Avanti West Coast

[Stu]

Avanti West Coast will be the name of the new InterCity West Coast rail franchise, FirstGroup and Trenitalia, the new operators reveal today.

Avanti is Italian for “Forward!” and reflects a mission to deliver an innovative railway service that is “ready for today and fit for the future”, according to the new operators.

FirstGroup and Trenitalia will, from 8 December 2019, take over the operation of InterCity West Coast rail services, paving the way for a more comfortable, reliable and greener service. The service will link London to cities and towns across England, North Wales and Scotland, serving as a “vital economic artery bringing cities and people closer together”.

The Avanti West Coast logo, created by design agency forpeople, is a bright orange triangle, symbolising the geographic extent of the 400-mile long route that serves cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow as well as London and North Wales.

Under the new West Coast Partnership, First Trenitalia is committed to delivering a range of passenger enhancements for InterCity West Coast services and passengers will benefit from more trains, more seats, simplified fares and more frequent services. The 56 Pendolino trains will be completely refurbished with 25,000 brand new seats, more reliable Wi-Fi and improved catering. By 2022, there will be 263 more train services every week to more places and a fleet of new trains introduced.

Fares and ticket types will be simplified with mobile tickets and smartcards introduced. Stations will be improved with refreshed waiting rooms, better customer facilities, more car park spaces, and greater accessibility for those who need it.  The Partnership will also pave the way for a new era in high speed rail in the UK in the coming years, working with HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport.

The launch of Avanti West Coast will mark the end of Virgin Trains, which is the UK's longest running rail franchise.

Website launches 8th December: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/

[Tony]

Surely Chiltern is the longest running rail franchise

[Trident 4194]

Didn't virgin have some kind of rights over the pendolino design?

[BK63 YWP]

Surely Chiltern is the longest running rail franchise

Yeah Chiltern is March 1996 whilst Virgin was 1997. Chiltern will be the longest ever franchise when it is due to finish in 2021 of 25 years

[Stu]

Surely Chiltern is the longest running rail franchise

You might be right, I got that line from the Birmingham Mail website report, which isn't known for their 'factual accuracy'.  :D

[Stuharris 6360]

Fares and ticket types will be simplified with mobile tickets and smartcards introduced. Stations will be improved with refreshed waiting rooms, better customer facilities, more car park spaces, and greater accessibility for those who need it.  The Partnership will also pave the way for a new era in high speed rail in the UK in the coming years, working with HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport.[/i]

The launch of Avanti West Coast will mark the end of Virgin Trains, which is the UK's longest running rail franchise.

Website launches 8th December: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/

Usually when they say simplified fares, they mean higher fares.

I thought Virgin Trains were still hoping to run services on the line?

[mikestone]

Virgin have applied to operate Euston-Liverpool under open access arrangements, which is no doubt why the franchise bid promised a second hourly Euston-Liverpool service. That said on previous form Network Rail are quite likely to refuse both operator paths on performance grounds.

[richie]

The current Chiltern franchise has ran since 2002 so technically the Virgin statement is correct. It's how you interpreted it.

[Ian Hardy]

VTWC started on 09/03/1997 and was due to expire in March 2012, but it was extended to December 2012.

The DfT awarded FirstGroup the franchise in August 2012 but due to flaws that award was cancelled.
In December 2012 Virgin was awarded a 23-month management contract to run the franchise until 09/11/2014, this was extended until 31/03/2017 and then extended until March 2019, with an option to extend it further to March 2020.
In August 2019 it was announced that the Inter-City West Coast franchise had been awarded to Avanti West Coast, so Virgin Trains will cease after 7 December 2019.

VT's franchise was 03/1997 to 12/2012 i.e. 15.5 years
VT's Management contract was 12/2012 to 12/2019 i.e. 7 years

So two different contracts totalling 22.5 years

Chiltern Railways 7 year franchise commenced on 21/07/1996 and expired early in 03/2002 i.e. 6.5 years
The new 20 year franchise started on 03/03/2002 to expire in 03/2022

So also two different contracts totalling 24 years (so far) with another 2 and bit years to go

Therefore Chiltern beats VT.

[Westy]

Virgin have applied to operate Euston-Liverpool under open access arrangements, which is no doubt why the franchise bid promised a second hourly Euston-Liverpool service. That said on previous form Network Rail are quite likely to refuse both operator paths on performance grounds.

What route would this proposed Virgin service take?

Sure I heard a rumour about another Walsall to London service a few months back, that wasn't WMR / LNWR operated.

[the trainbasher]

Sure I heard a rumour about another Walsall to London service a few months back, that wasn't WMR / LNWR operated.

It's one Avanti West Coast proposed as part of their franchise

[JoNi]

hello we're Avanti West Coast signs have appeared plastered on walls and pillars at Stephenson Street entrance to New Street station in the colours of Stu' s notice below complete with triangle!

[Westy]

It's one Avanti West Coast proposed as part of their franchise

So this would have been the same service?

Would've been easier going Walsall to Scouseland!

[BK63 YWP]

So this would have been the same service?

Would've been easier going Walsall to Scouseland!

It will be a faster service than the LNWR service. Probably be a direct service to Birmingham (doubt any of the intermediate stations would cope with a pendolino) then calling at international, Coventry, Rugby and Euston?

[mikestone]

Neither will Walsall. Presumably it will be worked by one of the so far unannounced Voyager replacements, which there is presumably still a question mark over as regards tilt.
;
It amuses me that on their website they refer to "unpopular Voyagers" - I suspect most passengers don't know the difference and may even prefer Voyagers because they have power sockets at every seat.