Grand Central Discussion

[kelladam96]

That's good to hear and It's also good GC haven't had any of the problems Hull Trains had with their class 180s

 

[GNERman]

yeah not one failure so far

 

[kelladam96]

excellent!

Is it also true GC now have 5 180s?

 

[GNERman]

no not five what i last heard, they have 3 so far as i know, 105, 112 and 114, where did you hear that?

 

[kelladam96]

Wikipedia, but they have a reference: RAIL Issue 624 Page 15

 

[GNERman]

does it say which units?

 

[kelladam96]

No, I'll have a look in the magazine on Sunday if I go to my Grandads

 

[paul1609]

Must have just been a bad batch, the food i've had was always good

Do they have different menus for different trains or are bacon and sausage roll always the only hot food options?

 

[GNERman]

actually i have that mag, it says they plan to bring 5 into service, 2 for sunderland and 3 for bradford

 

[kelladam96]

Do they have different menus for different trains or are bacon and sausage roll always the only hot food options?

I think the bacon rolls are on the morning trains, but I have had pies and burgers on their trains (whether this is just the first class menu, I'm not sure)

GNERman: I see, so they may not actually be confirmed as it only says planned?

 

[GNERman]

yeah just plan, once the three thwy have are refurbed one (114) will begin driver testing for bradford

 

[kelladam96]

yeah just plan, once the three thwy have are refurbed one (114) will begin driver testing for bradford

Right, I'm really looking forward to the refurbished class 180s

Are the HSTs going to have a refurbishment/overhaul?

 

[GNERman]

no they're good with a gc interior at the moment

 

[kelladam96]

Excellent! So just a repaint then?

 

[GNERman]

yeah presumably, on the 180 front, 114 should be first for refurb, then 105 and then 112

 

[kelladam96]

Right, any idea on when they'll be completed?

 

[GNERman]

end of november all should be done

 

[kelladam96]

Good, I shall look forward to that!

 

[Fudgefrog]

Given the emphasis put on the 180s, does this mean those new Polaris (is that right?) trains from China are off the agenda, or are they likely to still seek a replacement for the HSTs at some point in the future?

And are the HSTs going to be exclusive to the Sunderland route, or might there be one shared fleet (rather than just shared 180s)?

 

[Flyboy]

When I spoke to Ian back in April his view was that he would order the Polaris trains "tomorrow"; however, given that Grand Central was no longer under his full control, and the current economic climate, he said that they would probably be put on the backburner for a while. As he's now departed completely who knows?

 

[GNERman]

all i know is that it looks like the polaris trains are off the agenda, as they are gonna have enough stock for the services, as for hst's to bradford, probably not unless a 180 fails, as bradford is gonna be exclusive 180 usage...

 

[TrainBrain185]

Looking at maintenance of Grand Central vehicles. Heaton Traincare are maintaining the Sunderland-K-C vehicles. Will Neville Hill Traincare will be overseeing maintenance duties of the Bradford-K-C route? I cannot imagine empty stock running between Heaton to Bradford to take up service, if so, cross referencing of all maintenance duty records will have to take place between the two traincare depots as neither will have fixed depot allocations of the Grand Central fleet.
Any response to these suggestions?

 

[GNERman]

well there's also crofton which maintains ht's 180's...

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Depending on the times of the Bradford services, the sets could be swapped around so that they ended up at Heaton every other night or something like that

 

[GNERman]

yeah they have said the class 180 will interchange, not hst...

 

[MCR247]

Well if there is one Sunderland 180, that wouldnt be very often. BTW can I ask your source?

 

[Flyboy]

....they have said the class 180 will interchange....

Therein lies the reason to drop the Grand Northern name, if not already known.

 

[kelladam96]

Well if there is one Sunderland 180, that wouldnt be very often. BTW can I ask your source?

I think GNERMan, as I do, probably has contacts at GC

 

[Metroland]

Railway operator Grand Central says it remains optimistic about its future, despite posting an £8m loss last year.

Although double the 2007 figure, the loss was "fully in line with the board's expectations", the firm said.

The figure "reflected the significant start-up costs incurred when introducing a brand-new service".

Grand Central runs four daily return services from Sunderland to London with stops at Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe, Northallerton, Thirsk and York.

It recently announced plans for three return services a day between Bradford Interchange, Halifax, Brighouse, Wakefield, Pontefract, Doncaster and London King's Cross to start next May.

A company statement said: "We expect the Sunderland services to be profitable in 2010."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8219029.stm

 

[paul1609]

I was quite surprised at the extent of the loss especially as GC also lost £4m in 2007.
£12m for operating 3 trains a day till the end of 2008 seems to work out around losing £10,000 a return trip. Given that NXEC are apparently throwing in the towel at £40 million GC must have some seriously brave investors.