Network Rail managed stations

[MidnightFlyer]

Hi all,

Just something that has cropped into my mind:

We curreently have 18 Network Rail managed stations in Great Britain (Edinburgh, Glasgow Ctl, Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime St, Birmingham New St, Gatwick Airport, and various London termini (including Bridge)).

I just want to know:

a) What are the advantages of having Network Rail manage a station?
b) Are there any more stations you feel are worthy of such an 'honour'?

I know cost etc dictates many will never be 'upgraded', but I just want to know your thoughts.

My answers:
a) I don't know;
b) Brighton, Reading, York, Bristol Temple Meads.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Mojo]

Can tell you one of the disadvantages is that a large number of the staff get transferred over to Network Rail and non-safeguarded staff lose all their travel perks

 

[All Line Rover]

Can tell you one of the disadvantages is that a large number of the staff get transferred over to Network Rail and non-safeguarded staff lose all their travel perks

I never knew that. What type of staff would that happen to? For example, would staff who work in the VT ticket office at Euston (and who are dressed in a VT uniform) still be employed by Virgin and receive their normal travel perks?

 

[Ivo]

Stations to upgrade (bringing total to 30):

East Croydon; Clapham Junction; Reading; Brighton; York; Cardiff Central; Bristol Temple Meads; Manchester Victoria; London Marylebone; London Blackfriars; Stratford; Newcastle

 

[Mojo]

I never knew that. What type of staff would that happen to? For example, would staff who work in the VT ticket office at Euston (and who are dressed in a VT uniform) still be employed by Virgin and receive their normal travel perks?

No, it is only Network Rail staff (non safeguarded) who don't receive rail staff travel benefits. I think I was told the limit of the benefits is a 70% discount (taxable) off an annual season, subject to a £2,100 maximum price.

I am not aware of any ticket offices at Network Rail Major Stations being run by Network Rail themselves.

 

[scotsman]

I never knew that. What type of staff would that happen to? For example, would staff who work in the VT ticket office at Euston (and who are dressed in a VT uniform) still be employed by Virgin and receive their normal travel perks?

1. Anyone who entered the industry post-privisation
2. They would continue to be employed by Virgin

 

[The Planner]

I expect there is bucket loads of cash to made from advertising and retail space for NR in the managed ones. As for the NR travel benefits, Mojo is correct, 70% subsidy up to a max £2100, any shortfall can be taken as an interest free loan which is then taken out of your pay packet. The subsidy also gets you a right kicking by the tax man too. The pay offer being negotiated at the mo raises that to 75% and £2250 I think.

 

[WatcherZero]

The Network Rail managed stations exist where theres no primary Toc with a majority of services who would therefore feel the best management of the station was in its best interests or too many to split financial responsibility easily.

 

[The Planner]

Based on that then surely New Street would be LM managed ??

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Based on that then surely New Street would be LM managed ??

And Edinburgh and Glasgow Ctl ScotRail, Leeds Northern and Manchester Piccadilly Virgin. You could also say Gatwick and Southern!

Fenchurch St, Cannon St, Charing Cross and Liverpool St all have one sole TOC...

 

[Zoe]

Why not just have NR manage all stations? I don't know of many airports managed by airlines.

 

[Ivo]

To give a second answer to the question, I would suggest a complete rehash! The following 20 stations are included in my new plan...

London Liverpool Street
London Blackfriars
London Bridge
London Charing Cross
London Victoria
London Paddington
London Euston
London St Pancras
London King's Cross
Stratford
Clapham Junction
East Croydon
Gatwick Airport
Reading
Birmingham New Street
Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Piccadilly
Leeds
Edinburgh
Glasgow Central

 

[swt_passenger]

Interesting to compare that with the list of National Hub 'A' stations as defined by Network Rail for the stations report:

Birmingham New Street
Bristol Temple Meads
Cardiff Central*
Leeds
Liverpool Lime Street High Level
London Blackfriars
London Bridge
London Cannon Street
London Charing Cross
London Euston
London Fenchurch Street
London Kings Cross
London Liverpool Street
London Marylebone
London Paddington
London St Pancras International
London St Pancras Midland Mainline
London Victoria
London Waterloo
Manchester Piccadilly
Newcastle
York

 

[alexdodds]

What I love about the NR managed stations is the different colours that go alongside the blue on the signs and also the station logos they have because they usualy are related to something.

Glasgow Central - G for Glasgow
Edinburgh - E with the battlements on related to the castle.
Leeds - L with The White Rose
Manchester Piccadilly - The M is related to the viaduct that the trains go across.
Liverpool Lime Street - L for Liverpool and no idea about the bird.
Birmingham New Street - B for Birmingham.
Kings Cross - A kings crown with a X.
Euston - Euston arch in the shape of an E.
Paddington - P with one of the roof faces in it.
Victoria - Queen Victoria of course
Charing Cross - No idea about the C and X
Waterloo - W for Waterloo and the horse probably refers to the battle of Waterloo.
Cannon Street - C and a crescent moon. A reference to the crescent moons in the walls at both sides of the station.
Fenchurch Street - F with the battlements and a flag on the top a reference to nearby Tower of London.
Liverpool Street - L for Liverpool Street.
Gatwick Airport - A G and a plane combined together.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

What I love about the NR managed stations is the different colours that go alongside the blue on the signs and also the station logos they have because they usualy are related to something.

I too love the colours, but after travelling you realise that many are the same (Liverpool St/Waterloo - Red; Euston/New St/Glasgow Ctl - Yellow; Edinburgh and Gatwick Apt - light blue). The new 'Welcome to...' signs look really nice though (I've only seen them at Gatwick and New St though).

 

[scotsman]

Glasgow Central - No idea what the G stands for
[

Glasgow m'boy! (And, notably, in the style of Charles Rennie Macintosh)

 

[tbtc]

Manchester Victoria; London Marylebone

Is there any need when there's only one TOC serving them?

 

[Ivo]

I'm thinking more about station size.

I would actually prefer my second option, which does not include those two, but that involves downgrading several existing stations. Essentially, why should Marylebone not be NR-managed if Fenchurch Street (which has just four platforms) is? Man Vic is more with expansion in mind.

 

[alexdodds]

I think as a rule the station must be served by trains to and from London for it to qualify as a NR managed station.

 

[atomicdanny]

Is there any need when there's only one TOC serving them?

Don't London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street, London Fenchurch Street and London Liverpool Street only have one TOC (although the latter does have the occasional C2C train! and of course ignoring the Underground)

 

[KBD1]

Hi.
To the OP.
I do not no know what you mean by being honured, to work for NR.
I certainly do not. May be BR
It is a seperate company from all the other post private companies.
Although NR seems to be the gamekeeper & all other companies are the poachers.
I know for certain this appears to be no longer the case nowadays.
All companies now have a more of a input into how NR works to some extent.

All being, they do have their T & C,s but only to new staff members, not including post privatistion.

 

[tbtc]

Don't London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street, London Fenchurch Street and London Liverpool Street only have one TOC (although the latter does have the occasional C2C train! and of course ignoring the Underground)

True, and I don't think that those stations need to be Network Rail managed either (I could see the logic in Liverpool Street when it had three TOCs, but not now).

 

[Zoe]

As I said earlier, just get NR to manage all the stations and dispatch the trains. Leave the TOCs if we must have them to simply run the trains. Heathrow Airport is not managed by an airline.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Hi.
To the OP.
I do not no know what you mean by being honured, to work for NR.
I certainly do not. May be BR
It is a seperate company from all the other post private companies.
Although NR seems to be the gamekeeper & all other companies are the poachers.
I know for certain this appears to be no longer the case nowadays.
All companies now have a more of a input into how NR works to some extent.

All being, they do have their T & C,s but only to new staff members, not including post privatistion.

I meant the honour of the station being managed by Network Rail.

 

[KBD1]

I meant the honour of the station being managed by Network Rail.[/QUOTE

OK. But the honour of being station owner means practically nothing.
Sorry if i am picking you up wrong.

It will no longer be the case in the next couple of years when, NR go back, apparently to the same as before when they were Railtrack, seperate regions.
Scotland & Wessex only, for a trial.

 

[OxtedL]

Maybe I'm cynical, but surely one major factor is how much can be milked off retail...
This may explain Fenchurch (never been there myself though....)

 

[Zoe]

It will no longer be the case in the next couple of years when, NR go back, apparently to the same as before when they were Railtrack, seperate regions.
Scotland & Wessex only, for a trial.

I don't think this is the case. There will be separate business units for the routes but things like timetabling and planning will have to remain centralized. NR didn't just build a National Centre at Milton Keynes for nothing.

 

[cslusarc]

Stations to upgrade (bringing total to 30):

East Croydon; Clapham Junction; Reading; Brighton; York; Cardiff Central; Bristol Temple Meads; Manchester Victoria; London Marylebone; London Blackfriars; Stratford; Newcastle

East Croydon, Clapham Junction, London Marylebone, London Blackfriars, Stratford Regional and all other non-Network Rail owned & operated railway stations should transfer to the London Rail division of Transport for London.

 

[WatcherZero]

TfGM has actually been arguing the same thing, that when the Northern Franchise is renewed they get responsibility for maintenence and operation of the stations (or at least unmanned ones), they point out they already have responsibility for the Metrolink stations as well as Horwich Parkway which they own and that the stations would benefit from unified PTE branding and operation.

 

[KBD1]

I don't think this is the case. There will be separate business units for the routes but things like timetabling and planning will have to remain centralized. NR didn't just build a National Centre at Milton Keynes for nothing.

Some what agree, but apparently everything is going to be separate, in Scotland & Wessex, so i am lead to belive. Probably wrong.
These business units are what they were before, NR ?
NR Milton Keynes was devised as HQ, before Sir Roy Mc Nulty was involved though.
I don't know, but i looks like regional companies again, although the Tories say no.
All new works, costs etc, will be arranged with the local TOC,s, & particularly Transport For Scotland.
There are a couple of projects for Scotland, that are going ahead, but those have the green light from HQ, funded by TFS & NR.