Four bidders left in race to run Great Western train franchise

“Latest developments at Bath Spa station leave passengers having to trek from one side of the station to the other in order to find taxis hidden in tunnels. Conveniently above where passengers are encouraged to queue and enter the taxis are a host of pigeons who freely perch on the exposed steelwork. Access could be denied these birds by netting the exposed area. Passengers, drivers and vehicles are left as targets for these vermin (the pigeons) and God alone what diseases are washed down from above when it rains. The taxis then have to exit the tunnel via a badly conceived double junction which causes them to stray into the path of oncoming vehicles in order to make the turn. These hardships are not having to be endured due to a natural disaster but as a result of planned improvements.”

“For everyone calling for Deutsche Bahn to win the franchise, they already run several franchises in the area through their pwnership of Arriva who run the Crosscountry and Arriva Trains Wales train operating companies. Speaking from experience, Crosscountry are not particularly good. National Express have plenty of experience in running railways, although their experience of East Coast was pretty catastrophic! Stagecoach currently run South West Trains, who seem pretty good. First have improved a lot in recent years when it comes to punctuality and reliability.

Unfortunately no matter which operator we get, the trains will not change. It is up to the government to decide what we get and the current plan is for the trains to remain the same until the electrification of the Great Western mainline is complete. When that is complete we will get brand new electric high speed trains for intercity routes. The Reading area will be getting the current (1980s!) electric trains from the London Thameslink franchise, and the Bristol/Bath area will be getting the current Reading area local diesel trains which date from the early 90s. So no matter who ends up with the franchise, the majority of trains in the Bath area will still be 20-years-old and diesel powered.”

“First = CURSED, WORST, BURST, NURSED, PURSED (for kissing the rear of!).
Bitte geben Sie den deutscheneine Chance, die GWR-Reisenden zu zeigen, wie gut sie wirklich!
Or something like that!”

“I don't fancy DB for this. How long before the train turns up in Poland?”

“So it looks like we're all agreed which one company we WOULDN'T want to run the franchise. I would happily place a large bet on that same company winning it.”

“@Jboo - Agree that DB are good at running railways. They seem to take a wider view - http://tinyurl.com/d9x9rue

I think you may be confusing Stagecoach with the National Express group. The latter ran East Coast railways then lost the franchise. East coast is now operated by Direct railways, a company set up by the dept. of transport on behalf of the UK govt. More at: http://tinyurl.com/c3e294q)

Agree entirely with Pompeybelle. Stagecoach South West trains are far better than anything FGW can muster. Given a challenging task of reinvourating one of London and SW's failing railways with aging rolling stock, creaking infrastucture etc, it has done a good job. Mostly being electric, SW trains are far more pleasnt to ride, eventhough at times they are unbelieveably crowded. I have never been on a 1 coach 'train' run by SWT. At one time, FGW made a habit of it. SWT's attitude to passengers, from my experience, is more positive than FGW.

Here is a sample of how FGW treats passengers who are forced to pay the highest 'standard' rate for travel: http://tinyurl.com/btznlvy

One thing is accurate: FGW's logo, as with other First companies, is a 'F' within a circle, 'O'. My feeling is that they should 'FO' as soon as they can....”

“""Is there not a railway outfit that owns the rails, the stations, and the trains that run on them?"

Yes - we call them 'heritage railways' and mostly they use steam engines! They are very popular and, despite the recession, many of them report increasing passenger numbers year by year.”

“@rogerh3

"Not quite true. Everything will have to be re-painted and re-branded with new uniforms for all the staff."

Ooh! Can we have pink locomotives like we had with Wessex Comnnect?”

“Only the leadership would change..."

Not quite true. Everything will have to be re-painted and re-branded with new uniforms for all the staff.”

“@capndave

"As for SpinyHedgehog, what about the Private Shop that lived up to it's privatisation. Nudge, nudge!"

Isn't the Private shop a pubic enterprise?”