FANTASY: You're in charge of your own Open Access operator.

[daikilo]

Growler Rail, running top and tail 37's from Sheffield to Brighton through the core, just because it's not allowed

Which core and why isn't it allowed? Obvious incumbents would be CrossCountry/Southern and EMT/Thameslink but why would these block an OA application? I can for certain say that the motive power would be the least concern if it doesn't fail. As for end-to-end passengers?

 

[goblinuser]

Which core and why isn't it allowed? Obvious incumbents would be CrossCountry/Southern and EMT/Thameslink but why would these block an OA application? I can for certain say that the motive power would be the least concern if it doesn't fail. As for end-to-end passengers?

Thameslink core I believe. No diesels allowed.

 

[daikilo]

Thameslink core I believe. No diesels allowed.

No, obviously, but an ERTMS-fitted 769?

 

[OverSpeed]

For me The Open access service i'd offer would be the following - Holyhead to Wolverhampton (Via Bangor,llandudno,Chester,Wrexham,Shrewsbury and Telford) Wolverhampton to Watford Junc (Via Walsall, Birmingham International,Coventry,Rugby and Northampton) and then Watford Junc to Brighton (Via kensington Olympia,Clapham Junc, Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Stock - Made up of Rakes of Mk3 5/6 Car carriages Top and tailed by A DVT and a Class 73 (watford- brighton Section), Class 88 (Watford,Wolverhapton,Holyhead route) And the name of the company - 5W&SR ( I think the name The Wales,Wrexham,Wolverhampton,Walsall,watford Junc & South Railway would be too long to say and place on the units! )

 

[daikilo]

For me The Open access service i'd offer would be the following - Holyhead to Wolverhampton (Via Bangor,llandudno,Chester,Wrexham,Shrewsbury and Telford) Wolverhampton to Watford Junc (Via Walsall, Birmingham International,Coventry,Rugby and Northampton) and then Watford Junc to Brighton (Via kensington Olympia,Clapham Junc, Gatwick Airport and Brighton.

Stock - Made up of Rakes of Mk3 5/6 Car carriages Top and tailed by A DVT and a Class 73 (watford- brighton Section), Class 88 (Watford,Wolverhapton,Holyhead route) And the name of the company - 5W&SR ( I think the name The Wales,Wrexham,Wolverhampton,Walsall,watford Junc & South Railway would be too long to say and place on the units! )

If you're lucky, traffic via Walsall will not be abstractive, the rest (if any) will be.

 

[goblinuser]

No, obviously, but an ERTMS-fitted 769?

Yes that would be allowed in electric mode. But the previous poster suggested sending class 37 diesel locos through the core, not class 769s.

 

[cuccir]

As a Barrow-in-Furness native, I am utterly baffled as to why so many RailUK members want to serve it with trains - I can assure you that its charms, while I could wax lyrical about them for as long as you like, tend to have a limited market!!

If we can do whatever we want, I'm going to run the 'Second City Express'. Bradford-Halifax- Huddersfield - Guide Bridge - Stockport - Stoke - Stone - Stafford - Wolverhampton.

 

[xotGD]

Skipton to Stansted Airport. Running on an 'as required' basis. (i.e. only operates if I have to catch a flight from Stansted). Actually, a Leeds - Stansted (extension of the Leeds - Nottingham or a bimode via Doncaster) might not be such a bad idea.

 

[Airline Man]

An overnight London to Aberdeen First Class only Sleeper service called the 'Night Pullman' aimed at the business market. During the quieter summer school holiday period it would be extended to Inverness and the Kyle of Lochalsh tapping into to the premium tourist market. The cabins would be ensuite with airline standards of comfort. Highlight would be the cooked breakfasts in the morning. I'd charge as much as I can for it, probably around the same as the unrestricted air fare.

It would never work though, even a fully booked service would only hold about 120 passengers, the airlines have the Aberdeen Business market more or less to themselves and the oil industry is in decline.

Motive power would be irrelevant, but needs to be able to handle all the 'hotel' services such as showers an 'In flight Entertainment' as well as being reliable. I'd have the odd Deltic on for the enthusiasts though.

 

[RichJF]

Based in the SE & longing for true Intercity services to run again, my proposals would be:
Brighton - Manchester

• Brighton, Gatwick Airport, Clapham, Kensington Olympia, Watford Jnc, Milton Keynes, Coventry, Birmingham International, Birmingham New St, Stafford & Manchester Piccadilly

Would use a bi-mode EMU with intercity layout.

Dover - Birmingham

• Dover Priory, Folkestone Central, Asford Intl, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Denmark Hill, Kensington Olympia, Watford Jnc, Milton Keynes Ctl, Coventry, Birmingham New St.

Would use a bi-mode EMU with intercity layout.

Waterloo - Plymouth

• Clapham Jnc, Andover, Salisbury, Yeovil Jnc, Exeter Central, Exeter St Davids, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Plymouth

Uses either power-door fitted HSTs or cascaded 222's

I'd also like to see Marshlink run by an OAO using 769s.

 

[SwindonBert]

I would like the proposals for a direct link between Swindon & Salisbury / Southampton via the West Wilts line to happen & ideally some of the trains in the summer to go to Weymouth as well (other than on Sundays)

Then on the Swindon - Gloucester route, restart an hourly service to Birmingham - but, this time in addition to the trains to Swindon / Paddington, thus giving a half hourly service on this line & then calling at Ashchurch, Worcester SH, Droitwich, Bromsgrove & then all stations to BNS

Finally, on the East West Rail Link continue from Didcot to Swindon or Reading (alternating), giving better access to the GWML & the West / SW / South Wales

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

ConnectNorth
2tph: Hartlepool - Seaton Carew - Billingham - Stockton - Thornaby - Middlesbrough - James Cook Hospital - Gypsy Lane - Marton - Nunthorpe.
Operated using 2-car Class 172

2tph - Saltburn - Redcar - Middlesbrough - Thornaby - Eaglescliffe - Allens West - Darlington - Durham - Chester Le Street - Newcastle
Operated using 3-car Class 172

1tph (BorderConnect): Edinburgh Waverley - Berwick - Alnmouth - Morpeth - Newcastle - Sunderland - Hartlepool - Middlesbrough
Operated using Class 800.

 

[tbtc]

12tph: Nottingham to Glasgow, via Sheffield, Leeds, the Settle & Carlisle Line, Dumfries, and a re-opened station in Thornhill. On Summer Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and other days, this service would be extended from Glasgow to Brighton via Kensington Olympia and right near to wherever tbtc's house is, so that he can see it passing every day. Rolling stock would be formed of eighteen 442s, stapled together and pulled by a knackered old Class UB40 Locomotive, because waste not

Let me know when you are on Dragon's Den with this proposal and I'll give it full backing

Seriously though, I think @Merseysider's plan would be worth a punt - Liverpool and Bristol lost their links to the Marches/ Border areas with the modern obsession with Cardiff and Holyhead - I think that linking Shrewsbury/ Hereford etc to Liverpool/Bristol would be a great use of resources - and would wind up some Welsh politicians too - whilst I know that not everywhere can have a direct service to everywhere else, I could make a case for something like Hereford - Bristol being the kind of service that should exist were it not for current franchise boundaries.

 

[Confused147]

I'd start a business of running night services right across the network by re-instating all the previous withdrawn sleepers and taking over everything that operates long distances between 2201 and 0529. Stock would be refurbished MK1s and MK2s cars, 47 or 85/86/87 hauled. Livery would be a dark blue blending into dark orange with the crescent of the moon to represent night time.

 

[backontrack]

Let me know when you are on Dragon's Den with this proposal and I'll give it full backing

Thanks - if we get it through then you'll get a free annual season ticket

 

[50031]

I like the idea of a Cleethorpes-London service which apparently went down well with the DfT/ORR when Grand Central suggested it

Station stops for me would be Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Habrough, Barnetby, Lincoln, Newark NG, and Kings Cross. Would use redundant HSTs painted in a black, white and red livery hinting at a certain well-known colour scheme...

Otherwise I'd definitely like to give that old idea of running a service from the Valleys to somewhere further afield, as per the old Pontypridd-Portsmouth proposal from the Valley Lines franchise - providing the Welsh Assembly don't mess it all up by converting it to light rail, of course

Perhaps something like Pontypridd, Radyr, Cardiff Central (via the City Line), Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction, Bristol Temple Meads (reverse), Bath Spa, Newbury, Reading. Again, a shortened old HST would do the trick

May I add Treforest for the University of Wales too please?!

 

[Harshil]

Complete fantasy route using existing infrastructure:

I would run a Brighton to Nottingham/ Sheffield service via the Thameslink tunnel using long distance trains.

4 trains an hour calling at:

Brighton
Gatwick Airport
East Croydon
Blackfriars
City Thameslink
Farringdon
Kings Cross
St Albans/Luton/Airport Pkway/Bedford (1tph each)
W'boro(1tph)/Kettering (2tph)/Market H'boro (1ph)
Leicester
Loughborough/East midlands Pkway (2tph each)

2tph continue to Nottingham
2tph continue to Sheffield via Derby
Of which: One is a fast service continues to Leeds via Wakefield and the other York via Donacaster.

Just want to operate a long distance service through London.

 

[Bucephalus]

I'm loving this thread.

Franchise name: Mostly Fit towns

Here is my one service:
The Clifton to Clifton service.

Livery: Various shades of green with a white smiley face

Rolling stock: ten rebuilt 3 car class 504s with 1.5kv third rail and substations installed.

Route:
Clifton (Manchester) - Ardwick - Marple - Hope - Hathersage - Sheffield - belper - Lichfield - Birmingham moor street - Cheltenham spa - bristol parkway - Montpellier - Clifton Down (bristol)

 

[Agent_Squash]

As a Barrow-in-Furness native, I am utterly baffled as to why so many RailUK members want to serve it with trains - I can assure you that its charms, while I could wax lyrical about them for as long as you like, tend to have a limited market!!

If we can do whatever we want, I'm going to run the 'Second City Express'. Bradford-Halifax- Huddersfield - Guide Bridge - Stockport - Stoke - Stone - Stafford - Wolverhampton.

I'd serve Barrow purely for the purposes of providing towns like Ulverston (which just happens to be my home station) a better service. Barrow is indeed not a place to shout about.

 

[anti-pacer]

CAPITAL&CENTRAL

Existing West Midlands local and regional services as present, plus...

LONDON EUSTON SERVICES

1tph: London Euston-Watford J-Milton Keynes-Northampton-Rugby-Coventry-Birmingham Int-Birmingham NS-Sandwell & Dudley-Wolverhampton-Stafford (where train divides) then: Stone-Stoke-Crewe-Warrington Bank Quay-Wigan NW-Leyland-Preston / Crewe-Winsford-Hartford-Runcorn-Liverpool South Parkway-Liverpool LS

1tph: London Euston-Milton Keynes-Rugby-Nuneaton-Atherstone-Tamworth-Lichfield-Rugeley TV-Stone-Stoke-Kidsgrove-Alsager-Crewe

1tph: London Euston-Watford J-Milton Keynes-Northampton-Long Buckby-Rugby-Coventry-all stations to Birmingham NS-Tame Bridge Parkway-Walsall

1tph: London Euston-Rugby-Coventry-Birmingham Int-Birmingham NS-Wolverhampton-Stafford-Crewe-Wilmslow-Manchester Airport-Manchester Piccadilly

1tph: London Euston-Watford J-Hemel Hempstead-Berkhamsted-Tring-Leighton Buzzard-Bletchley-Milton Keynes-Wolverton-Northampton

2tph: London Euston-Harrow & Wealdstone-Watford J-Kings Langley-Apsley-Hemel Hempstead-Berkhamsted-Tring-Cheddington-Leighton Buzzard-Bletchley-Milton Keynes-Wolverton

1tph: London Euston-Wembley Central-Harrow & Wealdstone-Bushey-Watford J-Watford North-Garston-Bricket Wood-How Wood-Park Street-St Albans Abbey

BIRMINGHAM (EXTENDED SERVICES)

1tph: Nottingham-EM Parkway-Loughborough-Leicester-Hinckley-Nuneaton-Coleshill Parkway-Birmingham NS-University-Bromsgrove-Droitwich-Worcester (both stations)-Malvern Link-Great Malvern-Colwall-Ledbury-Hereford

 

[anti-pacer]

If the government take over the East Coast franchise...

BritishRailMays ... connecting the Capital and some places up North

First Class renamed: Conservative Class
Standard Class renamed: Working Class

The buffet bar renamed: Boris's Bar serving a wide range of teas (including Earl Grayling), coffees, wines, spirits, soft drinks, and hot and cold food.

First Class Lounges renamed: The Conservative Club Lounge
and also new waiting rooms for those in Working Class, called the "House of Commoners".

BRAND NEW: A playroom on board for children of Conservative Class ticket holders, called "The Darling Buds of May".

 

[LOL The Irony]

I have done an update to the LMNR
London Midland Northern Railway

It will use 25kv AC overhead/Diesel Bi-Mode versions of the Class 444 (Called Class 744). 110mph top speed Electric & Hybrid mode 100mph Diesel mode. Uses 4X MTU 12V 1600 R80L
Layout: A DMFW* B MSATW* C MSP D MSG* E DMS* *indicates carriage with Diesel engine.
No. to be built: 36 (744 001-036)
Detailed layout:
Coach A: Driving Motor First Wheelchair (C)(E)
Coach B: Motor Standard Accessible Toilet Wheelchair (E)(T)
Coach C: Motor Standard Pantograph (Quiet Zone underneath the panto recess)(QZ)
Coach D: Motor Standard Guard (GC)(T)
Coach E: Driving Motor Standard (C)(T)

There will be free super fast wifi a USB charger per seat and a plug per row. Tables will have 4 USB chargers, 2 plugs and a wireless charging pad. Seats will have a black leather (not pleather or e-leather, LEATHER!) headrest & purple moquette. First class will have a full sized table, USB charger, plug socket & wireless charging pad per seat. The seats will be black leather with purple alcantara centrepiece.

All units will be named.

Services:
London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham New St. - 1tph - 5 carriages Calling: Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Coventry, Brimingham International, Biringham New Street, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Crewe, Wilmslow, Stockport & Manchester Piccadilly
London Euston - Blackpool North & Windermere - 1tph - 5 carriages (Blackpool only) 1tp2h - 10 carriages (divides at Preston into a Blackpool & Windermere service) Calling: Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Nuneaton, Tamworth, Stafford, Crewe, Wilmslow, Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Bolton, Chorley, Preston then Poulton-Le-Fylde & Blackpool North and Lancaster, Carnforth, Oxenholme Lake District, Kendal & Windermere
London King's Cross - Manchester Airport & Preston - 1tph - 5 carriages (Manchester Airport only) 1tp3h - 10 carriages (divides at Hebden Bridge into a Manchester Airport & Preston service) Calling: Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Doncaster, Leeds, Bradford Interchange, Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge then Rochdale, Manchester Victoria, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport & Manchester Airport and Burnley Manchester Road, Blackburn & Preston

Northern Link Services:
Preston - LLandudno - 1tp3h - 5 or 10 carriages Calling: Leyland, Wigan North Western, Eccles, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Altrincham, Knutsford, Northwich, Chester, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyll, Colwyn Bay, LLandudno Junction & Llandudno
Liverpool Lime St. - Windermere - 5tpd - 5 carriages Calling: Huyton, St Helens Central, Wigan North Western, Leyland, Preston, Lancaster, Carnforth, Oxenholme Lake District, Kendal & Windermere
Liverpool Lime St. - Newcastle Central - 5tpd - 5 or 10 carriages Calling: Huyton, Newton-Le-Willows, Eccles, Manchester Victoria, Rochdale, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Bradford Interchange, Leeds, York, Thirsk, Darlington, Durham, Chester-Le-Street & Newcastle

Livery is black, fading into a Retrowave style livery. The logo is also in the Retrowave style. The doors are a shade of purple inkeeping with the Retrowave asthetic. 744 031 will be named Siemens Desiro and will have Siemens branding on Coach C.

Logo (made here :https://m.photofunia.com/categories/all_effects/retro-wave)

Route map:

Northern Link map:

 

[Pshambro]

I would do the necessary mods on some 442s and run them around the London Overground network on Friday and Saturday nights. There would be a real ale car (behind the driver so not too much noise was made), trendy wine bar carriage (for people who like that sort of thing), a disco carriage (like the infamous one on the now defunct snow train) and the last 2 cars available for private hire: birthdays, dinner parties (with optional silver service) or wedding receptions. I would try and path it so it made connections with last trains leaving London so people could get home easily. It would need special fares to pay for a BTP presence on each train, not sure how that would work with oyster - maybe the guard could have a special portable reader to charge the extra fare.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Great Orme Railway

I would quite like to take the small fleet of four ex Hull Trains Meridians and run an open access service every two and a half hours from London Euston to Llandudno.

The composite coach would be re-configured to standard class only.

The cafe will remain, renamed the ConwyCafe.

First class - coach A (London end)
Standard class - coaches B, C, D


Departures from London Euston:

0725: Llandudno
Calling at: Stafford, Crewe, Chester, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction and Llandudno

0955: Llandudno
Calling at: Crewe, Chester, Shotton, Flint, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Deganwy and Llandudno.

1155: Llandudno
Calling at: Stafford, Crewe, Chester, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction and Llandudno

1425: Llandudno
Calling at: Crewe, Chester, Shotton, Flint, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Deganwy and Llandudno.

1655: Llandudno
Calling at: Stafford, Crewe, Chester, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction and Llandudno

1925: Llandudno
Calling at: Crewe, Chester, Shotton, Flint, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno Junction, Deganwy and Llandudno.

-

The complementary first class menu would reflect Welsh cuisine and can be cooked on Meridians:

Breakfast:
Served on 0725 from London Euston and 0830 from Llandudno.

Full Welsh Breakfast:
A delicious fried egg on a warm toasted muffin, served with back bacon, juicy pork sausage, grilled tomato, traditional laverbread, hash browns and button mushrooms.

Vegetarian Breakfast:
A delicious fried egg on a warm toasted muffin, served with spinach, a Glamorgan sausage, grilled tomato, traditional laverbread, hash browns and button mushrooms.

Welsh Cakes:
Filled with juicy currants and sprinkled lightly with sugar.

Bacon Roll:
Back bacon in a soft white roll.

Porridge:
Served with honey.

-

Rest of the Day:
Available on all other services:

Lamb Hotpot:
Tender lamb steak in a rich gravy with carrot, swede and potatoes.

Sandwich of the Day:
Served alongside Kettle Chips and small side salad.

Vegetarian Sandwich of the day:
Served alongside Kettle Chips and small side salad.

Chips and Dips:
Tortilla Chips with spicy Salsa dip.


Followed by selection of cakes and muffins. Alcohol available for low price from the ConwyCafe.

Weekend upgrade price: £15. The first class menu is not affected.

 

[jfisher21]

How about Heathrow - Birmingham and Manchester ? by Northern Intercontinental Railways!

Heathrow T5 - Heathrow T123 - Ealing Broadway - Wembley Central - Harrow and Wealdstone - Watford Junction - Rugby (split here - 4 coaches for Coventry, Birmingham International and New Street) - Nuneaton - Sandbach - Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly.

Electrification needed Ealing - Wembley, I guess!

Take the slow WCML to Watford Junction, then cross to fast tracks. Slot in behind the xx30 Euston - Glasgow. xx40 Manchester overtakes at Rugby. xx43 Glasgow / Edinburgh also overtakes the Birmingham portion.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Right. Where did I put my Crayolas?

The White Rose/Die weiße Rose: Bradford Interchange to Brussels-Midi. Route via Brighouse, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Sheffield, Derby, Burton, Birmingham New Street, Oxford, Reading, Waterloo (reverse), former Eurostar route to Fawkham Junction and then through the tunnel and sticking to the established route to Brussels-Midi. Some services extend to Köln, Frankfurt and München.

Operated by split-box 37s (re-engined, ETH-fitted and reclassified as 38s) as far as Waterloo, then 92s through the tunnel as far as Brussels. German extensions hauled by restored DB-103s. Coaching stock is a new run of MkVs including compartments which convert into sleepers. Restaurant car also included, with a real-ale bar of course...

Completely forgot to do a livery! Coaches in a dark green (but not as dark as gWr), with silver doors. 38s in the DB livery depicted in my avatar (Blut und Englische Sahne?) with the 92s in modern DB red and the 103s in BR large logo complete with yellow cabs.

Well, it is a fantasy thread!

 

[xotGD]

Trying to think about this seriously (!) I think that Hull is underserved so would operate the following:

Hull - Leicester via Grantham
Hull - Birmingham
Hull - Chester via the Hope Valley
Hull - Lancaster via Castleford, Leeds avoider and reversal at Bradford F'S
Hull - Newcastle via ECML
Hull - Newcastle via Middlesbrough reversal

By using Hull as a Hub, offer cheap through tickets for passengers who aren't fussed about the extended journey time, e.g. Leicester to Newcastle.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Surely Carmarthen to Aberystwyth has a chance - starting back on Summer Saturdays , from Treherbert , with a forward portion to Pwllheli for holiday camp traffic enroute...

 

[Halish Railway]

Name: Yesrail

Routes:
Hull, Selby, Castleford, Normanton, Wakefield Kirkgate and Manchester Victoria (Via Calder Valley) - 3tpd - 2 Coach Class 158's

Hull, Goole, Knottingley, Pontefract Monkhill, Wakefield Kirkgate and Manchester Victoria (Via Calder Valley) - 3tpd - 2 Coach Class 158's

Hull, Selby, Sherburn-in-Elmet, York, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle, Almouth, Berwick, Dunbar, Edinburgh, Haymarket, Motherwell and Glasgow Central - 5tpd - Class 88 (Modified for 110 mph) + 5 Mk4's + DVT

York, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Pontefract Baghill, Sheffield, Derby, Leicester, St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Crystal Palace, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Brighton - 5tph - 5tpd - Class 88 (Modified for 110 mph and Third Rail) + 5 Mk4's + DVT

 

[rf_ioliver]

That would be absolutely brilliant! We have needed a service like this for ages. Have you thought about the route it would take? I am not sure if trains can run fast Brighton on the flat without going north and reversing.

Anyone remember the UK-R (I think it was called that) mailing list from 15+ years ago?

Ashford-Lewes-Brighton, reverse to Southampton and beyond. Marshlink could be done with a battery if not electrified. Service would be restricted to a 5-car EMU IIRC because of platform 3 at Brighton, otherwise you get an awkward reversal at Brighton then Preston Park for anything longer.

Capacity and the possibilities of overtaking slower services on the west coastway were the biggest problem (solved easily in this thread though...)

t.

Ian