Fantasy: Invent a T.O.C!

[Shred Metal]

Let the imagination run wild with this one!

Create a fictitious Train Operating Company / Franchise / Open-Access Operator with a reasonably feasible network or infrastructure proposal. Bonus points for network maps and extras!

Would it be a regional classic? (Wessex / Central / FNW)
Would it run loco hauled or MU? (TPE / GC)
Does it use freight / new built lines? (EWR / HS2)
Is it simply a rebrand of an already established operation? (WMT + LNWR)
(Could it even be Light Rail or Metro?)

Hopefully this'll pass some lockdown & furlough time for me!

I'll start..
Name: Midlands & Peak Rail [Working title!]
Why: Increased Tourism in the Peak District + Line Reopening.
Hub/s: Manchester P., Derby & London St. Pancras.
New infrastructure: Several new stations, a new 15ish mile double track line, + upgrades on existing tracks.
Service/s: 1tph Fast Manchester to London and 2tph Slow Manchester to Derby (or Nottingham (based on the already existing service between Matlock and Nottingham).
Stock: 5 / 6 short form HST sets with improved accessibility (for fast services) OR 5-Car Meridians (once cascaded from EMR) for the Manchester to London + 8 / 9 BiMode 769's (upgraded with Large Luggage and extra Bike capacity) that run the stoppers between Manchester and Derby or Nottingham.
USP: Fast connections between the East Midlands and Manchester + Vital new rail links to a popular tourism region.

Route Diagram: To follow shortly. (Better get the kettle on!)

 

[tetudo boy]

On the basis that this is a fantasy thread, I'll have a go...:

Name: Calder Connect (Formerly First Calder Connect before being handed over to Serco-Abellio)
Parent Company: First (2003-2016), Serco-Abellio (2016-)
Reason: Increase services on the Calder valley and East Lancashire lines. Increase in Tourism.
Hub's: Manchester Victoria, Rochdale, Blackburn, Accrington, Halifax, Bradford.
New Infrastructure: Signalling and Trackwork to increase speed. A new rail link near Bradford Interchange to remove switchbacks. Major Improvements along the East Lancashire Line, such as station refurbishments. New bay platforms at Manchester Victoria to house stopping services.
Services:

1. 1tph Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle Express.
2. 1tph Liverpool Lime Street to Middlesbrough Express.
3. 1tph Chester to York Express.
4. 1tph Manchester Victoria to Leeds Stopper.
5. 1tph (Blackpool North and) Preston to Leeds Stopper. (1tp2h extend to Blackpool North)
6. 1tph Huddersfield to Bradford Interchange.

The Later 4 services replace the currently existing services on Northern.
Stock:

1. 45 3-car Class 270 (Fictional Turbostar set's with Diesel Electric transmission for more acceleration). Ordered in 2004 and entered service in 2005. Capable of 125 mph. For stopper services and some express services.

Diagram: Soon.

 

[EnriqueEspaña]

NAME: GREAT CENTRAL

STOCK: Class 222 (Service 1,3&4) and 168 (Service 2&5)

NEW INFRASTRUCTURE: Chord to link releif line platforms at Old Oak Common to New North Mainline, Greenford to be rebuilt on New North Mainline, Double track New North Mainline. Reinstate 4 tracks South Ruislip to North Ruislip. Bridge over WCML to connect Coventry Nuneaton line directly to Nuneaton Leicester line and rebuild Nuneaton at this new site approximately 4-500m south of current site. Extend Beeston station platforms to cope with longer trains.

Other planned improvements this would utilise is Old Oak Common station and East-West Rail.

SERVICE 1): Paddington, Old Oak Common, High Wycombe, Biscester North, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry, Nuneaton, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Beeston, Nottingham.

SERVICE 2: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Greenford, West Ruislip, Denham, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfeild, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Ayelsbury, Ayelsbury Vale Parkway, Winslow, Bletchley, Milton Keynes.

SERVICE 3: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Slough, Reading, Didcot Parkway, Oxford, Oxford Parkway, Biscester Village, Bletchly, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Beeston, Nottingham.

SERVICE 4: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry, Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield.

SERVICE 5: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Greenford, West Ruislip, Denham, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Ayelsbury, Ayelsbury Vale Parkway, Winslow, Bletchly, Woburn Sands, Ridgmont, Bedford, Sandy, Cambourne, Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North.

 

[Bevan Price]

Name: Britrail
Scope: Entire passenger network
Target: Electrify all except the least busy rural lines.
Motive power: Class 80 (new), rated at 125 mph, with push-pull sets for all fast long distance services.
Class 351 : 4 & 6 coach emus for most medium distance services, rated at 110 mph.
Class 352: 4 & 6 coach emus with rapid acceleration for "big city suburban services.
(The above two being roughly derived from Class 350)
For residual diesel lines: Class 154 (new): 2 & 4 coach updates of Class 156. but with wider doors.
Fares to be distance-based; first class abolished as a wasteful use of resources; standard class seating quality to be much improved. No layouts favouring large proportions of standing passengers.
Route diagram: initially unchanged from current situation.
Services adjusted to allow some through running across the current artificial barriers of franchises. Some accelerations after new electrification completed.

 

[Energy]

Class 351 : 4 & 6 coach emus for most medium distance services, rated at 110 mph.
Class 352: 4 & 6 coach emus with rapid acceleration for "big city suburban services.

Surely you could combine these into one type of unit?

 

[popeter45]

Name: channel-link
Parent Company: SNCF
Target: cross channel local services
Services: 2-4tph Ashford to Calais passenger services with extensions to dunkirk and and St Pancreas (would run at Car trains speeds in the tunnel to allow usuage of there paths instead of needing eurostar size paths)
Stock: class 396 6 car GC gauge AC EMU with top speed of 140mph (basicly a 395 but without Third rail and safely rated for the channel tunnel with mitigations in place to allow such a short train such as batteries to reach an exit passege in the event of a loss of power lines)

 

[Shred Metal]

On the basis that this is a fantasy thread, I'll have a go...:

Name: Calder Connect (Formerly First Calder Connect before being handed over to Serco-Abellio)
Parent Company: First (2003-2016), Serco-Abellio (2016-)
Reason: Increase services on the Calder valley and East Lancashire lines. Increase in Tourism.
Hub's: Manchester Victoria, Rochdale, Blackburn, Accrington, Halifax, Bradford.
New Infrastructure: Signalling and Trackwork to increase speed. A new rail link near Bradford Interchange to remove switchbacks. Major Improvements along the East Lancashire Line, such as station refurbishments. New bay platforms at Manchester Victoria to house stopping services.
Services:

1. 1tph Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle Express.
2. 1tph Liverpool Lime Street to Middlesbrough Express.
3. 1tph Chester to York Express.
4. 1tph Manchester Victoria to Leeds Stopper.
5. 1tph (Blackpool North and) Preston to Leeds Stopper. (1tp2h extend to Blackpool North)
6. 1tph Huddersfield to Bradford Interchange.

The Later 4 services replace the currently existing services on Northern.
Stock:

1. 45 3-car Class 270 (Fictional Turbostar set's with Diesel Electric transmission for more acceleration). Ordered in 2004 and entered service in 2005. Capable of 125 mph. For stopper services and some express services.

Diagram: Soon.

Nice! Can't say I know much about the Calder region bar some cab-ride videos on YouTube, but this is tight.

I guess the Turbostars would adopt the 'Super' prefix, as is the case with Super Sprinters and Super Voyagers?

Seems like Calder Connect might be hosting a few football specials, post-apocalypse!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jan 2021 ==

NAME: GREAT CENTRAL

STOCK: Class 222 (Service 1,3&4) and 168 (Service 2&5)

NEW INFRASTRUCTURE: Chord to link releif line platforms at Old Oak Common to New North Mainline, Greenford to be rebuilt on New North Mainline, Double track New North Mainline. Reinstate 4 tracks South Ruislip to North Ruislip. Bridge over WCML to connect Coventry Nuneaton line directly to Nuneaton Leicester line and rebuild Nuneaton at this new site approximately 4-500m south of current site. Extend Beeston station platforms to cope with longer trains.

Other planned improvements this would utilise is Old Oak Common station and East-West Rail.

SERVICE 1): Paddington, Old Oak Common, High Wycombe, Biscester North, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry, Nuneaton, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Beeston, Nottingham.

SERVICE 2: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Greenford, West Ruislip, Denham, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfeild, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Ayelsbury, Ayelsbury Vale Parkway, Winslow, Bletchley, Milton Keynes.

SERVICE 3: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Slough, Reading, Didcot Parkway, Oxford, Oxford Parkway, Biscester Village, Bletchly, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Beeston, Nottingham.

SERVICE 4: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Reading, Oxford, Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry, Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield.

SERVICE 5: Paddington, Old Oak Common, Greenford, West Ruislip, Denham, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, High Wycombe, Princes Risborough, Ayelsbury, Ayelsbury Vale Parkway, Winslow, Bletchly, Woburn Sands, Ridgmont, Bedford, Sandy, Cambourne, Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North.

Holy F**k.

This is huge.

Would there still be St. Pancras and the Midland Mainline? Would Paddington need expanding?

The WCML bridge between Coventry and Leicester is definitely needed, as I believe it's currently impossible for a train to navigate without multiple switchbacks?

I like the East West influence here.. and the nod to the GCR.

Any chance of a diagram sir?

 

[Purple Orange]

Name: Manchester Metro (commonly known as the Bee), consisting of three component parts:

• Manchester Tram
• Manchester Underground
• Manchester Overground

Why: A Manchester high frequency rail network is non-existent outside of metrolink. This TOC would combine the current Metrolink network with a heavy rail network centred on the viaduct network from Piccadilly to Victoria, and the creation of two tunnels in the city centre.

Hub/s: Manchester Piccadilly and St. Peter’s Square

New infrastructure:

• HS2 Western branch to Piccadilly 6-platform surface station
• A link from Piccadilly HS2 to Trans Pennine line via Guide Bridge.
• A tunnel from east of Ardwick to west of Cornbrook, linking to Trafford Bar and to CLC.
  • Underground stations at Ardwick, Piccadilly, St. Peter’s Square, Deansgate/Castlefield, Cornbrook.
• A tunnel heading from Atherton line north of Salford Crescent to St. Peter’s Sq, joining line to Piccadilly.
  • Underground stations at St. Peter’s Square, Spinningfields, Middlewood Locks and Salford Crescent.
• A tunnel heading north east from St. Peter’s Square to east of Victoria, linking to Bury line, linking up from Cornbrook.
  • Underground stations at Corporation Street (for Exchange Sq and St Mary’s Gate) & Victoria.
• Electrification of all unwired lines
• A new tram line connection from Media City through to Chapel Street, John Dalton Street to St. Peters Square.
• A tram line from St Peters Square to East Didsbury down Oxford Road.
• An extension of the Ashton line to Stalybridge.
• Platform lengthening where needed
• Piccadilly P15 & P16
• Salford Central additional platforms

Service/s:

Manchester Underground:

• Altrincham to Hadfield & Glossop (10 tph, splitting for Hadfield & Glossop)
• East Didsbury-Bury (10 tph)
• Southport to Rose Hill Marple via Atherton (10 tph, 5 tph from Southport

Manchester Overground

• Airport to Bradford (4 tph)
• Airport to Liverpool via CLC (4 tph)
• Airport to Blackpool (4 tph)
• Crewe to Piccadilly (4 tph)
• Stoke to Burnley (4 tph)
• Colne via Blackburn to Stalybridge (4 tph)
• Buxton to Piccadilly (4 tph)
• Crewe to Manchester Airport (4 tph)

Manchester Tram:

• Trafford Centre to Stalybridge via Ashton (10 tph)
• Airport to Rochdale via Wythenshawe (10 tph)
• Eccles to Middleton (10 tph)
• Media City to East Didbury (10 tph)

Stock:

• Underground: Stadler Tyne & Wear metro stock, for ease of compatibility with existing metro link stations outside the city centre.
• Overground: Stadler FLIRT class 745 in 6-car formation 2+2 seating
• Tram: New double length M5000s.

USP: A fully comprehensive rail network.

 

[Metrolink]

NAME: WEST COAST CONNECT
REGIONS: North West, Shropshire, Bristol, South Wales, Midlands
MAJOR HUBS: Cardiff Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham NS, Bristol TM, Chester, Shrewsbury
SERVICES:

Service A: Manchester - Stockport - Stoke - Stafford - Wolverhampton- Birmingham - Worcestershire Parkway - Bristol TM - Newport - Cardiff Central

Frequency: 3tp2h off peak, 2tph peak​

Service B: Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly - Earlstown - Chester - Wrexham General - Ruabon - Chirk - Shrewsbury - Machynlleth - Aberystwyth (semi-fast)

Frequency: 4tpd​

Service C: Bristol TM - Birmingham - Smethwick Galton Bridge (2tpd) - Sandwell and Dudley - Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury

Frequency: 1tph​

Service D: Cardiff - Birmingham NS - Wolverhampton - Stafford - Crewe - Warrington BQ - Wigan NW - Preston - Lancaster - Carlisle - Motherwell(2tpd) - Glasgow Central

Frequency: 2tp3h​

Note: All stops shown unless specified otherwise

ROLLING STOCK :
Service A: Class 800 Bi-Modes (9-car length)
Service B: Class 222 Meridians (4-car length)
Service C: Class 800 Bi-Modes (5-car length)
Service D: Class 800 Bi-Modes (9-car length)

 

[HST43257]

Devon Connect (metro sub brand of GWR). 769s at first then 4 car EMUs (387s?)

2tph all day Exmouth to Paignton
2tph peak Newcourt to Exminster (enabling 4tph in the inner commuter area)

1tph all day Barnstaple to Axminster
1tph peak Okehampton to Cranbrook
1tph off peak Okehampton to Exeter Central

 

[popeter45]

NAME: WEST COAST CONNECT
REGIONS: North West, Shropshire, Bristol, South Wales, Midlands
MAJOR HUBS: Cardiff Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham NS, Bristol TM, Chester, Shrewsbury
SERVICES:

Service A: Manchester - Stockport - Stoke - Stafford - Wolverhampton- Birmingham - Worcestershire Parkway - Bristol TM - Newport - Cardiff Central

Frequency: 3tp2h off peak, 2tph peak​

Service B: Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly - Earlstown - Chester - Wrexham General - Ruabon - Chirk - Shrewsbury - Machynlleth - Aberystwyth (semi-fast)

Frequency: 4tpd​

Service C: Bristol TM - Birmingham - Smethwick Galton Bridge (2tpd) - Sandwell and Dudley - Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury

Frequency: 1tph​

Service D: Cardiff - Birmingham NS - Wolverhampton - Stafford - Crewe - Warrington BQ - Wigan NW - Preston - Lancaster - Carlisle - Motherwell(2tpd) - Glasgow Central

Frequency: 2tp3h​

Note: All stops shown unless specified otherwise

ROLLING STOCK :
Service A: Class 800 Bi-Modes (9-car length)
Service B: Class 222 Meridians (4-car length)
Service C: Class 800 Bi-Modes (5-car length)
Service D: Class 800 Bi-Modes (9-car length)

a few changes i would make

1. extend Service A to swansea at peak
2. add Cheltenham to Services that pass it
3. simplify rolling stock to all 5 car class 802's with some doubled up for Services A and D

 

[Metrolink]

a few changes i would make

1. extend Service A to swansea at peak
2. add Cheltenham to Services that pass it
3. simplify rolling stock to all 5 car class 802's with some doubled up for Services A and D

All of those would actually be a good idea, thanks for the suggestion!

Manchester Tram:

• Trafford Centre to Stalybridge via Ashton (10 tph)
• Airport to Rochdale via Wythenshawe (10 tph)
• Eccles to Middleton (10 tph)
• Media City to East Didbury (10 tph)

I could also recommend a chord from just South west of Cornbrook to link up with the Eccles branch because I see turning around at Cornbrook for East didsbury services very problematic.