GBR HQ or Regional HQ

[CapabilityB]

The list of cities and towns throwing their hat in the ring to be the home of the HQ for Great British Railways is almost complete with entries for the competition closing imminently.

My question is, would it be better for a city to host the HQ for GBR, (which might end up being more of a ceremonial base with limited employment when considered against the scale of the industry), or to be the HQ for one of the Regions, which could be interpreted to be where the real power will lie?

 

[6Gman]

The list of cities and towns throwing their hat in the ring to be the home of the HQ for Great British Railways is almost complete with entries for the competition closing imminently.

My question is, would it be better for a city to host the HQ for GBR, (which might end up being more of a ceremonial base with limited employment when considered against the scale of the industry), or to be the HQ for one of the Regions, which could be interpreted to be where the real power will lie?

Living near to, and being a former councillor for, a town which has made a bid to be the national HQ I think your very wise question is beyond the wit and intelligence of quite a lot of councillors and council officers who simply see it as a status opportunity.

 

[CapabilityB]

Living near to, and being a former councillor for, a town which has made a bid to be the national HQ I think your very wise question is beyond the wit and intelligence of quite a lot of councillors and council officers who simply see it as a status opportunity.

Kindest thing that’s been said to me all day. Thanks.

I guess there is value in a status opportunity. But, like you it seems, I think a lot of money is being spent on trying to achieve something that won’t bring real value.

Can’t help but think that Grant Shapps’ video with Portillo just belittled the whole contests and showed it for what it really is (a sop to the north that will have no real impact)

 

[jfollows]

Can’t help but think that Grant Shapps’ video with Portillo just belittled the whole contests and showed it for what it really is (a sop to the north that will have no real impact)

That's a good summary of this government's approach to just about everything!

 

[Simon11]

would it be better for a city to host the HQ for GBR, (which might end up being more of a ceremonial base with limited employment when considered against the scale of the industry)

If the HQ will be outside of London, then it will always be a ceremonial base. It is likely to be filled by low ranking employees required to keep the business going such as HR, IT, Customer support people ect.

The bulk of the senior and rail expertise in GBR all live in or around London, so there is still likely to be a strong senior office based in London where the key decisions will be made.

 

[ExRes]

The decision should be made solely on UK unemployment rates as the physical location is completely unimportant, that means a straight choice between the North East and London

 

[Simon11]

Or should cost be more important?

If there is a Network Rail office in the UK with enough space to accommodate the size of this team (of several hundred), why not select that location and save a huge amount of money? If the latest trend of working from home continues, you don't actually need the same space as pre-pandemic.

 

[zwk500]

My question is, would it be better for a city to host the HQ for GBR, (which might end up being more of a ceremonial base with limited employment when considered against the scale of the industry), or to be the HQ for one of the Regions, which could be interpreted to be where the real power will lie?

I don't believe there are any plans for GBR to move the Regional HQs from where NR currently intend to site them. The ROCs certainly won't move (although there no particular need for management to be close to the ROCs). National HQ is the only available thing to aim for at this stage.

The decision should be made solely on UK unemployment rates as the physical location is completely unimportant, that means a straight choice between the North East and London

Locating the HQ in an area of unemployment does nothing if the local people don't have skills or experience the HQ needs to employ. It would depend very much on which roles are planned to be located in the new national HQ

Or should cost be more important?

If there is a Network Rail office in the UK with enough space to accommodate the size of this team (of several hundred), why not select that location and save a huge amount of money? If the latest trend of working from home continues, you don't actually need the same space as pre-pandemic.

Given London office rents, moving a team of this size out of an expensive office to a new, cheaper one and handing back the lease is a sensible financial proposal.

 

[High Dyke]

Living near to, and being a former councillor for, a town which has made a bid to be the national HQ I think your very wise question is beyond the wit and intelligence of quite a lot of councillors and council officers who simply see it as a status opportunity.

Absolutely. Local councillors in Grantham suggested a bid for the HQ, "to be placed on land adjacent to the railway station". This was based on the fact that Grantham had important historic links to the East Coast Main Line during steam days. The land they suggested has either been redeveloped for housing (former steam shed) or the current incumbent TOC has just expanded the station car park and revamped the station forecourt. In essence there was insufficient land available; though it depends on what space is required.

 

[CW2]

Locating the HQ in an area of unemployment does nothing if the local people don't have skills or experience the HQ needs to employ. It would depend very much on which roles are planned to be located in the new national HQ

When EWS formed their new HQ at Doncaster, they alienated / made redundant the majority of the former RfD and Freightliner staff, and recruited locally - or from the relatively small pool of people who were willing to relocate to Doncaster. It did take some time to settle down, but to be fair it has been doing a good job for many years now. So long as you have a group of key personnel who are willing to train others, then recruitment from a local talent pool is less of an issue. There's no reason why an unemployed person in (say) Middlesbrough is intrinsically less suitable of a railway HQ job than somebody in the south-east.

 

[The Planner]

Or should cost be more important?

If there is a Network Rail office in the UK with enough space to accommodate the size of this team (of several hundred), why not select that location and save a huge amount of money? If the latest trend of working from home continues, you don't actually need the same space as pre-pandemic.

No, I believe NR have got rid of one floor at the Birmingham office due to the reduction of space requirements.

 

[D365]

Surely it’s between York and anywhere else?

 

[Nick Ashwell]

It's going to be down to one of the towns that was a major works, York, Swindon, or Crewe. Derby still has a major works so likely won't be a winner.

 

[greyman42]

It's going to be down to one of the towns that was a major works, York, Swindon, or Crewe. Derby still has a major works so likely won't be a winner.

There is a brand new empty office block right outside York station.

 

[Pete_uk]

I think Birmingham as it's centrally located with good links to everywhere.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

There is a brand new empty office block right outside York station.

The offices above Swindon Station (Signal point) are also free. Personally it's a toss up between the two

 

[D365]

There is a brand new empty office block right outside York station.

Dare I say, we might have a winner!

 

[Energy]

Milton Keynes. Its where Network Rail's current office is in a pretty new building, I'd be suprised if they moved.

 

[greyman42]

Dare I say, we might have a winner!

It's even called the Hudson Quarter, named after George Hudson.

 

[Purple Orange]

I think Birmingham as it's centrally located with good links to everywhere.

If good links to and being centrally located was a priority, Birmingham wouldn’t be the only contender. London would be picked time after time, as it has been in the past. But then outside of London, we have to recogn that Birmingham isn’t the most centrally located large city - that would be Manchester & Leeds.

 

[zwk500]

Milton Keynes. Its where Network Rail's current office is in a pretty new building, I'd be suprised if they moved.

NR's office in MK is NOT the current HQ or even a route HQ. It is where planning and operational functions are based at a national level. There is no plan to move these functions out of MK.

Separately, MK Council have bid to hose the new HQ.

 

[D365]

NR's office in MK is NOT the current HQ or even a route HQ. It is where planning and operational functions are based at a national level. There is no plan to move these functions out of MK.

Aye - head office is 1 Eversholt Street NW1 2DN. As you say, MK is Central Function.

 

[Energy]

Aye - head office is 1 Eversholt Street NW1 2DN. As you say, MK is Central Function.

Ahh ok. Since its London based don't expect it to be too far out of London, go too far out and your forcing existing employees to relocate their families which is really not ideal.

 

[The Planner]

Ahh ok. Since its London based don't expect it to be too far out of London, go too far out and your forcing existing employees to relocate their families which is really not ideal.

Didn't bother them with train planning in 2010!

 

[Energy]

Didn't bother them with train planning in 2010!

Where was train planning before?

 

[The Planner]

Where was train planning before?

Birmingham, Paddington and Leeds.

 

[Energy]

Birmingham, Paddington and Leeds.

Interesting, Paddington to MK isn't too bad, Leeds is quite a far move.

 

[The Planner]

Interesting, Paddington to MK isn't too bad, Leeds is quite a far move.

You assume people lived close to the office, add in the stipulations on journey time to MK and you lost a lot of people.

 

[Energy]

You assume people lived close to the office, add in the stipulations on journey time to MK and you lost a lot of people.

Fair point, if your already commuting into London then going to MK will be a nasty commute.

 

[wellhouse]

There was a time when industries grew around natural resources. These days businesses grow around human resources. The best location for GBR is one whose catchment area already has a critical mass of expertise, including TOC staff, Network Rail, and Engineering, as well as supporting centres of Technical Research.