Alliance Rail

[mikestone]

Alliance Rail
Arriva subsidiary Alliance Rail have published a track access application for Euston-Blackpool services from May 2019, using shortened mk.4 sets.
Obviously a certain amount of cut and paste has gone on from the expired version using 390s, as it refers to electrification to Blackpool in summer 2017!

[knutstransport]

RE: Alliance Rail
Obviously they forgot to update the date due to electrification delays but if the wires aren't there by May 2019 serious questions will be asked of Network Rail.

Only Pendolinos and 221s are cleared for 125mph running on the WCML, other sets are limited to 110mph.

[wirralbus]

RE: Alliance Rail
The only reason that pendolinos and class 221's are passed is on the WCML is there tilt mechanism.

Dont forget if either fails with a tilt problem , the entire set becomes non tilt the set becomes a 110 mph set.

Also did you know the pendolino tilts more than a 221 .

[mikestone]

RE: Alliance Rail

(10/06/2017 10:17)knutstransport Wrote:  Obviously they forgot to update the date due to electrification delays but if the wires aren't there by May 2019 serious questions will be asked of Network Rail.

But it does raise the question as to what else they have overlooked.
;

[knutstransport]

RE: Alliance Rail
Here's the document: http://archive.nr.co.uk/browse%20documen...n%2017.pdf I notice they are proposing to use formations consisting of 1 loco, 7 x passenger carriages and 1 x DVT

There's also a rival one from Virgin: http://archive.nr.co.uk/browse%20documen...t%20sa.pdf

Virgin's standard calling pattern would be Rugby, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston.

Alliance's standard calling pattern would be Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Preston, Kirkham & Wesham and Poulton le-Fylde. In their case they have to prove their service is different enough to the services operated by franchised operators.

[mikestone]

RE: Alliance Rail
Or have they shot themselves in the foot by mobilising opposition from LM or their succesors as well?
.
Virgin do say they will serve Kirkham and Poulton if they can find a cost effective method, presumably meaning a third party to pay for selective door opening. Will either accomodate 7 mk.4s?

[wirralbus]

RE: Alliance Rail

(12/06/2017 17:16)knutstransport Wrote:  Here's the document: http://archive.nr.co.uk/browse%20documen...n%2017.pdf I notice they are proposing to use formations consisting of 1 loco, 7 x passenger carriages and 1 x DVT

There's also a rival one from Virgin: http://archive.nr.co.uk/browse%20documen...t%20sa.pdf

Virgin's standard calling pattern would be Rugby, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston.

Alliance's standard calling pattern would be Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Preston, Kirkham & Wesham and Poulton le-Fylde. In their case they have to prove their service is different enough to the services operated by franchised operators.

Alliance Rail may need to remove the Preston stop as Virgin will complain that the open access operation will be primary abstractive , you know what the incumbent operators are like these days trying to protect there revenue streams .

[steve517757]

RE: Alliance Rail
It was granted in 2015 .... so they can't do anything about it now

[mikestone]

RE: Alliance Rail
NO. The previous Alliance Rail track access agreement is waste paper as it was conditional on ordering Pendolino.s.

[knutstransport]

RE: Alliance Rail

(13/06/2017 16:23)mikestone Wrote:  NO. The previous Alliance Rail track access agreement is waste paper as it was conditional on ordering Pendolino.s.

True but whether or not the application fails an abstraction test would be dependent on the station calls not what type of rolling stock is used. The previous application included calls at both Crewe and Preston and didn't fail an abstraction test, this one has had the Crewe call removed.