Bransons interview.
 

Richard Branson was interviewed on Radio Five live today ( 7am 27/8/12), his main point was that First Groups financial figures do not add up, and in his opinion F.G. will not be able to meet their promised payments to the governments coffers. The program also suggested that F.G. would need to attract an extra million passengers to generate the extra income required.
The labour party are asking the government for a debate and to reconsider their decision, this seems unlikely as the government are pledged to take the highest bid.
It was also mentioned that the petition to retain Virgin was now 130,000 signatures. Its all getting very interesting.

The porblem is that an extra one million passengers are not going to be enticed with a 6% fare rise. The DFT would be better off leaving the fares as they are (or cutting them in fact) which will attract more custom. Money would in fact be gained in this case and capacity would be more comfortable and flexible.

In principle, I wish for Virgin to remain as the west coast operator, because at least the managment have a bit of enthusiasm. If First group are to be the new operator, in my opinion the success of the franchise could go either way.

We can look at their other franchises for example. First Scotrail is generally a very good service with good rolling stock and a greatly improving record for cleanliness. They also have some success with First Capital Connect and First Transpennine Express, although capacity on the latter is woefully insufficient.

This, however, is not really the fault of First, and is a result of the stupid DFT who really know very little about any form of transport other than roads and positively naff all about trains. They insist on using taxpayer money to buy trains and they also decide what trains are bought, despite the fact that the DFT does not operate them, which is lunacy. I feel that we would be in a much better state today if TOC money was used in the purchase of the trains which would end a lot of this nonesense. I don't wish to go off topic, but i think that it is hardly surprising that a TOC encounters trouble, as the government makes it nearly impossible for companies to succeed, and waste money pointlessly.

To go back to the original point about First itself, htey also have had franshies with bad reputations, such as First Great Western and First North Western a few years back. In the case of the former, I have heard that most of the issues are with express services, but maybe another memeber who is more in the know about this franchise can confirm this.

To be perfectly honest, even if First could provide something of a better or expanded service on the face of things, due to the sheer amount of time and money that is going to be spent in the change over and the unpredicatability that no commuter wants or needs, it is going to be much easier to stay with Virgin.

Oh, and one more thing, could Virgin please cease in calling the Buffet Car a 'shop'?
... And Breathe.

A trip from Carlisle to London last year for me summed up everything that's wrong with Virgin. Now call me old fashioned if you like but, even if BR buffet car staff weren't always exactly welcoming, I remember the professional way that things were run. Anyway, when I arrived in Virgin's buffet car, the girl who was supposed to serve customers was sitting there reading with her back to the counter and her feet up on the wall (needless to say, I went away without buying anything to eat). A trivial incident perhaps but one that to me says everything about Virgin's absolute lack of professionalism.

I make the London Carlisle trip quite regularly.

As I am of a certain age I get senior citizen discount for advance 1st class at very good prices.

I won't - if I can possibly avoid it, travel in standard class on a Pendolino. Cramped, hot and horrible.

No problems with the catering in 1st class friendly helpful and included in the ticket price which is really good value.

I gather First wants to sweep all that away and charge 1st class passengers for food and drinks as they do on FGW. I hope Branson's legal challenge is successful.