2019 in Rail - Anyone Dare Predict?!

[KashmireHawker]

Another barmy year is almost at an end and a fair few things have certainly ruffled many a Department for Transport Minister, Civil Servant and the boards of our operators...

So the question must be asked: what are the key things you think will happen during 2019?

With 3 Franchise Comps ongoing (South Eastern, East Midlands and West Coast Partnership), struggling firms trying to get better deals from DfT (South Western and Thameslink among them) , attempted timetable switches ending in a total mess and far much more, I suspect things could get pretty messy: particularly if a Snap Election takes place!

 

[380101]

Alex Hynes to resign from Abellio ScotRail before June 2019 due to the ongoing issues with rolling stock shortages, staff shortages and consistently poor performance.

 

[squizzler]

A hard brexit will result in the government having to break out the strategic steam reserve to keep the country running.

 

[xotGD]

Proper trains on Trans-Pennine services for the first time in decades.

Plastic on the ECML.

On balance, an improvement.

 

[Altfish]

Many of the May timetable changes delayed.

Piccadilly 14/15 cancelled.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Many of the May timetable changes delayed.

Piccadilly 14/15 cancelled.

Agreed - reckon the timetable change will be piecemeal and the GTR 22tph will not be 22tph.

And yes, Piccadilly extra platforms cancelled because apparently “Digital Railway” is the way forward to squeeze and extra 2tph into the corridor and then be delayed anyway.

 

[Bevan Price]

The DfT will continue to exist, and make a mess of involvement with railways.
Meanwhile, new roads will get loads of ££££££££££££.

 

[InterCity:125]

Drones above st Pancras will disrupt all trains...

Oh wait, that only applies to aircraft.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Strikes will continue to happen on Arriva Rail North, just on a much more frequent scale than 2018, slowly increasing until the point where strikes are happening every day. Thus, nobody will ever be able to get to work and the entirety of the North will fall into a financial decline or something like that... and it's all Chris Grayling and the DfT's fault!!!

 

[christopher]

Crossrail will be further delayed

 

[gingertom]

A hard brexit will result in the government having to break out the strategic steam reserve to keep the country running.

where are we going to source suitable coal?

 

[Esker-pades]

where are we going to source suitable coal?

From the bricks that Theresa May is excreting at the moment.

 

[GusB]

where are we going to source suitable coal?

From the bricks that Theresa May is excreting at the moment.

Isn't coal produced from rotting fossils? There should be a sizable seam underneath the House of Lords by now, surely?