[News] East Coast train line to be put into public control

[TomandJerry]

Rail services on East Coast Main Line are being brought back under UK government control, operator Stagecoach Group says.

Stagecoach, which runs the franchise with Virgin Trains, said it has been advised that an "operator of last resort" would be appointed to the London to Edinburgh service.

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling is expected to make a statement to parliament shortly."

Wow!

 

[Chicken Run]

Now for Southern!!!

 

[drew]

Now for Southern!!!

I might be wrong but Southern isn't a franchise anyway. They just manage the route on behalf of the government.

 

[brightn'ove]

Good.

The private sector has completely failed here. KEEP it in public ownership now.

 

[Beach Hut]

Old news this has been known for a good few months

 

[The Large One]

The franchise has been given to London and North East Railway (LNER). The old LNER was disbanded in 1947, and this is effectively an 'off-the-shelf' dormant DfT company.

It's a private limited company which, until February was trading as 'DFT OLR1 Ltd', and has its registered office at the Department for Transport.

By the looks of things, this franchise appears to have shades of a similar set-up in the way Southern / Thameslink operate - a business model even the ubiquitous Peter Wilkinson (himself a director of LNER) said wouldn't be repeated. Let's hope not. We shall see.

 

[TheJasperCo]

I guarantee delays and cancellations will be no better under a nationalised rail network. Claiming compensation will be worse, because of course it is partly state-owned, and where there's government interference there's copious bureaucracy to negotiate with each claim.

Nationalisation in the 90s wasn't all that, surely?

 

[beorhthelm]

I guarantee delays and cancellations will be no better under a nationalised rail network. Claiming compensation will be worse, because of course it is partly state-owned, and where there's government interference there's copious bureaucracy to negotiate with each claim.

Nationalisation in the 90s wasn't all that, surely?

pre-privatisation rail was perfect. trains where clean, comfortable and quick, always ran on time and had gourmet buffet cars. friendly British Rail staff did everything in their power to make a pleasant trip and never any disputes. we can look forward to return of those halcyon days of rail.

 

[cuthbert]

The workers flag is deepest blue
We're going to run East Coast Rail for you
If the profits rise well then
We'll sell the buggers back again

 

[Surf's Up]

pre-privatisation rail was perfect. trains where clean, comfortable and quick, always ran on time and had gourmet buffet cars. friendly British Rail staff did everything in their power to make a pleasant trip and never any disputes. we can look forward to return of those halcyon days of rail.

Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

 

[portslade seagull]

Proof is in the pudding now. Once renationlised let's hope it works and on budget

 

[Ernest]

Proof is in the pudding now. Once renationlised let's hope it works and on budget

Once it does the Tories will privatise it and the same will happen

 

[GJN1]

I guarantee delays and cancellations will be no better under a nationalised rail network. Claiming compensation will be worse, because of course it is partly state-owned, and where there's government interference there's copious bureaucracy to negotiate with each claim.

Nationalisation in the 90s wasn't all that, surely?

Classic whataboutery response. Why can some people never accept that privatisation doesn't always work?

 

[portslade seagull]

Once it does the Tories will privatise it and the same will happen

Hope not. They should now do there best to show the rest how it should be done.

 

[Hampster Gull]

pre-privatisation rail was perfect. trains where clean, comfortable and quick, always ran on time and had gourmet buffet cars. friendly British Rail staff did everything in their power to make a pleasant trip and never any disputes. we can look forward to return of those halcyon days of rail.

Yes, the golden era, or was it shower

 

[Chicken Run]

Once it does the Tories will privatise it and the same will happen

The above beautifully demonstrates your apparent lack of business acumen!

Gets the blackboard out.....

It will take any new business at least three years to turn a profit, in two years Corbyn will be in power, so your above statement like most of the bile that falls out of your pie hole is flawed!!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Yes, the golden era, or was it shower

Been commuting from Fav to London for 30 years. It got seriously shitter and more expensive after Major flogged it off in a last gasp attempted election bribe that failed. And locked it into an arrangement that can't be reversed without massive reimbursement. Corbyn has been on a serious skunk binge if he thinks he can renationalise the lot. The compo would be interstellar, never mind inter city...

 

[beorhthelm]

after nationalisation they should reintroduce the slam door carriages and steam engines. need to bring back guard to check the doors and a fireman. as a bonus reinvigorate the coal industry.

brown ale and corned beef sarnies all round.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Been commuting from Fav to London for 30 years. It got seriously shitter and more expensive after Major flogged it off in a last gasp attempted election bribe that failed. And locked it into an arrangement that can't be reversed without massive reimbursement. Corbyn has been on a serious skunk binge if he thinks he can renationalise the lot. The compo would be interstellar, never mind inter city...

30 years that’s about 15k hours in total on those trains, assuming you have six weeks leave and a couple of weeks *cough* working from home. That’s about 1.7 years, 24 hours a day. I will take your word for how trains have deteriorated, you must be an expert

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

30 years that’s about 15k hours in total on those trains, assuming you have six weeks leave and a couple of weeks *cough* working from home. That’s about 1.7 years, 24 hours a day. I will take your word for how trains have deteriorated, you must be an expert

Expert....
Couple of weeks working from home....yes, yes, that's right
I don't miss the time wasted though. Not at all....