Future of the Great Eastern Main Line

As you all may know National Express East Anglia have not been granted ther franchise extension from March 31st 2011 due to the poor performance of sister company National Express East Coast. With 14 months left until that date I decided to create a video on what could happen in the future as the East Anglia Region badly needs new rolling stock, modernisation and improved customer service. The Class 90's Loco's with their Mk3 Rakes could be replaced in the new few years by either the Class 321's, Class 360's or newly built stock but with most passengers preferring trains with on board refreshments this may not occur.

Here is a list of companies that could take over from NXEA on 1st April 2011 if they were interested in placing a bid exactly 7 years since National Express as ONE Railway took over from Anglia Railways, First Great Eastern and WAGN;

1) Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group who currently operate along the West Coast Main Line could take over with the name Virgin Great Eastern. They would refurbish the existing Mk3 Sets to Pendolino style like their existing rake WB64. The same would be done for the other trains or new stock would be ordered.

2) First Group could retake the franchise they lost 7 years ago and rebrand it as First Great Anglia and refurbish the trains plus repaint into their Barbie style livery like they did back in First Great Eastern Days plus order new stock.

3) Stagecoach who have already placed and withdrawn a bid could take over as Great Eastern Trains and repaint the trains in Stagecoach style livery plus order new stock.

4) First GBRF (formally GB railways) could retake the franchise they lost 7 years ago as Great Anglian Railways and order new stock.

5) The Arriva Group who already own Arriva Trains Wales and Cross Country could take over from NXEA as Arriva East Anglia and repaint the trains either into their corperate Arriva blue livery or create a new livery plus refurbish the current fleet and order new stock.

6) The Govia Group who already own Southern, Southeastern and London Midland could take over from NXEA as East Anglia Railways. They would refurbish the current fleet plus either order new Desiro, Electrostar or a new design of Intercity style trains to possible replace the Mk3 Sets.

7) Services in East Anglia could be rebranded by the new company as Network East Anglia like Centro's Network West Midlands brand. The trains would be relivered in a new livery and be refurbished plus possible new rolling stock orders.

8) Grand Central who current operate the Kings Cross - Sunderland plus the soon to be launched Kings Cross - Bradford services could opertate services in East Anglia under the Grand Eastern banner. The trains would be similarly livered to Grand Central's existing fleet and be refurbished plus possible new rolling stock orders.

9) A suitable historic name for the new company would of course be Great Eastern Railway in a similar world class name to GNER which was run by the former Sea Containers Company.

That is my list on who I think if they were interested would place a bid for taking over the East Anglia Network. If you would like to comment on this video with your views on who you would like to take over from NXEA then please do it politely please. Thank You and I hope you enjoy the video.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• NXEA
• National Express East Anglia
• NXEA Class 90
• NXEA Class 321
• NXEA Class 360
• Class 360 Desiro
• Class 377 Electrostar
• Class 390 Pendolino
• Virgin Trains
• GBRF Class 66
• GBRF
• Class 171 Turbostar
• Grand Central HST
• Class 175 Coradia
• Class 150 Sprinter
• Network West Midlands
• Great Eastern Main Line
• Class 319
• First Capital Connect

[Ayrshire1trains]

They shoud put class 221 on the GEML because they have shops first class and form a 10 car train

[Desiro360]

@Ayrshire1trains A good idea, insert a pantograph coach in every unit and you have a bi-mode train. This means that if there was any major problems on the GEML you could run it from London to Norwich via Cambridge. Ely or Cambridge would be the point where you would switch to diesel power to run along the non electrified Ely - Norwich route. The reverse would apply if you going from Norwich to London.

[class321lover]

why don't just get some pendos

[Desiro360]

@class321lover You could have Pendolino's operating the GEML but ideally you would want a non tilt version with a wider body to accomodate more seats and they should be at least 10 coaches per unit.

[class321lover]

the class 180s could also replace the class 90s

[Desiro360]

@class321lover Thats a nice idea, the class 180 has 287 seats per unit. If you combined two units to form a 10 coach formation for peak hour Norwich services they would have 574 seats. They have 2+2 seating throughout.

A problem you would have however is that the total fleet of Class 180s would not be big enough to make all Norwich - London trains 10 coaches so a new build of 100 mph 5 coach unit based on the Class 180 design could be ideal.

[LukeCA18]

Yuck, this means more crappy multiple units for sure :(

[Ayrshire1trains]

I like Dusty bins are good  trains but are not good for the Norwich services

[class321lover]

@Ayrshire1trains oi dusty bins are awesome

[Ayrshire1trains]

Dusty bins on the Norwich service not good

[Ayrshire1trains]

Thers also another thing. Do you think if Greater anglia order 221s do you think they'll name them

[Ayrshire1trains]

Good idea mate it means it could switch to Diesel power when London-Norwich gets diverts Through Cambridge