Great Western Coffee Shop

Network Rail could adopt a devolved regional structure with fewer train franchises, under proposals by a board member of the rail infrastructure company (link below.)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/20/transport

Chris Green, a non-executive director at Network Rail, former chief executive of Virgin Trains and former managing director of NetworkSouthEast, said the company could be split into eight regions by the middle of the next decade.

The recommendation comes after Network Rail was widely criticised for the mismanagement of engineering work over the new year period, which disrupted the travel plans of 50,000 passengers a day.

Green's proposals for Network Rail will be outlined in a Politeia paper to be published later this week.

How about....

Network South East
Regional Railways
Intercity
Scotrail

Oh... wait...  ;D

 ;D

  ;D If he's advocating verticle integrations as well

:( If  he's not

As far as franchises are going, that's what happening. FGW pretty much operate the whole former Western Region.

Soon, we'll have (as a prediction)

*London Overground (basically old Network South East, but only the bits v near London)
*Great Western (GW, some of Thames, and Wessex- with a bit of South West Trains; basically old Western Region- already done)
*Wales (Arriva TW-already done)
*ScotRail (First ScotRail- already done)
*Anglia (NXEA- basically old Eastern Region- already done)
*North East (NXEC with a bit of FTPE and NR; basically old North Eastern Region)
*London Midland (InterCity south of Warrington, LM services, some EMT)
*North West (InterCity North of Warrington, some of FTPE and NR)
*Southern (most of the current SWT, SET and SCT, minus some to London Overground and some to GW; old Southern Region- almost done Govia operate 2 out of 3...)

They'll operate as separate companies to ensure there is competition. They will have control over stations and track maintenance.

not sure where Chiltern would go.

Agree Chiltern is the odd man out. Virtually a dedicated line to Banbury bar a bit of freight, but then share with TFL on Aylesbury branch (original Crossrail plans took over Aylesbury line from Neasden so probably to TFL in overground), XC, Ex Centro, FGW (Stratford) and freight North of Banbury.

If you want competiton could be in Western Group to give WCML a run for the Birmingham traffic. Otherwise give them the whole line to Snow Hill and see how DB runs it.