Well, that should call Alliance's bluff on ordering new trains.
The Alliance press item doesn't specifically say so, but ORR is assuming 4x6-car Pendolinos will operate the new services.
These might possibly be of higher power than the 390s, as both ORR and NR say they expect no adverse performance impact from the new service.
This contradicts what they have been saying about the WCML South for the past few years, in relation to the VT proposals.
We also have the prospect of a DB-owned TOC ordering Alstom trains!
My impression is that ORR/NR have decided to approve these services despite their long-standing view that a timetable rewrite was necessary to allow more services.
The timetable rewrite has been pushed back repeatedly and there is no date for it now (well, some time before 2018).
I think the idea now is to get Open Access services contracted on the WCML before the next ICWC/West Midland franchises are rebid, despite DfT protesations.
There is also the small issue of putting wires up to Blackpool.
Presumably the services will operate to Preston if there is any delay.
They have also removed the Warrington stops as "too abstractive".
You have to give Alliance (Arriva/DB) credit for persisting with this application.
The DfT/ORR reckon it will cost the ICWC franchise about £25m per annum in revenue abstraction, and therefore reduces the scope for franchise improvements in the next round.
It also reopens the Alstom production line for UK tilting trains, after being thwarted by the ICWC bidding fiasco in 2012.
That ought to make it easier for other TOCs to add more orders (eg to replace Voyagers on the Euston-Birmingham-Scotland services, or even TPE Scottish services).
Very interesting development, proving Open Access is not dead (I think that was one of the objectives...).
