The LNER Encyclopedia

Now that Trans Pennine has bit the dust, who is next. Cross Countrys contract is shortly up for renewal, talk of DB wanting to offload Arriva continues off and on and could it not bid or be the only bidders for that company, interesting times ahead.

I don't want to descend into political argument, but I have always thought that the railway system should be confined to being a public service. What it should not be is for private companies to maximise profits from people who wish to travel with a lower carbon footprint than driving individual vehicles, on a road system increasingly populated by psycopaths.

This profiteering seems to now result in large numbers of cancellations - which presumably is a cheaper option for the company than running a service for customers.

Imagine the flack BR would have received if they had treated the public in this way; and yet our dominant right wing media seem relatively silent.

From memory the main concerns about British Rail from the travelling public back in the 1970s was the occasional moan about late running trains and dirty carriages and the poor state of the humble British Rail cheese sandwich!.

It is possible that if Cross Country should go to a private operator then an offer that could not be refused be made (more profits) in order to save face. A case of reading between the lines of the agreement should this come about.

Mickey wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 10:26 am From memory the main concerns about British Rail from the travelling public back in the 1970s was the occasional moan about late running trains and dirty carriages and the poor state of the humble British Rail cheese sandwich!.

There certainly were late running trains in BR days, but in many instances their local connections would be held for a short time in order to reduce the inconvenience of passengers.

The current rules which make it cheaper for the companies to cancel a train than run it late, must have been thought up by someone who travels everywhere in a luxury car.

Not long ago, my local train was cancelled, and yet the unit - which I was following (courtesy of RailCam Diagrams) on my mobile phone was then sent empty back to the depot and ran through the station without stopping within a few minutes of its scheduled stopping time. Fortunately, I have a half hourly service, so not too long to wait for the next one.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to merge the Trans Pennine and Cross-Country franchises?

Dft has floated the possibility of Northern and Trans Pennine becoming one company. Time will tell.