Hb06_
Member
As HS2 mostly follows the same path as Avanti West Coast, what sort of relationship will the two operators have? Will HS2 be under Avanti West Coast branding and if not, who would be the operator for HS2?
I wonder if it will have "Avanti High Speed" branding or similar? Otherwise the suffix seems a little unnecessary - there must be an intention for "Avanti <something else>" at some point.
Except that Avanti is not choosing and buying the trains for HS2 - DfT is doing that, similar to the IEP programme.
As it stands I think HS2 Ltd will be managing the infrastructure, probably via Network Rail as contractor (as for HS1).
The rights to sell the capacity for HS2 may also be sold to a third party - again as for HS1.
Didn't Southeastern buy the trains for HS1? Wouldn't it be the same for HS2?
No, SouthEastern didn't 'buy' the trains - Hitachi were decided on before they were even awarded the integrated kent franchise, and they were bought by HSBC rail (now Eversholt) as part of a build & maintain consortium and leased to the whoever operated the IKF. It's almost exactly the same as will be happening with HS2
How much control does Avanti have over the interior? LNER/Virgin got to choose some of the interior of their IETs but GWR got stuck with a grey interior.
I mean for control over the new HS2 train order.Do you mean for national rail services? So far, they haven't changed anything, but they are apparently changing the interior as I read on their website.
I mean for control over the new HS2 train order.
management contracts are only temporary due to COVID-19 crisis so after this it will revert to FranchisesFranchising as we know it is dead. All franchises are now moved on to management contracts - effectively concessions as per TfL rail and Merseyrail.
Branding etc will be decided much closer to the time. But I imagine it would be branded completely differently to whatever runs on WCML after HS2 opens.
The really important thing that should be happening right now is proper consultation and planning on how best to use the freed up capacity on the WCML. This is vital as it's one of the biggest reasons for building HS2. Unfortunately the DfT are content to give outline ideas about the revised service and wait until just before HS2 opens to work out the detail. That can't wait; it needs to happen now.
I would like to see the current Avanti service given over to a regular interval semi-fast service on the current fast lines. Every train should stop at Watford, MK and Rugby. There's no need for non-stop services. They will just eat up capacity.
pretty sure it will be Dft who decide layout and seats but will be Avanti who decide branding
I wonder if it will have "Avanti High Speed" branding or similar? Otherwise the suffix seems a little unnecessary - there must be an intention for "Avanti <something else>" at some point.
Even if everything happens to plan, there are years and years of construction ahead, and plenty of time to decide these things in the future. "It needs to happen now" is simply never going to happen, and people will soon be asking when advance tickets go on sale at this rate.Unfortunately the DfT are content to give outline ideas about the revised service and wait until just before HS2 opens to work out the detail. That can't wait; it needs to happen now.
management contracts are only temporary due to COVID-19 crisis so after this it will revert to Franchises
pretty sure it will be Dft who decide layout and seats but will be Avanti who decide branding
I'm willing to take a bet that franchises will not return.management contracts are only temporary due to COVID-19 crisis so after this it will revert to Franchises
It has been happening for a long time, you just don't hear about it as nothing is decided.The really important thing that should be happening right now is proper consultation and planning on how best to use the freed up capacity on the WCML. This is vital as it's one of the biggest reasons for building HS2. Unfortunately the DfT are content to give outline ideas about the revised service and wait until just before HS2 opens to work out the detail. That can't wait; it needs to happen now.
I would like to see the current Avanti service given over to a regular interval semi-fast service on the current fast lines. Every train should stop at Watford, MK and Rugby. There's no need for non-stop services. They will just eat up capacity.
I don't really understand why they are not putting an HS2 station around Northamptonshire. There is no HS2 station in Milton Keynes either, which would be a perfect point to put one. The closest HS2 station to MKC is Birmingham Interchange, and it takes 35 mins to get to Euston on the WCML, so HS2 isn't really gonna help Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties.
I don't really understand why they are not putting an HS2 station around Northamptonshire. There is no HS2 station in Milton Keynes either, which would be a perfect point to put one. The closest HS2 station to MKC is Birmingham Interchange, and it takes 35 mins to get to Euston on the WCML, so HS2 isn't really gonna help Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties.
It will help MK and the surrounding counties through having the possibility of a greater frequency of services per hour than they enjoy today. A nice uplift on an already very good frequency and capacity.
So according to this Avanti will no longer be running to Liverpool!? Crikey . The WCML really is going to look very different if hs2 ever happens.Here is the map post Phase one according to the business case:
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So according to this Avanti will no longer be running to Liverpool!? Crikey . The WCML really is going to look very different if hs2 ever happens.
Yes, they will - on HS2!
It will, just not via the WCML. 2tph (one splitting at Crewe and with the other portion going to Lancaster).So according to this Avanti will no longer be running to Liverpool!?