Topic: Virgin Trains loses West Coast Mainline - ***3/10/12 Tender to be re-run!***

[Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆]

Well they did send the nice Civil Servant a toy train with their letter! I think that's actually classed as bribery though...

Just a gift which wouldn't have a lot of value so wouldn't be classed as a bribe. Unless it was stuffed with £50 notes...

[gazzalfc]

And now they have finally lost the franchise

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/virgin-replaced-liverpool-london-train-16751022

From December 2022 First Trenitalia will operate West Coast Partnership and run the west coast mainline between Liverpool and London

They will commit to run an additional 263 extra train services each week with the aim to run half-hourly trains between Lime Street and London daily

Other commitments include

£117 million to improve the current Pendolino fleet

More flexible and convenient smart ticketing options

Free WiFi and high quality mobile connectivity on board services

Improved delay repay compensation for all passengers

£32 million of investment into developing and delivering infrastructure capacity and capability improvements

10 new secure cycle storage facilities; improved bus facilities; 900 new car parking spaces, and 100 new Electric Vehicle charging points

New ticket machines at stations, removal of the administration fee and enabling on-the-day changes to both advance tickets and seat reservations

New initiatives to increase diversity, inclusion and skills retention in the rail industry


Now again we are handing over the running of a major UK rail route to a foreign state run body (in this case the Italians). So technically our rail fairs will indirectly help another country rather than our own. But it's a major blow to Branson who was prevented from bidding this time.

[Red Beret]

Maybe the foreigners just know how to run a rail network? Although how all this might work post Brexit is anybody's guess.

Virgin Wi-Fi is shit. Even in first class where it's supposed to be complimentary I can never get it to work anymore.

[The Gulleysucker]

Hopefully this will mean that architectural monstrosity of a portacabin that Virgin had constructed on the platform can now be removed.

[Red Beret]

Hopefully this will mean that architectural monstrosity of a portacabin that Virgin had constructed on the platform can now be removed.

In Lime Street?  It's already gone I think.  They moved the first class lounge to where the White Star Pub used to be.

[The Gulleysucker]

In Lime Street?  It's already gone I think.  They moved the first class lounge to where the White Star Pub used to be.

It's been a couple of years since I've been there, but that's good if so.

[gazzalfc]

Oh and forgot to stick this in yesterday.

Fuck you Richard Branson. Karma for suing the NHS

[Jiminy Cricket]

Oh and forgot to stick this in yesterday.

Fuck you Richard Branson. Karma for suing the NHS

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't the suit over the process being flawed and applying for the tendering process to be re-run? As I understand it, the Branson Group (or whatever they are called) won, but only received costs (no damages - I do not believe they were seeking compensation). Whatever you and I might think of the private sector being involved in the running of NHS services, surely the tendering process should fair and seen to be fair.

[gazzalfc]

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't the suit over the process being flawed and applying for the tendering process to be re-run? As I understand it, the Branson Group (or whatever they are called) won, but only received costs (no damages - I do not believe they were seeking compensation). Whatever you and I might think of the private sector being involved in the running of NHS services, surely the tendering process should fair and seen to be fair.

Right on the 1st part. But they never won. Settled out of court for £2m (of tax payers money)

I do believe any tendering process should be transparent and fair just like it was for the West coast line tender which excluded Virgin trains from re-bidding due to issues with Stagecoach (which owns 49% of Virgin Trains) refusing to pay more money into the rail workers pension pot

[Lad]

Won’t have to listen to that oh so hilarious woman voice recording in the toilets anymore. That’s got to be a good thing.

[So… Howard Philips]

Won’t have to listen to that oh so hilarious woman voice recording in the toilets anymore. That’s got to be a good thing.

That would be funny for a ten year old. Once only.

Irritating but I suppose it gets you out of the bog toute suite.