1 coach class 143 = Leyland National bus. They are obviously thinking about rail replacement services (on the Severn Beach line?).
On a more serious note, as a generalisation, it is easy to criticise TOCS but lets think for a minute about what they are actually trying to do...
run train services to a timetable largely specified by ORR / DfT.
run these services on infrastructure they have little control over.
share the infrastructure with other users.
use hired-in trains supplied by ROSCO's (which can be old or unreliable and yet still be very expensive).
The TOCS seem to have little real direct influence over any of the factors governing performance. TOCS should be managing their suppliers to ensure the timetable is robust (perhaps not to these extreme seen with VXC!), ensuring reliable infrastructure of a quality suitable to run the timetable and working with the rolling stock suppliers to obtain the highest quality fleet.
Problems seen at GWT and other TOC's are largely a result of failing to manage the supplier-customer interfaces (of which in the privatised railway there are many). Senior management are accountable at the end of the day and if not capable of managing the operation correctly should not be rewarded for failure.
Fortunately, powers remain to remove poorly performing TOC's from franchises (through early termination or 'sacking') where appropriate.
Effective regulation is also essential - the previous regulator (single handed Tom Winsor) seemed to put in a lot of effort to secure high levels of funding for NR both from TOC's and direct from (then) SRA. The current regulatory team do not seem to be working with quite the same zeal to ensure NR continues to improve.
