SprinterMan
Established Member
Before the end of September 2013, 4 franchises are up for renewal. My question to you is who most deserves to retain, and who will you miss most if the franchise is lost?
c2c
The once mighty NX rail empire has reduced to a small commuter line near the Thames estuary. Will NX retain or will they be (rightly) purged from the industry. NX, depite losing East Anglia and still being in the Dft's doghouse after the NXEC and NXEA debacles do have a hope in hell of retaining this one, as they have done a good job. I hope they lose it to abellio though, to fit in with GA. First Group don't need it, and the Hong Kong metro operator MTR is unknown, so I am wary of them.
Bidders
NX c2c (Current)
Abellio (To win)
First Group
MTR
First Great Western
In my opinion, the best TOC in the country currently. I really hope they keep the franchise, as they have done a superb job recently. They took on more 150s than they were asked to to provide a better level of service. They did a superb refurbishment on the HSTs and are currently lengthening them. They are the only UK TOC to have airline-style TVs in seat backs. It will be a travesty if they lose the franchise, and whoever takes over will take donkey's years to fully repaint the massive fleet. It does worry me a little that the DfT may want to punish First Group for not taking the franchise extension though (why didn't they take it?). Stagecoach shouldn't win, as it would give them a monopoly in the south west. Arriva shouldn't win, as I believe East Coast, West Coast, Great Western and CorssCountry should all have different operators, to keep things fair. It disgusts me than NX are even bidding, lets hope the DfT feel the same way.
Bidders
First Group (To retain)
NX
Stagecoach
Arriva
Virgin Trains
This is a tough one. I am very much in 2 minds about Virgin. They are very good, and I love Pendolinos, but the name "Virgin" I think is stupid and embrassing, and they did ruin the XC network. Also, I find the "Thunderbirds" names on the 57s irritating and hope they all go soon (Only 3 left!). Aside from this, they have done a very good job with the WCML, apart from the spiteful Wrexham service designed to put WSMR out of buisness and the comparatively minimal level of service in the Trent Valley. I am really not sure whether they deserve to retain or not. If they did go, people would hopefully stop confusing AXC with them, and they do have a comparatively small fleet compared to FGW so repainting wouldn't be a headache. First Group should not win as I believe ECML, WCML, GW and XC should all have different operators to keep things interesting, and Abellio are good at little local franchises with slightly iffy stock (Northern, Greater Anglia) and should not be given one of the country's premier lines. Keolis/SNCF fascinates me, and it would be kind of exciting to have the TGV operator take over the WCML. I do hope whoever wins gives 221144 to XC though, as it is actually needed there. All operators are fine so I won't be massively sad whoever wins tbh.
Bidders
Virgin Trains (Current, perhaps to win) EDIT: (To retain)
Keolis/SNCF (Perhpas to win) EDIT: (Perhaps not)
First Group
Abellio
First Capital Connect
Much maligned, although I'm not sure why, the current Thameslink operator isn't everyone's favourite company. FCC aren't bad, but neither are they brilliant. They have done a reasonable job with the franchise, with nice touches like taking on the 321s, and the 365s and 377s are very nice inside, but they haven't done enough to retain. Govia should win here, as they own the 377s anyway, and already operate Southern and Southeastern, which will make the merger alot easier. Abellio would be interesting as Cambridge would have one operated doing all London services again, until East Coast take over there so maybe not. As I said earlier, I know nothing about MTR so don't have an opinion. Stagecoach would be good if we got some interesting through service like King's Lynn to Weymouth or something like that, but this is unlikely.
Bidders
First Group (Current)
Govia (To win)
Abellio
MTR
Stagecoach
After these refranchisings are done, East Coast, Northern, TPX and Greater Anglia are all up for retendering again so the next few years could be turbulent ones for the industry, but let's just hope it is an industry without National Express.
Adam
c2c
The once mighty NX rail empire has reduced to a small commuter line near the Thames estuary. Will NX retain or will they be (rightly) purged from the industry. NX, depite losing East Anglia and still being in the Dft's doghouse after the NXEC and NXEA debacles do have a hope in hell of retaining this one, as they have done a good job. I hope they lose it to abellio though, to fit in with GA. First Group don't need it, and the Hong Kong metro operator MTR is unknown, so I am wary of them.
Bidders
NX c2c (Current)
Abellio (To win)
First Group
MTR
First Great Western
In my opinion, the best TOC in the country currently. I really hope they keep the franchise, as they have done a superb job recently. They took on more 150s than they were asked to to provide a better level of service. They did a superb refurbishment on the HSTs and are currently lengthening them. They are the only UK TOC to have airline-style TVs in seat backs. It will be a travesty if they lose the franchise, and whoever takes over will take donkey's years to fully repaint the massive fleet. It does worry me a little that the DfT may want to punish First Group for not taking the franchise extension though (why didn't they take it?). Stagecoach shouldn't win, as it would give them a monopoly in the south west. Arriva shouldn't win, as I believe East Coast, West Coast, Great Western and CorssCountry should all have different operators, to keep things fair. It disgusts me than NX are even bidding, lets hope the DfT feel the same way.
Bidders
First Group (To retain)
NX
Stagecoach
Arriva
Virgin Trains
This is a tough one. I am very much in 2 minds about Virgin. They are very good, and I love Pendolinos, but the name "Virgin" I think is stupid and embrassing, and they did ruin the XC network. Also, I find the "Thunderbirds" names on the 57s irritating and hope they all go soon (Only 3 left!). Aside from this, they have done a very good job with the WCML, apart from the spiteful Wrexham service designed to put WSMR out of buisness and the comparatively minimal level of service in the Trent Valley. I am really not sure whether they deserve to retain or not. If they did go, people would hopefully stop confusing AXC with them, and they do have a comparatively small fleet compared to FGW so repainting wouldn't be a headache. First Group should not win as I believe ECML, WCML, GW and XC should all have different operators to keep things interesting, and Abellio are good at little local franchises with slightly iffy stock (Northern, Greater Anglia) and should not be given one of the country's premier lines. Keolis/SNCF fascinates me, and it would be kind of exciting to have the TGV operator take over the WCML. I do hope whoever wins gives 221144 to XC though, as it is actually needed there. All operators are fine so I won't be massively sad whoever wins tbh.
Bidders
Virgin Trains (Current, perhaps to win) EDIT: (To retain)
Keolis/SNCF (Perhpas to win) EDIT: (Perhaps not)
First Group
Abellio
First Capital Connect
Much maligned, although I'm not sure why, the current Thameslink operator isn't everyone's favourite company. FCC aren't bad, but neither are they brilliant. They have done a reasonable job with the franchise, with nice touches like taking on the 321s, and the 365s and 377s are very nice inside, but they haven't done enough to retain. Govia should win here, as they own the 377s anyway, and already operate Southern and Southeastern, which will make the merger alot easier. Abellio would be interesting as Cambridge would have one operated doing all London services again, until East Coast take over there so maybe not. As I said earlier, I know nothing about MTR so don't have an opinion. Stagecoach would be good if we got some interesting through service like King's Lynn to Weymouth or something like that, but this is unlikely.
Bidders
First Group (Current)
Govia (To win)
Abellio
MTR
Stagecoach
After these refranchisings are done, East Coast, Northern, TPX and Greater Anglia are all up for retendering again so the next few years could be turbulent ones for the industry, but let's just hope it is an industry without National Express.
Adam
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