National express "hands back keys" of east coast f

Post by **adam2** » 04 May 2009, 16:34

As widely forecast, National express group are to hand back the East Coast rail franchise, due to mounting losses.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 210941.ece

It would appear that they will continue to run the trains, but on a "management fee" basis whereby they receive a set fee for running the service, but are not liable for losses, nor able to share any profits.

Serves them right for removing the restaurant and making me subsist on a microwaved cheese bun!

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 04 May 2009, 16:58

hmmph..do we still get free wi-fi?

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 05 May 2009, 14:00

I think I can shed some light on that. When I packed in my job and stopped commuting, I had to hand my season ticket (bought from GnatEx because they own the ticket-office at York station) back to Accounts. I'm not sure how, but they got a massive refund...which got sent as a cheque to me! It must have been the last straw for GnatEx, it was after all rather a lot of money. Which reminds me, they want the money back at my old firm...

Post by **adam2** » 01 Jul 2009, 08:23

Update here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8127851.stm

It has been widely reported that the company made some unduly optimistic assumptions regarding attracting more passengers.
They blame the reccession for failing to attract additional passengers.

However I would observe that when they won the franchise, most of the trains were already full, and I dont remember any promises of additional or longer trains, so where did they expect all these additional passengers to sit ?

Some off peak services have spare seats, but these are heavily discounted and therefore filling them would produce little revenue.

(I still blame the withdrawal of most restaurants, and making me subsist on a microwved cheese bun!)

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 01 Jul 2009, 08:28

Remember, it's government policy to keep people off trains. They can see it only as an expense, not as a benefit to the working of the country.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 01 Jul 2009, 12:09

adam2 wrote:Update here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8127851.stm

It has been widely reported that the company made some unduly optimistic assumptions regarding attracting more passengers.
They blame the reccession for failing to attract additional passengers.

However I would observe that when they won the franchise, most of the trains were already full, and I dont remember any promises of additional or longer trains, so where did they expect all these additional passengers to sit ?

SIT??? Luxury, lad! I had to stand for a lot of the time, and it gave me swollen ankles that made me think my heart was packing up. Not pretty. Anybody who wants to sit can use the bloody roof, thank you very much. If it's good enough for Mr Gandhi's compatriots...

adam2 wrote:(I still blame the withdrawal of most restaurants, and making me subsist on a microwved cheese bun!)

Given the crowding, the presence of restaurants (which you couldn't get to) was academic. And I'm sure you noticed they always left the lights on too and they were those wretched Halogen spots.

Post by **adam2** » 01 Jul 2009, 12:48

I would advise against sitting on the roof on the East coast route, 25,000 volt overhead wires !

Slightly O/T I was amused to see notices applied to notworker trains at Charing Cross stating "do not attempt to travel on the outside of the train" perhaps someone has tried ? no overhead electrification on that route, and I suppose one could lie down for low bridges.

And as for restaurants on trains, I generaly book a seat, and also arrive in good time to be sure.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 01 Jul 2009, 21:58

adam2 wrote:I would advise against sitting on the roof on the East coast route, 25,000 volt overhead wires !

Incredibly, that's still not true for quite all of it. Can't remember exactly where the Missing Link is, but it's not far from Leeds.

Pip · Post by **Pip** » 01 Jul 2009, 22:13

adam2 wrote:I would advise against sitting on the roof on the East coast route, 25,000 volt overhead wires !

Slightly O/T I was amused to see notices applied to notworker trains at Charing Cross stating "do not attempt to travel on the outside of the train" perhaps someone has tried ? no overhead electrification on that route, and I suppose one could lie down for low bridges.

And as for restaurants on trains, I generaly book a seat, and also arrive in good time to be sure.

Yup, people did try, was quite a case of it a while back. It's why they no longer have visible buffers at the ends of the train, just yellow plastic covers hiding them. People used to stand on the buffer tops and cling on.

Takes all sorts I guess!

Post by **clv101** » 02 Jul 2009, 00:35

adam2 wrote:"do not attempt to travel on the outside of the train" perhaps someone has tried ?

This video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZvm5H4F-aA

...and background here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoT9vTx3_ms