Could we see the formation of a "Rail England" body?

[Bletchleyite]

The one thing I'd say is that Wales and Scotland won't find the centralisation of their operations in England acceptable. I see more of the need for a "Rail England" with agreements signed over the small areas of overlap just as happens between other EU countries.

To expand a bit on this, this could be a British Rail style organisation just for England, it could just be a regulatory body, though as this was a reply to the Labour proposals I'm tending towards the former.

 

[mwmbwls]

The one thing I'd say is that Wales and Scotland won't find the centralisation of their operations in England acceptable. I see more of the need for a "Rail England" with agreements signed over the small areas of overlap just as happens between other EU countries.

Raging consensus on that point. Scotland is relatively easy to deal with just three crossing points across the border once the Waverley route is completed. It will go wherever devolution (or degrees thereof) takes it. Wales as we have discussed is three disconnected routes - so some solution for services to Manchester and Liverpool to North Wales, services to Birmingham International and Bristol and Paddington would need to be found. I assume that some form of TEE arrangement might be brought into play for "noveau international" services. Which sounds fine but I have no idea how the European TEE network is administered - I would appreciate guidance for those better informed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Raging consensus on that point. Scotland is relatively easy to deal with just three crossing points across the border once the Waverley route is completed. It will go wherever devolution (or degrees thereof) takes it. Wales as we have discussed is three disconnected routes - so some solution for services to Manchester and Liverpool to North Wales, services to Birmingham International and Bristol and Paddington would need to be found. I assume that some form of TEE arrangement might be brought into play for "noveau international" services. Which sounds fine but I have no idea how the European TEE network is administered - I would appreciate guidance for those better informed.

TEE is no longer a "thing". International services are operated in a few ways - some are "open access" (e.g. OeBB Nightjet) and others are operated in co-operation.

 

[HSTEd]

Well once the valleys are taken out of the picture there are only a very small number of train services in Wales that don't go into England.

So not really sure a seperate "main line" welsh train operator is really that justifiable at that point.
Without devolution for England there is little point having a separate English and British operator.

 

[Bletchleyite]

With regard to Scotland there is of course the chance they will actually be international trains before too long...