East Midlands Trains' Franchise extended.

[kevjs]

The BBC Business Live feed is reporting that the East Midlands Trains franchise has been extended by another six months

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/bus...62748c74cb800673871ed3&pinned_post_type=share

Stagecoach says its East Midlands Trains business has been awarded a new franchise for six months.

"East Midlands Trains expects to earn a modest profit under the contract and a profit sharing arrangement" with government will apply, it said.

East Midlands Trains runs from London St Pancras to Sheffield as well as regional services.

No full story at the moment.

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

The BBC Business Live feed is reporting that the East Midlands Trains franchise has been extended by another six months

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/business-47173852?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5c62748c74cb800673871ed3&East Midlands Trains contract&2019-02-12T07:27:10.124Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:69d9163f-08cc-4a2d-a5d7-c55052f69b8f&pinned_post_asset_id=5c62748c74cb800673871ed3&pinned_post_type=share



No full story at the moment.

I have known this for along time? I thought this was done in 2017 when Grayling announced he would take up the extension to August 2019?

 

[kevjs]

Press Release from Stagecoach at https://www.stagecoach.com/media/news-releases/2019/2019-02-12.aspx

...

The current East Midlands Trains franchise is due to end on 2 March 2019. To bridge the gap and ensure a smooth transition to the new franchise, which is currently expected to start in August 2019, a new short term franchise agreement is required.

Stagecoach is pleased to confirm that it has now agreed a new contract with the DfT. It will commence on 3 March 2019 and run until at least 18 August 2019.

....

Under the new agreement, customers and communities will continue to benefit from a range of improvements, including:

• Supporting the delivery of the £1.5bn Midland Main Line upgrade to improve capacity and reduce journey times.
• Continuation of the investment programme to improve stations and trains, which includes accessibility improvements at stations and on trains.
• Roll out of smart ticketing in March 2019 as part of the wider programme on National Rail.

In addition, East Midlands Trains will be focused on ensuring readiness for the subsequent franchise that is currently being tendered by the DfT, including helping to put in place plans for extra seats from 2020.

The commercial terms of the new contract are similar to other recently let Direct Award contracts and include profit share arrangements with the DfT.

....

I have known this for along time? I thought this was done in 2017 when Grayling announced he would take up the extension to August 2019?

Well it is Grayling, perhaps the official agreement got delayed....

 

[pdeaves]

This is old news. However, perhaps this announcement coincides with actual signing of contracts. Extensions are not just 'keep on doing stuff and we'll throw money at you', but are negotiated and require certain outcomes for certain payments. Presumably both sides are now happy with the arrangements.

 

[whhistle]

Hold on, I thought there was always a period of transision (up to 6 months?) between franchises?
So the old company could wind down (lose their heads!) and the new one could start to move in?

Maybe I got it wrong.

But I always thought the new EMR franchise winner was due to be announced in March/April time, with the new company taking over in August.

 

[pdeaves]

But I always thought the new EMR franchise winner was due to be announced in March/April time, with the new company taking over in August.

The East Midlands franchise should originally have been renewed in 2015. There have been four extensions since then (including the one under discussion here). See http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/operators/franchises1.shtm#em

 

[whhistle]

The East Midlands franchise should originally have been renewed in 2015. There have been four extensions since then (including the one under discussion here). See http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/operators/franchises1.shtm#em

Not sure what that has to do with that I posted

 

[pdeaves]

Not sure what that has to do with that I posted

Two things;

1. you said 'I always thought ...' and I pointed out that it was not always the case;
2. I put a link to some information that I thought would be of interest.

My apologies.

 

[66Yorks]

Having only occasionally used EMT's how do other people rate them?

 

[thenorthern]

I wish the DfT would get round to awarding a new franchise, compared to most companies East Midlands Trains seem rather dated. Also other than a couple of things at the start of the franchise like trains to Corby, an half hourly service to Sheffield and an hourly service to Matlock the services haven't really improved/changed that much the type of rolling stock is also exactly the same as when the franchise started 12 years ago.

Having only occasionally used EMT's how do other people rate them?

They seem a bit shaky compared to other HSTs from personal experience.

 

[mikeg]

I wish the DfT would get round to awarding a new franchise, compared to most companies East Midlands Trains seem rather dated. Also other than a couple of things at the start of the franchise like trains to Corby, an half hourly service to Sheffield and an hourly service to Matlock the services haven't really improved/changed that much the type of rolling stock is also exactly the same as when the franchise started 12 years ago

I wish they'd award a new franchise but for different reasons. Whilst a franchise extension may be cheap to administer it negates the entire point of franchising, namely Demsetz competition. As for the later points despite this EMT seem to be one of the least problematic franchises. It was a well designed franchise that hasn't received any change for the sake of change. Oh and inidentally the VP185 used in EMT HSTs is not Valenta but is infinetely more rateable than MTUs Who needs a power socket when you have turbo scream?

 

[InTheEastMids]

Having only occasionally used EMT's how do other people rate them?

My experience is entirely London services are usually punctual and clean, although the interiors are feeling pretty tired in some cases, but then the repeated extensions don't provide any incentive to invest. Customer service and on train staff are good in my experience.

The major downsides are things they don't really control:

The trains need modernising/replacing, but that needs the refranchising. The 2+8 IC125s are slow to accelerate and are really dated. The 222s need a mid life refurb. The exhaust gases linger in stations in a way that feels more 1980 than 2020.

The timetable is a mess in peak due to Thameslink.

Also, fares are quite high in places. To me, it is simply unacceptable that an open return from Bedford to London (49 mi) is £44 (~£0.45/mi) whilst from Wellingborough (64 mi) it's £101 or (~£0.79/mi).

 

[whhistle]

Two things;

1. you said 'I always thought ...' and I pointed out that it was not always the case;
2. I put a link to some information that I thought would be of interest.

My apologies.

Ha ha, no worries :P
"I just thought" it was accepted the EMT franchise extensions were pretty much part of the original franchise and that the latest timetable was March for announcement / August for new company to start.

 

[yorksrob]

Having only occasionally used EMT's how do other people rate them?

I find their tickets seem to be better value than other TOC's and the first class layout and furnishings in their HST's are better than all the others.

Their service across the Pennines is more reliable than other TOC's and easier to get a seat.

 

[Killingworth]

Their service across the Pennines is more reliable than other TOC's and easier to get a seat.

Reliable in the sense we can get seats (except on Saturdays during Northern's little difficulties), and the trolley can get through the train, but on time keeping they can be awful - although that's not usually the fault of East Midlands. Apparently that hourly service accounts for 25% of all EMT's delays.

 

[LowLevel]

It's never going to be an exciting franchise. It operates local provincial services for a mix of rural and urban communities and a secondary intercity mainline. Quietly competent is the best you can hope for. I don't expect much from the bids.

 

[lammergeier]

I've always thought they were fairly decent as an operator. My only complaint is their fixation with filling blissful silence at their stations with overlong and irritating auto announcements for nothing of particular use. It's almost as if every second PA isn't prattling on is a second wasted.

 

[43055]

My experience is that they have done well with what they have had and what has come up over the years like the mainline timetable change last may. The local side though can be quite stretched at times due to PRM mods and maintenance but the use of a extra 222 can help which can be very beneficial at times. My hope for the next franchise is either longer or more frequent local services, ideally for the Crewe and Lincolnshire services.

 

[yorksrob]

Reliable in the sense we can get seats (except on Saturdays during Northern's little difficulties), and the trolley can get through the train, but on time keeping they can be awful - although that's not usually the fault of East Midlands. Apparently that hourly service accounts for 25% of all EMT's delays.

Funnily enough, I managed to get a seat coming back with them throughout the Northern strike. That might be due to the time of day though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The trains need modernising/replacing, but that needs the refranchising. The 2+8 IC125s are slow to accelerate and are really dated. The 222s need a mid life refurb.

Yes, they're in a right state, with a lot of wear, damage to seats and fogged windows. Definitely in need of a decent heavy refurb, probably including new seat frames due to the extent of the damage (much as the existing ones are quite popular - it's amazing how different they are from Voyagers despite being built on the same basic platform). They also need to redesign the buffet as a trolley dock with a counter - docking the trolley is quite a good way of providing a basic buffet service from an actual counter, but the buffet area isn't designed for that and it just looks like the trolley is crammed in awkwardly with a load of empty fridges etc behind it.

 

[westcoaster]

My only issue with them is the lack off extra stops during disruption. They do not like to issue stop orders at all. Stations south of Market Harborough suffer from this as the Corby service group is the first to be pulled and they do not ever stop the fast trains to compensate.

Also hate the seats on the 221's, that horrible bit of plastic right in the middle at the front is so annoying. Even worse once the seat padding goes.

 

[Killingworth]

On stopping services in times of disruption I'd speak up for East Midlands. At the start of the Northern dispute they added a number of stops to the Liverpool - Norwich service. Unfortunately after the May 2018 timetable meltdown, then the strikes moving to Saturdays, the impact on punctuality was severe even without extra stops. It was entirely understandable that extra stops had to be discontinued.

 

[whhistle]

Their service across the Pennines is more reliable than other TOC's and easier to get a seat.

During the Northern strikes, EMT have been doubling the size of their trains to help people / help them look good.
When it's all sorted, the train lengths will slide back again.

It's never going to be an exciting franchise. It operates local provincial services for a mix of rural and urban communities and a secondary intercity mainline. Quietly competent is the best you can hope for. I don't expect much from the bids.

I don't know though.
I suspect Abellio will suggest a complete stock replacement (than again, who hasn't in recent franchises!).
It seems to have done them well on Anglia and West Midlands (yes, I realise the latter isn't total).
I wonder if they did win, whether Stadler will have a gold star already as by then, the Anglia stock will be proven to be good or bad. I suspect it'd be easy for them to continue with the same design, get a good discount perhaps, and leave Bombardier in the ditch.
The only issue is, if (like the current trend) the manufacturer also performs maintenance, Bombardier is very well suited.

 

[yorksrob]

During the Northern strikes, EMT have been doubling the size of their trains to help people / help them look good.
When it's all sorted, the train lengths will slide back again.

True. But I have been using that particular service for four or five years now. Even before the strikes, it wasn't single unit very often.

 

[dk1]

Better the you know I say. Not done a bad job on the whole.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm all for whatever option's likely to keep the HST's in place for the longest time. From that point of view, a continually extended franchise seems ideal.

 

[Robertj21a]

A good, steady, operator. Hopefully, it stays with Stagecoach.

 

[DDB]

The timetable specificafion for bidders for the next franchise had a few minor improvements over the current one. The ones I noticed because I would find them useful were later last Saturday trains from London and moving to hourly on Sundays on the Matlock branch. Will this postpone those improvements?

DDB

 

[bunnahabhain]

Reliable in the sense we can get seats (except on Saturdays during Northern's little difficulties), and the trolley can get through the train, but on time keeping they can be awful - although that's not usually the fault of East Midlands. Apparently that hourly service accounts for 25% of all EMT's delays.

1L18 was the 6th worst train for punctuality in an 18 week period up to the end of December (I think), it was definitely 6th.

Just to add to that, almost every delay to that service was incurred as a result of something external. Be it freight, other workings, etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A good, steady, operator. Hopefully, it stays with Stagecoach.

Definitely has a rough-and-ready feel about it compared with SWT, though. I wouldn't call it Stagecoach's finest hour - it's a bit more like the filthy single decker I had from Northampton to Rugby earlier than the prestige of the X5. (By choice, I fancied a trundle through the villages, but couldn't see an awful lot of them!)