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Great Western, Essex Thameside and Thameslink bidders

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Zoe

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For Great Western the bidders this time are the same as last time with the addition of Arriva.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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No shortlisting for the more way out state railways (Renfe, Trenitalia).
Keolis back with Go-Ahead for TL.
Arriva only on one list (GW).

"Intercity Express" (IEP) gets another positive mention.
 

IanXC

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I wonder why DB feel the need for their bid to be a joint venture between an Arriva subsidiary and a DB subsidiary? I can only think its to ensure commuter and intercity experience is represented, but it still seems strange.

It would be interesting if they used 2 brands on the franchise. Gatwick Express v2 anyone?!

 

Zoe

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I wonder why DB feel the need for their bid to be a joint venture between an Arriva subsidiary and a DB subsidiary? I can only think its to ensure commuter and intercity experience is represented, but it still seems strange.
I'm not sure this is a joint venture. It could actually just be stating that Arriva is owned by DB.
 

Schnellzug

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I think Arriva is their UK subsidiary (in passenger terms, at any rate), so they use that for purposes of bidding, and so on, don't they?
 

oversteer

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What happens to the 165/166s once IEP comes in .. could be interesting if Arriva win the franchise, would they be allowed to mix them into the Chiltern fleet for when they start running London/HW-Oxford or even East-West rail ?
 

Masboroughlad

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How very boring!

I hoped we night get something new for GW especially. I know they don't want the local bits but I'm just sorry not to see Virgin on the list. I think those that have been shortlisted can only mean further dumbing down of the Intercity parts of the franchise.

I wonder if Virgin would lose interest in West Coast if DfT added in some local branchline connections to the franchise?

Out of a bad bunch I would like to see:

- First keep GW (unless DB got it and brought the German style IC operations as opposed to th AXC style nonsense)
- Thameslink to go to Go-Ahead
- Thameside to go to Abellio

(PS can someone remind me when the West Coast winner is announced please?)
 

Aictos

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Didn't think First were interested in the C2C line, would have preferred Abellio take both Greater Anglia and C2C routes then merge them then run them as one operator.

Still hope First come out of all this well, :)
 

Zoe

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would have preferred Abellio take both Greater Anglia and C2C routes then merge them then run them as one operator.
It's a separte franchise so even if Abellio win Essex Thameside it wouldn't be merged it into Greater Anglia franchise. The DfT though could have elected to merge the franchises.
 

elementalpat

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If National Express get any of them (especially the Great Western), well might as well switch to the car!!!
 

FrozenPoints

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Am I the only one delighted to see MTR Corporation on the shortlist for a few franchises?

They have a stellar record with the HK MTR and they are exceedingly profit-making with all their business development/interests, backed by the govt.
 

Aictos

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Where as I would like Abellio or First to do well, it would be interesting to see how MTR does.
 

sprinterguy

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Am I the only one delighted to see MTR Corporation on the shortlist for a few franchises?

They have a stellar record with the HK MTR and they are exceedingly profit-making with all their business development/interests, backed by the govt.
They also have a 50% interest in the operation of London Overground, in combination with DB (Originally Laing Rail). I know that the contract for LO services is muchy more stringently specified by TfL than other franchises are, and they have benefitted from a brand new fleet of trains, but I think that they could do a similarly excellent job as they have proved to be capable of with LO with Thameslink and could really excel with the introduction of the new TL train fleet.

They'd probably do quite well with the fairly self contained, high frequency Essex Thameside services as well.
 
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DownSouth

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Am I the only one delighted to see MTR Corporation on the shortlist for a few franchises?

They have a stellar record with the HK MTR and they are exceedingly profit-making with all their business development/interests, backed by the govt.
They are the current franchisee for the metro rail system in Melbourne, Australia. They are almost universally loathed by the commuters there for making only marginal improvements compared to the previous franchisee - Connex.
 

charlee

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Great Western has boring bidders very dissapointed. Would have liked someone abit different! National Express better not get it. NO WAY!

Arriva would be nice choice, i loved there wessex operation!
 

Schnellzug

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They are the current franchisee for the metro rail system in Melbourne, Australia. They are almost universally loathed by the commuters there for making only marginal improvements compared to the previous franchisee - Connex.

I think that's probably the default setting for commuters everywhere. Are there any commuters anywhere who're entirely satisfied with their local service, I wonder?
 

sprinterguy

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They are the current franchisee for the metro rail system in Melbourne, Australia. They are almost universally loathed by the commuters there for making only marginal improvements compared to the previous franchisee - Connex.
It's ironic that in the UK it would be difficult for a commuter rail operator to be loathed more than Connex were (although National Express have had a good go in recent times), and that MTR Corporation are, AFAIK, considered to be doing a pretty good job!

I also hadn't realised until just now that Connex have now metamorphosed into Veolia Transport. I hope that it's helped them clean up their act, given that they are responsible for the maintenance and provision of the majority of National Express' coaches.
 

tbtc

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I also hadn't realised until just now that Connex have now metamorphosed into Veolia Transport. I hope that it's helped them clean up their act

In Sheffield they collect the bins (and have a big incinirator, by where the Meadowhall and Darnall lines split outside Sheffield station).

I'll let you do your own punchline about the quality of Veolia vehicles...
 

sprinterguy

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In Sheffield they collect the bins (and have a big incinirator, by where the Meadowhall and Darnall lines split outside Sheffield station).
I think we can assume that their business is rubbish then? :p

I've noted that Veolia do indeed have quite a big involvement in refuse collection and disposal: They also operate the big incinerator down here at Tyseley.
 

Schnellzug

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They did have quite a big bus business, but they've sold most of it off lately. I don't know if the coaches they operate for NX are still owned by them or if they've sold them as well.
 

anthony263

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Veolia have closed up the majority of their welsh bus operations including their multi million £ depot at Treforest about a year of so after it opened. That said Veolia have re-opened the treforest depot for use by their lorries.

Veolia have decided anyway to get out of the transport sector and just concentrate on energy etc.
 

Morgsie

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First will likely retain the Greater Western Franchise. Why did they walk away in the first place and rebid???

I thought National Express was out of the Rail game due to the NXEC fiasco.

Thameslink Franchise, I am not sure. Aren't they redrawing the Franchise map soon???
 

Zoe

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First will likely retain the Greater Western Franchise. Why did they walk away in the first place and rebid???
They didn't walk away, they simply elected to have the franchise retendered for 2013 rather than 2016. The 2006 franchise agreement allowed them to do this. First decided to bid for a new long term deal rather than continue for three years with quite heavy premium payments.
 

N Levers

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Thameslink Franchise, I am not sure. Aren't they redrawing the Franchise map soon???

From 2014 according to the OJEU.

The Thameslink franchise will:

"at a point between April and December 2014 the franchise would include some services currently operated by Southeastern. These services would be all those that are jointly operated by FCC and Southeastern at present, and some further current Southeastern services which may be transferred to enable the implementation of the full Thameslink service operations"

and

"include all the services operated by the current Southern franchise at some time between July 2014 and July 2017"
 

ainsworth74

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First will likely retain the Greater Western Franchise. Why did they walk away in the first place and rebid???

To avoid paying massive premiums to the DfT when they were already in revenue support. One assumes they decided it was better to take the break point and rebid than have to fork out massive amounts of money that the franchise wasn't making so First Group HQ would have to fund itself.

I thought National Express was out of the Rail game due to the NXEC fiasco.

Plenty of people have said that but there has never been anything offical to suggest that NX would be barred from bidding (and indeed they obviously haven't) the only really fallout from NXEC I would say is that they weren't short listed for the GA franchise.
 
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