I recently came up with a new idea for an open-access operator, but couldn't post it in the original thread since the admins here seem to want to lock every old thread, forcing us to make new ones. Oh well, I guess this can replace it (until this one gets inevitably locked). My new idea is for an ECT-style budget operator that serves three purposes:
I have considered multiple names for the operator, including Silverline or reusing Silverlink, but in the end I was inspired by my old Hornby containers from a Class 92 pack, which were in a lovely dark blue colour scheme with the name Haulmark (an interesting play on Hallmark) with a gold lion insignia. The livery I've chosen to use is inspired by the containers and the Mainline Freight and Highland blue liveries. The livery is vibrant dark blue, with a thin silver stripe and doors, with a yellow front and black roof. On locomotives, there is no stripe, but in the centre there is a medium-sized lion insignia.
The trains will use passenger coaches in a push-pull format. The coaches will be CAF Mark 5s, with a number of modifications. Additional damping would be provided to improve the ride quality, and the DTF cab car would be slightly redesigned to look better - this would include making the buffers pop out less and replacing the headlights with a less extravagant design. The DTS car would also have a diesel engine underneath (replaceable with a battery pack) to provide hotel power should no loco be attached or the locomotive being powered. The train would be formed of 8 coaches:
A: Cab car with first class seating. One half is made of 6-seat compartments.
B: First class coach, with a quarter of it in a 1+1 configuration. An accessible toilet is provided in this coach.
C: Restaurant coach with a kitchen.
D: Restaurant coach seating at one end with standard at the other. A regular toilet is provided.
E: Standard class.
F: Standard class seating. Half is in a 3+1 configuration. An accessible toilet is provided.
G: Standard class seating.
H: Standard class seating. One half is made of 6-seat compartments. A regular toilet is provided.
The trains would be initially pulled by Class 67s, but once full electrification is available, these would be replaced by suitable electric locomotives. The only 125mph locomotives that are suitable are the Class 91s, but as these are quickly being scrapped, I'll probably have to settle for Class 90s or perhaps buy new-build locomotives.
Standard class would have Grammer E3000 seats, mostly in a 2+2 configuration. They would have dark blue moquette with a white fake leather headrest, with the lion insignia pressed in. The tables would be covered in fake wood; the carpet would be black with white dots in the gangway. The vestibules would have dark blue lino flooring, with silver 'crystals'. The handrails would be blue. First class would have a more comfortable design, aiming to be as nice as those in the Stansted Express Class 317s, mostly in a 2+1 configuration. The seats would be in purple moquette (like Southeastern's lovely first class colour scheme) with a cream fake leather headrest, again with the lion pressed in. The tables would also be fake wood, but the carpet would be midnight purple with white dots in the gangway. The vestibules and handrails would remain unchanged. Mood lighting would be present in first class, giving the area a blue glow. Both standard and first would aim to have a 50/50 distribution of airline and table seats. Restaurant seating is inspired by Amtrak's café cars, and is laid out in a 2+2 configuration entirely at tables. The seats would be low-backed and be dark blue fake leather. The tables would again be covered in fake wood and the floor would be lino made to look like dark varnished wood, like you'd find in a quaint old pub.
As well as a buffet service open the entire journey, a trolley would also be provided between St Albans and Leicester, between Sheffield and Manchester and between Bolton and Carlisle. Hot meals are also available to all passengers, but are complimentary in first class. The menu is meant to be the sort of food you'd get in a pub-restaurant, being 'posh food' mixed with more common favourites, like burgers and chips. These can be ordered from the buffet, and can only be eaten in restaurant cars (coaches C and D). Normal snacks would also be available to purchase. Family-orientated areas, like the 3+1 section in coach 6, and the compartment sections in both first and standard class, are available to hopefully encourage families with children to travel long distances on the train instead of in cars. They can also be used as meeting rooms, and can be reserved for use for this reason.
One train would run in each direction six times per day, starting at roughly the following times (obviously, the real times would be different):
Northbound (St Pancras departure):
- Provide a budget operator on the London-Glasgow route, as a direct competitor to East Coast Trains.
- Provide long-distance express services to Bolton and other places, particularly those on the Midland Main Line.
- Provide a high-quality first class service, to attract LNER first class passengers (and potentially Avanti passengers when the 805s and 807s are introduced) disappointed by their first class offerings.
I have considered multiple names for the operator, including Silverline or reusing Silverlink, but in the end I was inspired by my old Hornby containers from a Class 92 pack, which were in a lovely dark blue colour scheme with the name Haulmark (an interesting play on Hallmark) with a gold lion insignia. The livery I've chosen to use is inspired by the containers and the Mainline Freight and Highland blue liveries. The livery is vibrant dark blue, with a thin silver stripe and doors, with a yellow front and black roof. On locomotives, there is no stripe, but in the centre there is a medium-sized lion insignia.
The trains will use passenger coaches in a push-pull format. The coaches will be CAF Mark 5s, with a number of modifications. Additional damping would be provided to improve the ride quality, and the DTF cab car would be slightly redesigned to look better - this would include making the buffers pop out less and replacing the headlights with a less extravagant design. The DTS car would also have a diesel engine underneath (replaceable with a battery pack) to provide hotel power should no loco be attached or the locomotive being powered. The train would be formed of 8 coaches:
A: Cab car with first class seating. One half is made of 6-seat compartments.
B: First class coach, with a quarter of it in a 1+1 configuration. An accessible toilet is provided in this coach.
C: Restaurant coach with a kitchen.
D: Restaurant coach seating at one end with standard at the other. A regular toilet is provided.
E: Standard class.
F: Standard class seating. Half is in a 3+1 configuration. An accessible toilet is provided.
G: Standard class seating.
H: Standard class seating. One half is made of 6-seat compartments. A regular toilet is provided.
The trains would be initially pulled by Class 67s, but once full electrification is available, these would be replaced by suitable electric locomotives. The only 125mph locomotives that are suitable are the Class 91s, but as these are quickly being scrapped, I'll probably have to settle for Class 90s or perhaps buy new-build locomotives.
Standard class would have Grammer E3000 seats, mostly in a 2+2 configuration. They would have dark blue moquette with a white fake leather headrest, with the lion insignia pressed in. The tables would be covered in fake wood; the carpet would be black with white dots in the gangway. The vestibules would have dark blue lino flooring, with silver 'crystals'. The handrails would be blue. First class would have a more comfortable design, aiming to be as nice as those in the Stansted Express Class 317s, mostly in a 2+1 configuration. The seats would be in purple moquette (like Southeastern's lovely first class colour scheme) with a cream fake leather headrest, again with the lion pressed in. The tables would also be fake wood, but the carpet would be midnight purple with white dots in the gangway. The vestibules and handrails would remain unchanged. Mood lighting would be present in first class, giving the area a blue glow. Both standard and first would aim to have a 50/50 distribution of airline and table seats. Restaurant seating is inspired by Amtrak's café cars, and is laid out in a 2+2 configuration entirely at tables. The seats would be low-backed and be dark blue fake leather. The tables would again be covered in fake wood and the floor would be lino made to look like dark varnished wood, like you'd find in a quaint old pub.
As well as a buffet service open the entire journey, a trolley would also be provided between St Albans and Leicester, between Sheffield and Manchester and between Bolton and Carlisle. Hot meals are also available to all passengers, but are complimentary in first class. The menu is meant to be the sort of food you'd get in a pub-restaurant, being 'posh food' mixed with more common favourites, like burgers and chips. These can be ordered from the buffet, and can only be eaten in restaurant cars (coaches C and D). Normal snacks would also be available to purchase. Family-orientated areas, like the 3+1 section in coach 6, and the compartment sections in both first and standard class, are available to hopefully encourage families with children to travel long distances on the train instead of in cars. They can also be used as meeting rooms, and can be reserved for use for this reason.
One train would run in each direction six times per day, starting at roughly the following times (obviously, the real times would be different):
Northbound (St Pancras departure):
- 07:45
- 09:30
- 11:30
- 2:00
- 4:30
- 6:30
- 08:30
- 10:30
- 12:45
- 3:00
- 5:30
- 7:30
