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Alternative scenario, mid 90's privatisation option

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mike57

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A thought started by the 'Which year was the lowest ebb' thread

Had the privatisation of BR proceeded as return to the big 4 model where would that leave us today?

The goverment would have sold off shares, as they did with BT and British Gas (which were pretty much monopolies at the time of sale) in 4 companies, loosely based around the 'Big 4' territories.

The companies created would be responsible for all operations within their territory, rolling stock, infrastructure, signalling, track, stations.

Government subsidies would be handed out, probably on a route by route basis. Assume that during Covid the government would have upped this subsidy to ensure that operations continued, and that overall subsidies would be similar to current levels.
 
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Magdalia

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Something like Hatfield would still have happened, but with even worse consequences.
 

eldomtom2

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All four would never make a profit and interregional passenger and freight traffic would probably be in a bad way. I can see very little to recommend this.
 
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