On Jul 17, 3:19*pm, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 15:14:11 on
Fri, 17 Jul 2009, Recliner remarked:

but I wonder what the exact mechanism for the transfer will be? *Will
the new DfT ECML operating company simply take over NXEC, complete
with all its staff, leases, assets, contracts, etc, or will there be
some messy transfer of all of these to the new company?

It seemed to work OK when GNER handed back the keys.

That was different -- I think GNER ran it for a while under a management
contract before NX won the new franchise.

So you don't think the DfT will contract NXEC to run it for a while?
Maybe not, as they seem to have a new trading vehicle ready to go.

No. I think that's the whole point - NXEC seemingly offered to do just
that (i.e. run teh service under a management contract), and it
appears likely that that was the quid-pro-quo in return for NXEC's
offer of a £100 million payment to the DfT to settle things and
terminate the franchise 'cleanly'. But Adonis wasn't having that, of
course.

The very fact that NXEC signalled its intention to default to the DfT
(unless trading conditions radically improve) has meant that the DfT
can prepare specific arrangements for an 'operator-in-waiting' (led by
Elaine Holt), ready to take over ICEC services when NXEC eventually
goes kaput after its long and drawn out death. The fact that whilst
this is going on, NXEC are meanwhile coming out with proclamations
implying that everything is hunky dory is simply utterly disingenuous
of them.