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Post by TNL33036 on Jan 11, 2017 11:23:30 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Jan 11, 2017 11:29:52 GMT
Good grief I didn't see that one coming. It'll be interesting to see what happens given the exemplary record of National Express's tenure at C2C. |
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Post by bookd on Jan 11, 2017 15:54:15 GMT
If Nex wish to pull out is this an indication that rail franchises are not a profitable money tree, as opponents of privatisation keep suggesting?
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Post by snoggle on Jan 11, 2017 17:28:31 GMT
If Nex wish to pull out is this an indication that rail franchises are not a profitable money tree, as opponents of privatisation keep suggesting? Depends how you measure things. UK rail franchises are typically very thin on assets (everything is leased / hired) so it is all about containing costs, many of which are fixed, while maximising revenue. Margins are typically 3% on a UK rail franchise but if the revenue base is in the high hundreds of millions / billions then 3% of that is still a big number if you want to create a headline. The problem, if you are a franchisee, is that it does not take very much for your margin to disappear if there are strikes, repeatedly delays or a dip in the economy. Some of those risks are capped but not all of them are. I suspect NatEx have found they can get a more generous revenue stream in mainland Europe and one which is possibly in a more stable environment than the UK represents. Quite why Trenitalia want "in" on the UK market is beyond me. |
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Post by routew15 on Jan 11, 2017 17:32:16 GMT
If Nex wish to pull out is this an indication that rail franchises are not a profitable money tree, as opponents of privatisation keep suggesting? Not necessarily the article explains why Trenitalia have entered the market NEX have explained that they have departed due to "significant growth in North America and continental Europe". |
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Post by ServerKing on Jan 14, 2017 19:33:45 GMT
NatEx did well with C2C, but it is a fully contained rail network. It was a shame to see them come unstuck with GEML, One as they were. It will be interesting to see how they do under Trenitalia (Is it Italian State Railway Ferrovia Statele (FS)?  ) Could we see the 357s replaced by Italian style double decker trains one day?  |
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Post by twobellstogo on Jan 14, 2017 19:55:44 GMT
It will be interesting to see how they do under Trenitalia (Is it Italian State Railway Ferrovia Statele (FS)? ) Yep  |
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Post by ServerKing on Jan 14, 2017 20:29:49 GMT
It will be interesting to see how they do under Trenitalia (Is it Italian State Railway Ferrovia Statele (FS)? ) Yep Cool! Can we give them Southern as well?   |
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Post by T.R. on Jan 15, 2017 14:31:44 GMT
If someone had said in 2000 that NX would have no UK rail franchises left in 17 years, we'd have a good chuckle  good luck to Trenitalia Cool! Can we give them Southern as well? That'd be a steep learning curve! (To be fair I think TSGN is now a poisoned chalice) |
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Post by John tuthill on Jan 15, 2017 15:45:24 GMT
Yep Cool! Can we give them Southern as well? Si, maka dem an offa they can't refuse  |
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Jan 23, 2017 19:42:55 GMT
Does anyone know when the deal is expected to be completed?
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Post by snoggle on Jan 23, 2017 20:23:22 GMT
Does anyone know when the deal is expected to be completed? Whenever they get the "green light" (ahem) from the DfT I would imagine. As they are retaining the existing management there shouldn't be any issues with ORR in terms of other regulatory / safety issues. I assume that any financial guarantees / bonds and Trenitalia's ability to fund them will be part of DfT's decision making process. |
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Post by TNL33036 on Feb 13, 2017 12:23:16 GMT
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Feb 13, 2017 12:37:12 GMT
Sad to see National Express leaving a line that has operated wonderfully over the past few years. I wish Trenitalia luck with operating their first franchise and hopefully they can live up to, or even beyond the standard National Express have set. |
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Post by john on Feb 16, 2017 10:30:58 GMT
Sad to see National Express leaving a line that has operated wonderfully over the past few years. I wish Trenitalia luck with operating their first franchise and hopefully they can live up to, or even beyond the standard National Express have set. Well did look odd seeing the trains pull in at Upminster and West Ham on Tuesday with just c2c on them again. Have to say they did a very good job on the route. A few issues I had personally but don't think it was their problem, more lazy sods that didn't want to use the District Line!! |
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) Could we see the 357s replaced by Italian style double decker trains one day? 
good luck to Trenitalia
