First will not take over West Coast from December

[swt_passenger]

[I presume you mean First (West Coast), rather than First (Great Western).]

That would have been a source of major confusion (and a number of expensive ticket upgrades) if one First franchise (FWC) offered the easement, whilst others (e.g. FGW, TPE) did not.

Of course - I'll amend the post.

 

[HH]

First Group's Rail Infrastructure Director has left to take up an appointment at the ORR.

http://www.rail.co/2012/11/14/firstgroup-rail-infrastructure-director-joins-the-orr/

You couldn't make it up, "The ORR’s chief executive, Richard Price, said: “I am delighted that Alan Price is joining us..."

Priceless.

 

[Eagle]

Surely this'll make it harder for the DfT to name the right Price? :P

 

[YorkshireBear]

Surely this'll make it harder for the DfT to name the right Price? :P

BOOM!

Just to diverge back to direct topic for a second, what are virgins options should they not win the mini franchise? Will they dissapear?
Secondly, this delay by 3 years + to franchise, may we see no baby pendilinos?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

BOOM!
Secondly, this delay by 3 years + to franchise, may we see no baby Pendolinos?

Knowing the DfT, that is correct and it'll get baby IEPs instead.....:roll:

 

[D365]

Knowing the DfT, that is correct and it'll get baby IEPs instead.....:roll:

At the risk of being pedantic, they won't really be babies as that is what many (most?) have been specced as. But they'd be babies to the Pendos as they won't tilt? :L

 

[northernrail2009]

Have we heard any dates on when Virgin will run the WCML till?

last time i heard was that it was going to be anything up to a year so is that still the case?

 

[Lrd]

Have we heard any dates on when Virgin will run the WCML till?

last time i heard was that it was going to be anything up to a year so is that still the case?

Meant to be 9-13 months ish. But that's only if Virgin and the DfT come to an agreement...

 

[northernrail2009]

Meant to be 9-13 months ish. But that's only if Virgin and the DfT come to an agreement...

Many thanks for that.

so when will we hear if they have come to a agreement?

 

[Lrd]

Many thanks for that.

so when will we hear if they have come to a agreement?

No idea. Probably December 9th.

 

[HH]

Rumours are that negotiations are fraught. I bet; Virgin have the DfT stretched over a barrel...

IMO McLoughlin made a significant error in admitting that DOR was not an option so early in the process.

 

[northernrail2009]

Rumours are that negotiations are fraught. I bet; Virgin have the DfT stretched over a barrel...

IMO McLoughlin made a significant error in admitting that DOR was not an option so early in the process.

Well if that is the case then they dont have long at all to sort something out.

but think Virgin will now be calling the shots!!!!

go for it i say Virgin

 

[The Ham]

Rumours are that negotiations are fraught. I bet; Virgin have the DfT stretched over a barrel...

IMO McLoughlin made a significant error in admitting that DOR was not an option so early in the process.

I thought that DOR was going to struggle to take over from December the 9th and that the DfT didn't want to end up running all the franchises when they were supposed to end.

Therefore if Virgin make it difficult, expensive, etc. don't rule DOR out. As otherwise the DfT would be in the same place with the next franchise.

It maybe difficult to have the right team in place before December 9th, but soon after they take over there maybe some Virgin head office staff looking for work. As well as those contractors who work on bids for companies who's future employment calender is looking a little a bare!

 

[3141]

It's always seemed unlikely to me that DfT could get a mini-franchise in place "nine to thirteen months" after 9 December 2012. But I'm sure they could get DOR in place by then. So althouigh there's no doubt Virgin have the DfT over a barrel, it would perhaps be in their interests not to push their luck.

 

[dave59]

It's always seemed unlikely to me that DfT could get a mini-franchise in place "nine to thirteen months" after 9 December 2012. But I'm sure they could get DOR in place by then. So althouigh there's no doubt Virgin have the DfT over a barrel, it would perhaps be in their interests not to push their luck.

With McLaughlin & Co DOR really would be a last resort - it would give out all the wrong signals. More likely Virgin management contract extended. If franchising is to continue after the Brown report why bother with a mini franchise at all? Keep Virgin in place until it can be retendered for the full term.

The most important thing in all of this is progressing the order for the EMU's with whatever funding 'vehicle' the DfT can think of.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

BBC reporting that Kate Mingay, one of the DfT people suspended a month ago over the West Coast shambles, is about to take DfT to court.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20514004
The second Laidlaw report is also imminent.
It is also Transport Questions in the House on Thursday morning.
Manchester Evening News reporting that a Virgin interim contract is "imminent".
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-to-run-west-coast-rail-franchise-during-2013

Looks like it is all boiling up again...

 

[Eagle]

Manchester Evening News reporting that a Virgin interim contract is "imminent".
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-to-run-west-coast-rail-franchise-during-2013

One would hope so, there's only 12 days left to get it sorted now.

 

[mirodo]

Just seen a rumour on Twitter (from @thefactcomplier, retweeted by @christianwolmar) that Virgin/the DfT have agreed to a 13 month extension.

Don't shoot the messenger if it turns out to be a load of old ********!

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Was at Wigan Northwestern today and the destinations screen was programmed with a message saying along the lines of.... thanks for all you loyal customers who moaned about first getting the icwc franchise is this LED screen virgin property or what as it seems a little underhanded/typical branson?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I got a pic of the arrivals screen at Wigan NW in October displaying a similar message. I'll upload it as soon as I can remember where my memory card reader is!

 

[HH]

Just seen a rumour on Twitter (from @thefactcomplier, retweeted by @christianwolmar) that Virgin/the DfT have agreed to a 13 month extension.

Don't shoot the messenger if it turns out to be a load of old ********!

Was on Railway Eye as well; DfT are going have to shift their asses to get it re-let again in that time. It will be Railway Periods, and this should mean 14, but maybe they'll stretch a point and it'll be 15.

 

[PR1Berske]

Was at Wigan Northwestern today and the destinations screen was programmed with a message saying along the lines of.... thanks for all you loyal customers who moaned about first getting the icwc franchise is this LED screen virgin property or what as it seems a little underhanded/typical branson?

Now that IS disgraceful, if true.

 

[transmanche]

Now that IS disgraceful, if true.

Why is it 'disgraceful'?

 

[PR1Berske]

Why is it 'disgraceful'?

Because a departure screen is there to advise and inform, not to preach or brag.

If a passenger misses information because the screen was flexing a private company's ego, that passenger should ensure they are compensated.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Because a departure screen is there to advise and inform, not to preach or brag.

If a passenger misses information because the screen was flexing a private company's ego, that passenger should ensure they are compensated.

Let's be honest though Virgin have been milking the information screens. I don't know how this has been allowed to go on for so long!

 

[transmanche]

Because a departure screen is there to advise and inform, not to preach or brag.

As it's their departure screen, I'd say that Virgin can do anything they want with them. You or I might not like it, but it's far from 'disgraceful'.

 

[PR1Berske]

As it's their departure screen, I'd say that Virgin can do anything they want with them. You or I might not like it, but it's far from 'disgraceful'.

It's an irresponsible misuse of equipment, and I'm not convinced that they are strictly *their* screens.

But I'm aware that there's no recompense from this because of the grip Virgin has on the government.

 

[snail]

It's an irresponsible misuse of equipment, and I'm not convinced that they are strictly *their* screens.

But I'm aware that there's no recompense from this because of the grip Virgin has on the government.

Recompense? You want payment for reading an information screen. Now that would be novel!

 

[RichmondCommu]

It's an irresponsible misuse of equipment, and I'm not convinced that they are strictly *their* screens.

Eh? Why is it irresponsible?

 

[3141]

Because a departure screen is there to advise and inform, not to preach or brag.

If a passenger misses information because the screen was flexing a private company's ego, that passenger should ensure they are compensated.

Following that "logic", if a departure screen informs passengers about engineering works and service alterations the next weekend, a passenger today might miss information and should think about being compensated.

It's highly unlikely that Virgin's message did use the terminology (words like "moan") quoted in the original post, or that anyone will really miss essential information because the message is there. I'm continually amazed at the emotional neuroticism that gets shown for or against some train companies.