Pre-qualified East Anglia franchise companies announced

[450.emu]

Absolutely right. If you run rail franchises you have no idea what the outcome will be the next time round, and in some cases the DfT may reorganise things and further reduce your chance of continuing to run anything. So you have to keep on bidding as existing franchises come up for re-letting.

Also, some companies have experience of different types of operation, e.g. long-distance or commuter, and some have experience of both. You would need to look ahead at the franchises due for renewal in the next few years and identify which ones your experience applies to.

If franchising continues, it's very likely that some other group or groups will come to the fore over the next ten years, and the pattern we see now will change.

As to who wins Greater Anglia, none of us can possibly say who will put in the best bid, which nowadays is not simply the one offering the highest premium, but we might say which group has the reputation for running the most efficient services, and hope that that's the bidder who wins.

I think the GEML is a poisoned chalice, knackered OHLE, aging rolling stock... I had no issues with First, they were the last to really invest in the franchise, but I think DfT messed Abellio around with such a short franchise there was no incentive to invest in it. Abellio must have been doing something right to win ScotRail, so I wouldn't say Greater Anglia has been a total disaster. Whoever wins the franchise should have the opportunity for the franchise to be long enough so they do give a damn and try invest in it... well at least clean the trains and look after them :roll: TfL have done well to try smarten up the 315's, surprised that there's not so many 317's about as well :cry:

 

[jopsuk]

Call me cynical, but I don't see the point of the DfT announcing the pre-qualified bidders. I'm reasonably sure they've already chosen their bedfellows before they even announce anything.

You're cynical. After the West Coast fiasco especially everything will be being audited with a ridiculous level of detail.
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I think a large part of what would make a "WAML" franchise viable or not was how much of it was operable as a standalone fleet really. Surely Stanstead Express would add to the profitability a reasonable amount, as well as the Bishop's Stortford/Harlow - London flows. It would also be dependent on how much of the branches would be "West Anglia" and which would be "Great Eastern". Noting that "Anglia Railways" ran all the branches (I'm thinking Ipswich - Cambridge, Peterborough, Norwich - Cambridge). FGE only ran the commuter service along the GEML (and the branches South of Ipswich).

it is a separate fleet- the AGA 317 & 379 fleets run only on Liverpool Street-Hertford East, Stratford-Stortford, Liverpool Street-Cambridge (and extensions) and Stansted Express. Nothing else used on those services, the units aren't used for anything on the GEML. Pretty sure all the drivers are separate as well. All it lacks is its own traction depot.

 

[DasLunatic]

it is a separate fleet- the AGA 317 & 379 fleets run only on Liverpool Street-Hertford East, Stratford-Stortford, Liverpool Street-Cambridge (and extensions) and Stansted Express. Nothing else used on those services, the units aren't used for anything on the GEML. Pretty sure all the drivers are separate as well. All it lacks is its own traction depot.

I'm fairly certain I saw a 360 covering for a broken-down 379 on Stansteds not too long ago... There were two people in the driving cab IIRC, probably for route knowledge reasons.

 

[MrPIC]

You used to occasionally see a 31 on the GE, but I don't reckon for much longer if at all. Its all to do with drivers signing the different traction types. West Anglia depots only sign 315/317 and 379, and the various GE depots sign 315/321/317/360. The only people I can think of who would sign all of GA's EMU fleet would be some managers, Ilford Depot Drivers and their instructors, as that is where all these fleets are maintained.
I'm not sure on seeing a 360 on west anglia, they would usually sub 379's with 317's, or not bother at all seeing as they are every 15 minutes. On West anglia, 1BXX Stanex trains are priority and will get stock over other services.

 

[SPADTrap]

I'm fairly certain I saw a 360 covering for a broken-down 379 on Stansteds not too long ago... There were two people in the driving cab IIRC, probably for route knowledge reasons.

A 317 or 315 would be used before a 360! I would be very surprised! No one on the West signs them.

 

[samuelmorris]

Never seen a 360 on the WA but doesn't mean to say it didn't happen, of course. I have, however, seen 317s on the GE and in service, just very rarely, and I'm fairly confident it was back with NXEA rather than under Abellio.

 

[Mag_seven]

Announced this morning by DfT

National Express East Anglia Trains Limited

Must be some sort of **** take surely?

 

[387star]

I thought National Express could never bid again after the east coast debacle when and why did that change?

Also what happened to merging C2C with Greater Anglia or was that just rumour

This newspaper reckons First Group ran the Anglia Railways franchise from inception which is of course incorrect

http://ipswichspy.com/news/transpor...shortlisted-to-run-the-great-eastern-mainline

What made FGE so loved by staff and passengers alike? Don't recall FNW being so popular

It is amazing how many changes there have been over the years..

WAGN silverlink connex midland mainline.. All history

 

[Wivenswold]

FGE were popular, they did a good job on the 321 refurbs, but those trains were a mere 7 years old when they took over and were untouchable for reliability. They had the platform gobbling 312s for most of their time. They brought in 360s. They also had some good ticket offers and the Weekend Pass for season ticket holders.

 

[306024]

What made FGE so loved by staff and passengers alike?

Easy to get a bit rose-tinted but from a staff point of view it was that everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction. Good trade union relationships was an important part, they even had a driver on the board of directors. It could have been anyone from any grade, just happened to be a driver in the end.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Easy to get a bit rose-tinted but from a staff point of view it was that everyone seemed to be pulling in the same direction. Good trade union relationships was an important part, they even had a driver on the board of directors. It could have been anyone from any grade, just happened to be a driver in the end.

A bit of the old BR culture still there. Sadly long gone.

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought National Express could never bid again after the east coast debacle when and why did that change?

It was an empty threat issued by the Labour government, who failed to recognise that the companies were not legally the same entities.

 

[JaJaWa]

I thought National Express could never bid again after the east coast debacle when and why did that change?

Change of government.

It was an empty threat issued by the Labour government, who failed to recognise that the companies were not legally the same entities.

They were about to strip National Express East Anglia of their franchise in 2009.

In a statement, National Express said: "Whilst this decision was expected given the event of the default of the National Express East Coast franchise, the company is disappointed given the excellent improvement in performance delivered by the group over the past five and a half years of operating the franchise."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380108.stm

National Express would have challenged the decision if it wasn't something the government was allowed to do.