Why is CrossCountry so overpriced?

[Trainbike46]

Ok. What about if XC buy the same type of trains that LNER are getting from CAF? They're Diesel-electric, and CAF supplied the class 195s/331s for then Arriva-owned Northern.

If XC were to get new trains, there would be a tender. I'd expect requirements to include 125 mph running, bimode operation, and fast acceleration. If there is any sense, it would also require level boarding for at least one coach.

The CAF units for LNER would be a good contender for such a tender, as they are an existing design which meets those requirements, except level boarding, which was available as an option that was not selected.

Others that might win include:
- Hitachi 80x (if Hitachi reduces their pricing, and came up with a way to offer at least one level boarding coach)
- Stadler FLIRT or FLIRT/SMILE derivative for UK market
- a new Siemens or Alstom product, maybe?

who ends up winning will depend on many factors, including the designs offered, the existing orderbook of manufacturers, the costs, etc.

The problem with all of those is the government, and their willingness to invest in new rolling stock.

what other arriva-operated franchises did and didn't buy isn't directly relevant, and certainly won't have an impact on what manufacturer would win such a tender

 

[signed]

Has XC ever recieved any new stock since privatisation?

 

[Trainbike46]

Has XC ever recieved any new stock from their own orders?

the 220s were originally ordered for XC

 

[YorkRailFan]

the 220s were originally ordered for XC

As were the 221s.

Has XC ever recieved any new stock since privatisation?

The 170s.

 

[JonathanH]

Has XC ever recieved any new stock since privatisation?

74 Voyagers, before the reorganisation which led to the services via Preston being removed and the net loss of 17 of those Voyagers to the West Coast (eg 221141 was technically a WC Voyager which passed to XC, with 221101-221118 moving to WC)

 

[ShadowKnight]

Even the cross country regional services seem to be unseasonably overpriced as a layman.

If the east midlands services
(Birmingham to Nottingham and Birmingham to Leicester/Stansted airport)
Were to be operated alongside or only by EMR with the same type of rolling stock (class 170s) and formations.

I suspect (and perceive) that there would be a noticeable change in fares for the same given journey.

There certainly is a perception that cross country marks up their fares among people I know

 

[A S Leib]

Even the cross country regional services seem to be unseasonably overpriced as a layman.

If the east midlands services
(Birmingham to Nottingham and Birmingham to Leicester/Stansted airport)
Were to be operated alongside or only by EMR with the same type of rolling stock (class 170s) and formations.

I suspect (and perceive) that there would be a noticeable change in fares for the same given journey.

There certainly is a perception that cross country marks up their fares among people I know

Grantham – Nottingham's £12.70 for an anytime day return or £11.60 for an off-peak day return, whilst Nuneaton – Leicester (~4 miles shorter) is £18.70 / £15.50. Birmingham – Nottingham is only six miles longer than Crewe – Derby, but is £51 (anytime return), £32 (off-peak return) or £25 (off-peak day return) against £35, £26 and £15 for the equivalent fares ('via Stoke'; I don't know why they specify that when I'd have thought Stoke's a valid route for Crewe – Tamworth – Derby, but that's beside the point). Two examples, but they do suggest that.

CrossCountry seems to do better against GWR; from Worcestershire Parkway, an anytime return to Cardiff Central is £88 and an off-peak return is £54, but to Reading the same distance away and with the same frequency (but with better – at least longer – trains) it's £81 (anytime return via Evesham) or £59 (off-peak return via Evesham / Stroud). There is the £45 super off-peak return via Evesham which Worcestershire Parkway – Cardiff doesn't have, though.

 

[1D54]

There are some advance purchase tickets available for Peterborough and to a lesser extent Birmingham available from Leicester but overall the full prices are way over the top and can't even be split. Nothing will ever change no matter what TOC is running things but that doesn't really matter now anyway. I just take advantage of the £2 bus fares, until of course they also disappear!