Despite the rolling stock, Virgin were a good company and did an excellent job with the WCML. I personally much preferred travelling on the WCML when it was operated with Mk3s (NOT the Mk2s i should add, no thanks!), but from a customer point of view things had dramatically improved over the years. New stock, faster journeys times, more services, less delays.
Now First are going to have a go, hopefully they'll bring to it what they've already brought to the Great Western Mainline. They again have drastically improved since the early 00s when they had a bad reputation, refurbished all of their rolling stock to a modern standard, and added alot of extra services. Ok perhaps the journey times haven't improved much, but you can't do too much on an old unelectrified railway like the GWML. With a new look for the pendos (nicer seats with any luck, less FC, more spacious and brighter interiors), Voyagers feeling more like (or better than) the Meridians, new services, a chance of getting Volo TV/Travelling Chef etc... i for one am excited by the change. I just hope they haven't overbid and that the walls don't come crashing down far too soon.
