When I started the thread the point i was trying to make was that the bias towards London and the South East is inbuilt.
I'm sure the people in the south of France say exactly the same thing about Paris
BTW NSE produced an operating surplus at one stage I remember, Regional railways was always the subsidised part. But you are right in saying commuter networks are not naturally profitable because of low utilisation off peak.
While I think its true to say development has tended to centre around the South East, most of this is economic forces rather than actual bias. When the railways were built, they weren't planned as such, but really just put where businessmen thought they might make a buck.
The further north you go in this country, it seems to me the more people believe people from London are 'out to get them'. When I lived in the North East, some people openly didn't like those from the south of England 'taking our jobs', and really believed anyone with a Southern accent is 'loaded with money'. In fact the worst thing you can do in Teeside is admit you come from London. I had friends up once from London, who announced in the local McDonald's that 'we come from London'. You could have cut the atmos with a knife.
One of the funniest things I ever read was in 'The Scotsman', was after a massive signalling failure in Edinburgh, somebody wrote in the comments section. 'The signalling is designed by the English, this is why its bad, the English inflicting their bad design on the Scottish!'
Then we have the ongoing class battles and envy in this country, were snotty people look down on those than haven't been so fortunate, while others envy those they 'think' have any position or money.
Its all part and parcel of the same thing, possibly a lack of 'roundedness' at some level or other, but maybe also the product of some sort of unfairness - real or perceived - from the past or present.
There's no question that the North of England have suffered since the war through post industrial decline. But its often forgotten parts of the south, and especially the south west are equally as badly off, or worse off. I think Cornwall is the poorest, or one of the poorest areas of the UK, with Devon not far behind. In Dorset, our average wages tend to be lower than Liverpool or Manchester. Its even worse than that for young people, as they find it very hard to buy houses as they are often snapped up by people looking for second homes from London. Yet, as I pointed out above, some people think if you have a Southern accent, 'you are loaded with money' and have a great lifestyle.
My friend in Yorkshire has far better transport links than I have and can see to get everywhere quite easily, whereas as I struggle to travel than far without having to book a hotel. My friend in Newcastle, can get to central London, quicker than I can and so on.
Some of the nicest countryside and best quality of life, as well as the cheapest prices are in the North of England. There are more Rolls Royces in Cheshire than anywhere else, and some areas such as: Cheshire, North Yorkshire, North Leeds, York, parts of the peak district are just as well off, if not better off and most places in the south, bar the London boroughs of Chelsea and Richmond.
In short, I don't think its all quite as straightforward as its being made out.
Perhaps people would like to hazard a guess at why the well-off parts of the North do as well as they do. My personal theory is they are nice places to live anyway, and the better educated or people with better jobs gravitate there to live there, often commuting into cities for work.
Going onto how rail can help. I do think the North of England politicians should be looking to some fast link across the Pennies, which would produce some agglomeration effects, if you like a mega conurbation. If this is coupled with a HSR link to London, this would do much to allow the two areas to compete, and level the playing field somewhat.
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