’t think any actual stock will be going anywhere in 2019, just speculating on the content of the franchise agreement

 

[Busaholic]

I dunno it's not that hard to predict, there have been a number of drone incidents over the last year, including a 737 having its nose smashed in by hitting one just a few weeks ago. Its only been a matter of time...

Drones causing accidents, highly predictable I agree, but what I found staggering was the utter complacency on the part of 'the authorities' to be able to begin preventing such things or to have any sort of handle on it. Oh, look, Grayling had been asked/expected to come up with some sort of strategy months ago, how atypical that he'd sat on his hands!

 

[trash80]

Oh come on surely you can't find complacency by the authorities surprising especially if Grayling is involved

 

[trash80]

Other predictions: Trump will stagger on, i suspect he will see out his term but he may become a bit of a lame duck and the GOP will turn on him for good if he seems like an electoral liability. Though like the 2 main parties here the GOP is pretty split so could be some tasty political fighting there.

DPRK will remain under the radar until the US / Trump or indeed Kim himself decides they need a distraction then the rhetoric and sabre rattling will commence for a bit.

Freak weather and natural disasters will occur at a growing rate, governments will say they now need to tackle emissions... and do little as usual (cynical moi?)

Liverpool will win the EPL at last, Real Madrid will win the CL again

 

[Howardh]

India will win the cricket world cup.

 

[devonlad]

Northern to work Saturdays

 

[Tracked]

Northern to work Saturdays

Don't be daft, you'll be saying the 195's/331's will enter service without issue next

The Conservative party will implode over Brexit, but still get a tiny majority at the next election, no-one will stand for leader so Theresa May will carry on, as she's made clear ...

Next will go into administration.

People using the term "Snowflakes" will be unable to get to work when lots of actual snowflakes fall in February ...

 

[Busaholic]

India will win the cricket world cup.

Now THAT wouldn't surprise me. I've only seen two games in the flesh in the World Cup, the first being West Indies v Australia in 1975 at the Oval, when Alvin Kallicharan took four fours in four balls off a steaming (almost literally!) Dennis Lillee, who came in bowling from the boundary edge feet from where I was sitting! The other match was a group game at Tunbridge Wells in 1983 when we arrived late to find India, batting first, 17-5, and almost didn't bother going in, which would have meant we missed Kapil Dev's coruscating 175 not out out of a score of 260 odd (next highest score 24 not out, or something). Zimbabwe were bowled out, in reply, for 230 odd. India, having won the game, went on to win the World Cup!

 

[Busaholic]

Elizabeth Line secretly renamed the William Line by Crossrail planners to reflect who they expect to be on the throne when it finally opens.

 

[Cowley]

Elizabeth Line secretly renamed the William Line by Crossrail planners to reflect who they expect to be on the throne when it finally opens.

She's going to outlive all of us.
#Roboliz.

 

[MarkTroth]

Other predictions: Trump will stagger on, i suspect he will see out his term but he may become a bit of a lame duck and the GOP will turn on him for good if he seems like an electoral liability. Though like the 2 main parties here the GOP is pretty split so could be some tasty political fighting there.

DPRK will remain under the radar until the US / Trump or indeed Kim himself decides they need a distraction then the rhetoric and sabre rattling will commence for a bit.

Freak weather and natural disasters will occur at a growing rate, governments will say they now need to tackle emissions... and do little as usual (cynical moi?)

Liverpool will win the EPL at last, Real Madrid will win the CL again

+1, also people are going to leave the UK due to the rising panic factor (check disturbing VIX index), European real estate market in Germany, Greece, Malta will keep growing and I will stay single forever. Mark my words.

 

[mikeg]

Brexit will go ahead, with some delay and disruption initially, which will eventually be sorted out at great damage to the economy.
HS2 costs will soar again, the NIMBYs will use this as an excuse to get it scrapped despite the fact their planning challenges have been a cause of said increase in costs.
Trump to cling on - just.
Stock market gets the jitters, global decline but UK doesn't do too badly as the fear is already priced in.
A general election towards the end of the year after not one but two votes of no confidence (constructive or otherwise)
Labour to get the largest share of the vote in said election (but not necessarily to be largest party in parly and certainly no majority)
Fuel duty frozen again while public transport fares increase above inflation... again.
Thirsk to be left with no bus service at all before 9am.
Northern to sort something out eventually re Saturday working, but can't say which side will be the one that caves in. Probably during the summer sometime.

 

[Bedpan]

She's going to outlive all of us.
#Roboliz.

Then Crossrail 2 could be called the the George Line

 

[VioletEclipse]

My prediction: Temperatures get even higher in the summer, and there are yet more climate related disasters all over the world, the general public finally realise the importance of doing everything possible to stop the climate crisis becoming irreversible, but the politicians don't care because doing nothing about it gives them more money. It's already happening.

 

[TheSel]

That next year will be called '2020', and that somewhere around Christmas this year, someone will start a thread "2020 predictions".

 

[The Ham]

That next year will be called '2020', and that somewhere around Christmas this year, someone will start a thread "2020 predictions".

and a lot of people when responding to this sort of post will ask "where's the like button?"