In message .com, at
15:21:44 on Sat, 10 Jun 2006, Jonathan Morris
remarked:
I wonder what other improvements First have lined up?

A move to diesel stock to solve problems with stock? If they bid for
the Central Trains franchise, they would then continue north of
Peterborough with diesel too, which might be considered a good thing.
Shame, then, that's it all just rumour at the moment.

FFC's leaflet about evening restrictions appears to rule out any stock
enhancement on the KX-Cambridge line.

The CT franchise is being split up, and the Cambridge services will form
part of two *different* new franchises. First can't cherry-pick just one
service to run, it's the whole new franchise or nothing.

Stansted/Cambridge/Peterborough/Birmingham will be part of the new
Cross-Country franchise (which is losing Reading-Brighton and
Manchester-Glasgow).

Liverpool/Nottingham/Peterborough/Ely/Norwich will (in addition to the
other ex-CT services in the east) become part of a much enlarged new
Midland Mainline franchise.

Apparently, if 'one' agree to run an additional train from Norwich to
Peterborough every two hours, then every other Liverpool-Norwich train
will be sent to Cambridge instead.

So there's a possibility that Cambridge will end up with trains from
'one', FCC, Sucessor-to-Virgin-XC, and successor-to-MML. Whatever
happens, I won't get my direct Nottingham-Stansteds back, though
--
Roland Perry