gwr4090 wrote:
The SRA has announced this morning that First Group has been selected as
the preferred bidder to run the Thames Trains franchise from 1 April 2004
to 31 March 2006. No details yet of what impact this will have on train
services to be provided. There are still two options under consideration.

SRA announcement:
http://195.157.46.131/news/20031104_...ra nchise.tt2

First Group press release:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/n...e.php?item=159


Interestingly..

Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

And then there'll be Crossrail running between the two stations...will
this be 'First Crossrail'?

Place your bets...

In article , Stevie
wrote:

Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

And then there'll be Crossrail running between the two stations...will
this be 'First Crossrail'?

Place your bets...

And what about merging the Euston/St.P/KX franchises serving the
Midlands and then hiving Scotland and the area south of London off as
separate units?

Sam

"Stevie" wrote in message
.. .
Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

Is it not a good thing to a smaller number of large companies running
services, rather smaller ones which need bailing out every few months?

"Stevie" wrote in message
.. .
gwr4090 wrote:
The SRA has announced this morning that First Group has been selected as
the preferred bidder to run the Thames Trains franchise from 1 April
2004
to 31 March 2006. No details yet of what impact this will have on train
services to be provided. There are still two options under
consideration.

SRA announcement:

http://195.157.46.131/news/20031104_...ra nchise.tt2

First Group press release:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/n...e.php?item=159


Interestingly..

Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

And then there'll be Crossrail running between the two stations...will
this be 'First Crossrail'?

Place your bets...


You are assuming that Crossrail would be let by the SRA as a normal
franchise.

If London Rail (TfL) have anything to do with it (and they do seeing as they
are joint partners with the SRA in the project) Crossrail will come under
their authority.

Colin

"Colin" wrote in message ...
"Stevie" wrote in message
.. .
gwr4090 wrote:
The SRA has announced this morning that First Group has been selected as
the preferred bidder to run the Thames Trains franchise from 1 April
2004
to 31 March 2006. No details yet of what impact this will have on train
services to be provided. There are still two options under
consideration.

SRA announcement:

http://195.157.46.131/news/20031104_...ra nchise.tt2

First Group press release:
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/n...e.php?item=159


Interestingly..

Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

And then there'll be Crossrail running between the two stations...will
this be 'First Crossrail'?

Place your bets...


You are assuming that Crossrail would be let by the SRA as a normal
franchise.

If London Rail (TfL) have anything to do with it (and they do seeing as they
are joint partners with the SRA in the project) Crossrail will come under
their authority.

Colin

Anything about Ealing Bdy getting more services from this? I think the
stop should really be put on the Thames Express services if not the
GWR mainline.

I'd say it looks like First would be lining up for Crossrail should it
come up for tender, is it wise to let these companies effectively turn
into what could become a new big four?

"CJC" wrote in message

snip I'd say it looks like First would be lining up for Crossrail
should it
come up for tender, is it wise to let these companies effectively
turn
into what could become a new big four?

It may be wise. It may be desirable. It may be policy.

regards

CC

"CJC" wrote in message
m...

Anything about Ealing Bdy getting more services from this? I think the
stop should really be put on the Thames Express services if not the
GWR mainline.

With 11-12 trains an hour on the Main Lines, more in peak periods (4 HEx,
5-6 FGW, 2+ Thames) it is not practical to stop any of these at Ealing
Broadway or Hayes, and undesriable to have more trains switching between the
Main and Relief Lines. A few Slough stops are possible, as the service thins
out after HEx leave at Airport Junction. The proposed Paddington - Heathrow
stopping service will enable the Paddington - Slough stopping trains to miss
out West Ealing and Hanwell, and this in turn will allow a regular 15 minute
interval service on the Relief Lines Paddington - Ealing - Hayes - Slough
and stations to Reading.

Peter

"Peter Masson" wrote in message
...

"CJC" wrote in message
m...

Anything about Ealing Bdy getting more services from this? I think the
stop should really be put on the Thames Express services if not the
GWR mainline.

With 11-12 trains an hour on the Main Lines, more in peak periods (4 HEx,
5-6 FGW, 2+ Thames) it is not practical to stop any of these at Ealing
Broadway or Hayes, and undesriable to have more trains switching between
the
Main and Relief Lines. A few Slough stops are possible, as the service
thins
out after HEx leave at Airport Junction. The proposed Paddington -
Heathrow
stopping service will enable the Paddington - Slough stopping trains to
miss
out West Ealing and Hanwell, and this in turn will allow a regular 15
minute
interval service on the Relief Lines Paddington - Ealing - Hayes - Slough
and stations to Reading.

Wouldn't a far better solution be to extend the Central Line to Hayes so it
can take over West Ealing, Hanwell and Southall?

F A

"Farmer Alfalfa" wrote in message
...

Wouldn't a far better solution be to extend the Central Line to Hayes so
it
can take over West Ealing, Hanwell and Southall?

I think the long-term plan, and a better solution, would be to 6-track the
GWML between Paddington and Airport Junction.

Peter

Stevie wrote:

Looking way WAY ahead 15 years or so you'll have First Great Western
running all the services out of Paddington, First Great Eastern running
all the services out of Liverpool Street.

And then there'll be Crossrail running between the two stations...will
this be 'First Crossrail'?

Place your bets...

My bet is we still won't have it yet.