First West Coast

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast

(11/08/2012 22:14)Harryn9000 Wrote:  would love to see an hst in lime street again seen as hitachi has won the intercity replacement contract so we could see them on WCML in 2022

I was one of the few passengers who got the East Midlands Trains HST into Liverpool after Wembley! That was only back around May 2012??!

First West Coast is pretty certain, although I don't think it's the end of Virgin.

Intercity Great Western and Intercity East Coast are probably quite juicy targets for VT, both of those franchises are due up soon. At a push, they could even go for the East Anglia franchise.

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
I think if virgin has lost the franchise then the Government has decided that Virgin has gone as far as it can with the West Coast , i do half expect that this decision is based on them becoming preferred bidders for East Coast and to try and turn that franchise into a household name like the West Coast franchise has become .

[St Helens Rider]

RE: First West Coast
It will certainly be the end of an era when the transfer happens. I'm disappointed over the railcard issue though as it will mean going down to London for the day will become a lot more expensive or if using later services nigh on impossible to do in a day.

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
After the fiasco First had with the Greater Western Franchise lets just hope its an easy transfer and there is no hidden minefield .

But we are still awaiting the Official news so details are still sketchy about what will happen from the December timetable , not exactly the best time to change a franchise on the run up to christmas , the DfT didnt think that through very well .

Another thing that another operator is going to have to contend with is people still calling it Virgin , thats testament to Sir Richard Branson's marketing of the company that people know it as Virgin.

[mbonwick]

RE: First West Coast

(12/08/2012 05:49)wirralbus Wrote:  I think if virgin has lost the franchise then the Government has decided that Virgin has gone as far as it can with the West Coast , i do half expect that this decision is based on them becoming preferred bidders for East Coast and to try and turn that franchise into a household name like the West Coast franchise has become .

Nothing to do with that - its a sealed bid system. Everything to do with First offering more £££ in premium payments.
I've nothing against First as an operator, I have everything against them being awarded on an unrealistic bid.

[First Class]

RE: First West Coast

(12/08/2012 08:47)wirralbus Wrote:  Another thing that another operator is going to have to contend with is people still calling it Virgin , thats testament to Sir Richard Branson's marketing of the company that people know it as Virgin.

That is an interesting (and very irritating!) point.

Since starting my career on the railway, which is post privitisation, I endlessly hear customers telling me and colleagues how they will be writing to Richard Branson - regardless of what TOC they actually are using!

People really do believe he is in charge of "British Rail" !!

First will really need to market their brand name in the early days. I suspect a re-livery of the fleet will be scheduled fairly soon.

I think this livery will be applied:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6207/61014...4562_z.jpg

[wirralbus]

RE: First West Coast
First will just have to start almost immediately with a rebrand awareness campaign , one of the pendolino's and one of the Voyagers will have to be pulled just before the franchise starts so that they can be relivered for a high profile railway media and mainstream media campaign.

[Harryn9000]

RE: First West Coast
i think it will be close to FCC and GWR livery tbh

[Metroline1511]

RE: First West Coast
I think it's questionable whether First should be allowed to gain West Coast after walking away from an extension at Great Western. It would also give First a near monopoly of rail services in Glasgow, especially if a Manchester-Scotland micro-franchise eventually joins West Coast.

[mbonwick]

RE: First West Coast
They didn't walk away from Great Western though. There was a break clause in the contract and they chose to exercise that.

Competition doesn't enter into the bidding process - its a sealed tender.