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+--- Thread: First West Coast (/showthread.php?tid=325)
RE: First West Coast - First Class - 15/08/2012 06:39
A mod may need to amend the name of this thread!
First Group PLC have now registered the domain http://www.horizontrains.co.uk (but is currently inactive).
RE: First West Coast - H101GEV - 15/08/2012 06:41
I for one think Virgin have, in the last couple of years especially, done a good job with the West Coast franchise. Friendly staff, excellent trains and good reliability. I couldn't fault them - always delivered when required to both London and Glasgow. I'll miss Virgin Trains greatly.
As for First, well, it's a total lottery as to how this will go. The doom merchants will look at their woeful Capital Connect franchise as a mere microcosm of what will happen. I thought they were also distinctly lacklustre in charge of the North Western franchise, while Great Western is a mixed bag at best. The flip side of the coin is the former Great Eastern and ScotRail franchises - both well-run and successful, the former in particular.
Very disappointed indeed with how this has unfolded. As has already been posted, rail franchising is dead.
RE: First West Coast - wirralbus - 15/08/2012 07:30
The Government will not be happy that the winner of this franchise has been known for a while , especially as first group is a PLC and PLC's have a duty to advise there shareholders and the stockmarket at the start of the business day , because of insider trading regulations.
RE: First West Coast - St Helens Rider - 15/08/2012 08:22
Not a good day for the West Coast - although Virgin had their flaws, they were generally a good operator. My own opinion is that it should have been taken back in house as the first (sorry!) step towards renationalisation but hey the Conservatives would never do that in a million years.
RE: First West Coast - Vbg111v - 15/08/2012 09:10
Virgin have done a fantastic job with competitive fares & fast reliable trains coupled with friendly staff. A sad day. The real reason for First winning the bid here is cost. Let's hope they haven't placed a bid they'll regret. They won't be the first to make that mistake.
RE: First West Coast - R879 HRF - 15/08/2012 09:58
Im quite happy first got in, looking at what they did to Transpennine Express after taking over from Arriva there is a possibilty they could do well.
I think now theyve got this franchise theyll invest as much as they can into it, being as big as it is.. The only thing now is hoping they dont keep investing in this franchise and forgetting all of their others..
Lets hope they do well, reading a few articles what theyve said sounds promising, I just hope they keep following the standard of virgin, because as much as i dislike virgin, theyve made the WCML what it is today, a nearly reliable railway!
(15/08/2012 09:10)Vbg111v Wrote: They won't be the first to make that mistake.
Thats an awful pun!
RE: First West Coast - mbonwick - 15/08/2012 11:20
First only have a 55% state in TPE, and though that's a controlling interest they aren't the main 'drive' behind it.
The only way I can see this ending is badly, I hope I'm wrong though. Either way though, Sir Richard Branson is right, the franchising system as it currently stands is very very broken.
RE: First West Coast - First Class - 15/08/2012 11:23
I have heard from a London based Scotrail sleeper host that there will be some changes made to the Scottish sleeper services now that FWC have the franchise, according to an internal briefing... however, yet to be finalised with unions.
At the moment, the only information I have is that there is apparently a plan to utilise the new First West Coast traincrew as far up as Glasgow/Edinburgh, with Scotrail crews going further north into the Highlands.
Subsequently the London based Scotrail staff will TUPE accross to the new ICWC franchise.
Whether anything changes from a passenger perspective remains to be seen.
It certainly appears that First have been making a lot of plans well in advance of any official announcement. The question is whether they were given any, lets say, assurances, earlier on....
RE: First West Coast - buses7675 - 15/08/2012 13:22
Quite funny seeing TV coverage of FirstGroup winning the franchise, someone from Granada was asking passengers at Manchester Piccadilly was who commenting on how FirstGroup rolling stock was all old so they weren't looking forward to the take over! Not sure they understood the same Pendolinos would remain and the other trains First run into Manchester anyway on TPX are all under 10 years old too!
RE: First West Coast - H101GEV - 15/08/2012 16:07
There is outrage over this decision with the public, too. The BBC News article is a good starting point - a mixture of fury and sheer disbelief. Can't help but concur. The decision to award this franchise to First is simply scandalous. I'm sure Branson will stick to his word, as save for a major overhaul of the franchise system, there seems no point in bidding for franchises where you can perform impressively and still be snubbed when the renewal comes.
I was very surprised Abellio was awarded the Greater Anglia franchise, but this is far worse.