Rumour: First to win thameslink/southern/great northern

[387star]

Strong rumour apparently
not sure how true...

 

[lev441]

I really hope this isn't true......

 

[Emyr]

"Great Northern"?

Northern Rail have done pretty well from a poor hand, I'd be happy to see them continue (thereby also saving the costs of rebranding).

 

[SF-02]

Whoever wins the lack of competition will surely mean the end of good deals from London to Brighton? It was one of the very few routes that did have competition post privatisation. Southern had far more than FCC though.

 

[387star]

"Great Northern"?

Northern Rail have done pretty well from a poor hand, I'd be happy to see them continue (thereby also saving the costs of rebranding).

Great northern is the part of the franchise which used to be west anglia great northern. The west anglia part is now greater anglia leaving the greater northern part ie kings cross to the garden cities/Cambridge/kings lyn

 

[SPADTrap]

"Great Northern"?

Northern Rail have done pretty well from a poor hand, I'd be happy to see them continue (thereby also saving the costs of rebranding).

Not sure you follow

 

[387star]

Whoever wins the lack of competition will surely mean the end of good deals from London to Brighton? It was one of the very few routes that did have competition post privatisation. Southern had far more than FCC though.

Yeah but with that come some very complicated fares

 

[swt_passenger]

"Great Northern"?

Northern Rail have done pretty well from a poor hand, I'd be happy to see them continue (thereby also saving the costs of rebranding).

Nothing to do with them, this is the London end of the ECML's "Great Northern" suburban network, that First (Capital Connect) already run.

The one you are referring to is just "Northern"...

 

[ryan125hst]

"Great Northern"?

Northern Rail have done pretty well from a poor hand, I'd be happy to see them continue (thereby also saving the costs of rebranding).

Great Northern refers to the services that First Capital Connect currently operate from London Kings Cross/Moorgate to Peterborough, Cambridge and Kings Lynn/Hertford North, Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Capital_Connect

Northern Rail have recently been awarded a franchise extension that will see them continuing to operate services until February 2016. http://www.northernrail.org/news/7445

 

[infobleep]

What happens to people with season tickets marked Southern only after the merger, given Southern won't exist.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[swt_passenger]

Whoever wins the lack of competition will surely mean the end of good deals from London to Brighton?

Certainly will, and it has been discussed here more than once since the TSGN combined franchise ITT was first published.

They were explicitly told to get rid of the different SN and FCC normal fares and seasons, as you'd expect...

 

[Emyr]

Well that's me told! Apologies for the distraction.

Cambridgeshire isn't particularly Northern...

 

[swt_passenger]

What happens to people with season tickets marked Southern only after the merger, given Southern won't exist.

There's a period of nearly a year between TSGN franchise start date and the Southern merger into it (about 46 weeks) so you would reasonably expect some sort of cut off date and transitional arrangements.

But are there 'Southern Only' seasons anyway - or are they 'Any permitted' and 'FCC only'. (Serious question - I don't know how it works on that route for seasons.)

 

[andy19_64]

What happens to people with season tickets marked Southern only after the merger, given Southern won't exist.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

If First or any of the other bidders win the Southern franchise will still run till 2015.
When the new company takes over i cannot see why you would have to change your ticket. Anyway your train will still be in southern colours as they wont be able to repaint them that quick

 

[Saint66]

From a Thameslink commuter perspective, First winning it is rather pleasing, as they've got good experience with the line, and have been in charge during most of the Thameslink Upgrade plan.

I would've liked to have seen a new company take over just to see how it would have gone, but I cant have too many complaints with First.

 

[387star]

From a Thameslink commuter perspective, First winning it is rather pleasing, as they've got good experience with the line, and have been in charge during most of the Thameslink Upgrade plan.

I would've liked to have seen a new company take over just to see how it would have gone, but I cant have too many complaints with First.

Like great western first have been fortunate to be in that position must be a bonus

Not sure if the part DOO will spread to southern hopefully not

FCC trains are not the cleanest trains on the network nor the prettiest but that's not simply down to first

 

[SPADTrap]

Sorry, have to be the first to ask. What is the source for these 'strong rumors?'

 

[387star]

Sorry, have to be the first to ask. What is the source for these 'strong rumors?'

Heard it a few times from people in know

 

[SPADTrap]

Heard it a few times from people in know

In the know where?

 

[Bald Rick]

In the last 10 days I've heard 4 different rumours about who has won it. This was last Monday's.

I'm not believing anything till I hear it from the guy procuring the franchise, and he's saying nothing!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Is anyone crying "foul" yet?
That's usually the best sign.

 

[A-driver]

Railway rumours, form anyone, mean nothing. There is a good chance FIrst will win but an equal chance others will win. There were sting rumours southern would win it and first would be awarded east coast but I wouldn't get too excited yet until it's officially announced.

Going by what is happening at work I'd say first are certainly getting ready to loose it. Just seems an atmosphere of giving up in a few ways.

 

[LBSCR Times]

Going by what is happening at work I'd say first are certainly getting ready to loose it. Just seems an atmosphere of giving up in a few ways.

Maybe on the GN but certainly not on the Thameslink route.

 

[Skimble19]

Must admit I'm not sensing that.. If anything I would say the complete opposite was true. Perhaps it's just with drivers..?

 

[A-driver]

Maybe on the GN but certainly not on the Thameslink route.

Must admit I'm not sensing that.. If anything I would say the complete opposite was true. Perhaps it's just with drivers..?

Fair enough, may just be me. Just seems that they have lost the will to do anything other than collect network rails compensation during disruption (more than they used to) with absolutely no attempt to actually get the service up and running again and seem to be clutching at straws with employee relations (did anyone else get the crushed up, broken and half melted chocolate bunny in the post for Easter with a card signed by "david", "lee" and "jackie" etc...?!)

I must admit that I'm rather hoping first will win it as first of all I don't think they are as bad to work for as we sometimes say (compared to the competition) and at least we know where we stand with them after the past few years.

I'd also love to see the reactions of those absolute idiots who go round twitter trolling FCCs account when they find out that FCC in some form will be hanging around for the foreseeable future!

 

[EM2]

I'd also love to see the reactions of those absolute idiots who go round twitter trolling FCCs account when they find out that FCC in some form will be hanging around for the foreseeable future!

I'll be buying shares in any manufacturers of medication for high blood pressure

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I don't have much travelling experience with First but travel a lot with Southern and have never had a problem with them. And I'm sorry to say but I personally think Southern's rolling stock is cleaner than FCC's (but that's for another thread)

 

[westcoaster]

I don't have much travelling experience with First but travel a lot with Southern and have never had a problem with them. And I'm sorry to say but I personally think Southern's rolling stock is cleaner than FCC's (but that's for another thread)

That does help when you have a specific cleaning shed with numerous roads and special storage tank for the wasted cleaning chemicals, but as you said for a different thread.

I don't mind who gets it, as long as I'm paid every 4th Friday.

 

[Skimble19]

Fair enough, may just be me. Just seems that they have lost the will to do anything other than collect network rails compensation during disruption (more than they used to) with absolutely no attempt to actually get the service up and running again and seem to be clutching at straws with employee relations (did anyone else get the crushed up, broken and half melted chocolate bunny in the post for Easter with a card signed by "david", "lee" and "jackie" etc...?!)

I must admit that I'm rather hoping first will win it as first of all I don't think they are as bad to work for as we sometimes say (compared to the competition) and at least we know where we stand with them after the past few years.

I'd also love to see the reactions of those absolute idiots who go round twitter trolling FCCs account when they find out that FCC in some form will be hanging around for the foreseeable future!

I've managed to avoid pretty much all of the serious disruption lately so can't really comment on that, I'll keep an eye out though. I did indeed get the chocolate bunny in the post.. Mine wasn't crushed, it was decapitated!! (Quite a few others suffered similar fates!)

I'm with you on that one. Hopefully they'll get it. Just fed up of all the waiting now, sooner it's revealed the better. I do think they're trying quite a lot at the moment to look like they aren't worried with various campaigns etc. being launched. (Safety characters and whatnot).

As for our delightful twitter trolls.. It's gotta be worth giving it to First just to annoy them!

 

[Hophead]

But are there 'Southern Only' seasons anyway - or are they 'Any permitted' and 'FCC only'. (Serious question - I don't know how it works on that route for seasons.)

I don't believe so; but there are seasons to "London Victoria" and there are seasons to "London terminals" (if you catch my drift).