DB to buy Grand Central

[Pumbaa]

Currently doing the rumour mill. Offer reported at €20 million.

Watch this space?
Edit: now confirmed; see press releases below

Arriva acquires open access operator Grand Central Railway
Arriva PLC has acquired UK open access operator Grand Central Railway. See press release from Arriva below and comment from Tom Clift, Managing Director, Grand Central Railway:
"Today opens a brand new chapter for Grand Central and for open access operations on Britain’s railways.
“The decision by Arriva, one of Europe’s largest transport undertakings, to acquire Grand Central is a huge vote of confidence in all our staff who have worked so hard over the last four years to deliver the very highest standards of customer service to the growing numbers of passengers using our routes.
“I will continue to lead Grand Central and will report directly into Bob Holland, MD of Arriva’s UK Trains division. Meanwhile Grand Central will remain a self-contained business with its own unique brand and identity. Our headquarters will continue to be based in York.”

Arriva acquires open access operator Grand Central Railway

4 November 2011
Arriva plc has confirmed it has acquired UK open access operator Grand Central Railway which runs passenger train services between Sunderland and London, and between Bradford/Halifax and London.
The acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, adds to Arriva’s UK Trains portfolio of the CrossCountry, Arriva Trains Wales and Chiltern Railways franchises, and concessions to operate the Tyne and Wear Metro and (as a joint venture) London Overground operations.
Grand Central is an open access operator, it does not receive subsidy from, or pay any premium to the Department for Transport. It operates four direct services between Sunderland and London Kings Cross daily, and three direct services between Bradford/Halifax and London Kings Cross. It provides approximately 700,000 passenger journeys a year.
Bob Holland, Arriva UK Trains managing director, said: “We firmly believe open access will play a valuable part of a balanced portfolio for our UK Trains division alongside our three franchises and concessions operated on London Overground and the Tyne and Wear Metro.
“Bringing Grand Central on board means we have a live open access operation up and running, one which is popular with customers and which we believe we can develop to become a key commercial part of our UK rail operations.”

 

[DarloRich]

really - WOW! I wonder if the competeton commision will want to have a look at thier UK rail portfolio.

 

[185]

Ist is mit Gründ Central? Schnelll!!!!

 

[route:oxford]

State operated railway company competing against state operated railway company...

Sounds fair enough to me.

"Chilternised" HST MK3s will be great.

 

[Yew]

really - WOW! I wonder if the competeton commision will want to have a look at thier UK rail portfolio.

Competition in a privatised british railway? It was never there anyway


Maybe we will end up with a nationalised system, just the german state railway

 

[DarloRich]

Die Aufmerksamkeit dieses wil ist dann geschlossen großartiges zentrales! (Gerade wie WSMR)

Or attention!- that will be Grand Central close down (like WSMR!) (If my German hasnt let me down badly)

 

[Max]

Die Aufmerksamkeit dieses wil ist dann geschlossen großartiges zentrales! (Gerade wie WSMR)

Or attention!- that will be Grand Central close down (like WSMR!) (If my German hasnt let me down badly)

Nein! In all seriousness, if this were to happen, DB would get a number of attractive paths on the ECML and an already well established company. I doubt they would run it into the ground, I could see them developing it further.

 

[Eagle]

Is it a coincidence that DB's UK rail division* is headquartered in Sunderland?


*or "Arriva", as they seem to like calling themselves

 

[91101]

This could very well be credible.

Deustch Bahn own Arriva.

Arriva are bankrolling Alliance Rail.

Alliance Rail is the brainchild of Ian Yeowart.

Ian Yeowart who led and created GC and was then ousted from said company...

Draw your own conclusions but if its true I would expect Tom Clift to be looking for a new job soon!

 

[Pumbaa]

Draw your own conclusions but if its true I would expect Tom Clift to be looking for a new job soon!

I drew the same conclusions as you. As GC is already a (reasonably) trusted brand, I would expect to see some sort of rationalisation of operations too, aka the GC name applied to Alliance's OA aspirations.

 

[tbtc]

20 million Euros for a loss making company which has no assets and no guarantee of having paths in the long term?

I know the German taxpayers are having to bail out Greece etc, but even so...

 

[fgwrich]

Is it a coincidence that DB's UK rail division* is headquartered in Sunderland?


*or "Arriva", as they seem to like calling themselves

Arriva... Oh that funny old company... the company once known by it's dog t*rd logo!

This could very well be credible.

Deustch Bahn own Arriva.

Arriva are bankrolling Alliance Rail.

Alliance Rail is the brainchild of Ian Yeowart.

Ian Yeowart who led and created GC and was then ousted from said company...

Draw your own conclusions but if its true I would expect Tom Clift to be looking for a new job soon!

Which in turn gives DB / Yeowart this Alliance Rail Holdings GNER Paths (God id hate to see the name of GNER brought back by yeowart & co!)

 

[Bridge189]

Sounds bad to me. DB didn't exactly give WMSR a ringing endorsement and with DB possibly being interested in being the east coast ORCAT in the future....

 

[WestCoast]

Die Aufmerksamkeit dieses wil ist dann geschlossen großartiges zentrales! (Gerade wie WSMR)

Err, 'Aufmerksamkeit' meaning attention as in 'give it attention' or 'attentiveness'? I hope they do display that, although I don't think that's what you meant!

Anyway enough of that, if they do buy it I hope they invest in it wisely. I am not the greatest fan of OAOs in general, but I hope the company benefits from a takeover.

I probably go against the forum's general opinion and experience in that I have had two poor experiences with Grand Central and was not impressed with the customer service after each event, or the compensation policies. Their promotions and onboard staff are very good though.

 

[BOSCH]

(God id hate to see the name of GNER brought back by yeowart & co!)

He owned the name originally,he thought of it,then sold it to Sea Containers and then bought the name back once Seaco gave it up !! As for the rumour that DB will buy us,makes a change from FirstGroup rumour I suppose !!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This could very well be credible.

Deustch Bahn own Arriva.

Arriva are bankrolling Alliance Rail.

Alliance Rail is the brainchild of Ian Yeowart.

Ian Yeowart who led and created GC and was then ousted from said company...

Draw your own conclusions but if its true I would expect Tom Clift to be looking for a new job soon!

Rearrange these words At,Straws,Clutching !!!

 

[91101]

Bosch, I think it would be a fantastic thing for GC were certain people back at the helm!

 

[BOSCH]

Bosch, I think it would be a fantastic thing for GC were certain people back at the helm!

"You may think that,However,I'm afraid I couldnt possibly comment !"

 

[Butts]

If Deustch Bahn are state owned is everyday control effectively in the hands of Berlin or is it farmed out - ie more like BR used to be ?

Does DB receive a subsidy from Berlin or does it make a profit ?

 

[Eagle]

If Deustch Bahn are state owned is everyday control effectively in the hands of Berlin or is it farmed out - ie more like BR used to be ?

Does DB receive a subsidy from Berlin or does it make a profit ?

State-owned doesn't equal state-controlled. For instance, Channel 4 is state-owned but makes its money from advertising and sales, no government handouts.

 

[Butts]

State-owned doesn't equal state-controlled. For instance, Channel 4 is state-owned but makes its money from advertising and sales, no government handouts.

Thanks - does it receive a subsidy or is it viable without Government Support ? (DB not C4)

 

[9K43]

I was told by a Director of EWS that Grand Central would never take off.
If DB get there hands on this company I would worry for its future.

 

[Bridge189]

That's the question do they want it as a business in it's current form or for the rolling stock it would inherit like WSMR? Time will tell but they are probably interested in becoming the ECMLs ORCAT in the next few years too. I personally have never seen a GC train more then half full but they appear to be a well respected company on here and with customers.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well it's certainly interesting if the rumour is true. If I were a user of GC's Bradford services I would be worried because I doubt DB will wait anywhere near as long as GC's present backers to see some signs of profit. Certainly I don't think the Sunderland side of operations is in danger because that at least is making money!

 

[BOSCH]

That's the question do they want it as a business in it's current form or for the rolling stock it would inherit like WSMR?

We dont own the rolling stock anymore,that now belongs to Angel Trains !

 

[185]

Okay, I've removed the link to the Wikipedia entry for poop.

But you get the message, of how much I believe DB are buying GC?

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Sorry if I've missed this elsewhere, but perhaps BOSCH can answer.

Any truth in (the welcome rumour I've heard) that GC's West Yorkshire service will begin stopping in Mirfield from December, with decent connections to Huddersfield?

Could help the loadings quite a bit.

 

[Eagle]

Entirely true. They've applied to do so and as far as I can tell Network Rail have accepted: clicky

 

[Schnellzug]

If Deustch Bahn are state owned is everyday control effectively in the hands of Berlin or is it farmed out - ie more like BR used to be ?

Does DB receive a subsidy from Berlin or does it make a profit ?

i thinK DBS, DB regio etc are pretty much independent companies under common ownership. I don't about the subsidy question; regional services are put out to tender and subsidised as necesary, but I don't know whether that applies to Fernverkehr (InterCity).

 

[142094]

i thinK DBS, DB regio etc are pretty much independent companies under common ownership. I don't about the subsidy question; regional services are put out to tender and subsidised as necesary, but I don't know whether that applies to Fernverkehr (InterCity).

Everything in the UK is being rebranded as Arriva Trains UK, which includes DB Regio and the Arriva franchises. This is mainly backroom, so doubt if the trains will be reliveried.

 

[DarloRich]

I wonder if the GC HQ in York will move to the Arriva HQ at Doxford park in Sunderland

DB will be taking voer all north east travel soon. XC/the Arriva bus monster/metro and now GC.