SOUTHEND 5
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Greater Anglia
I know this is not a rail forum so perhaps we'd better not get too involved but the Greater Anglia franchise is, I believe, up for grabs and should be awarded in about a year or so. I remember hearing somewhere that a condition of the new franchise would be improvements and more trains on certain lines and there was a mention of Southend. We'll probably have to wait until at least the December 2016 timetable to find out so it's just a case of wait and see!
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SEN Observer -
You are of course right - this is not a rail forum - but this would seem to be a jolly important point regarding SEN accesibilty. I am in my 50s and remember totally clearly how services on the Southend Vic line used to operate 24h 7 days as a matter of course. 0022,0122,0323,0420 + normal service ex Liv. St. - 2335. 0217, 0410 + normal service ex Southend Victoria. Indeed - I used to rely on these services for my shift-working. So -it seems that the old British Rail could provide this service but the current provider can not. I would not expect them to go back to that old level of service but it would be good to see one earlier service from London and one later service to London.
You are of course right - this is not a rail forum - but this would seem to be a jolly important point regarding SEN accesibilty. I am in my 50s and remember totally clearly how services on the Southend Vic line used to operate 24h 7 days as a matter of course. 0022,0122,0323,0420 + normal service ex Liv. St. - 2335. 0217, 0410 + normal service ex Southend Victoria. Indeed - I used to rely on these services for my shift-working. So -it seems that the old British Rail could provide this service but the current provider can not. I would not expect them to go back to that old level of service but it would be good to see one earlier service from London and one later service to London.
Last edited by EssexMan61; 22nd Nov 2015 at 07:08.
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The government or is it the rail regulators set out the conditions for the application of a new franchise. In the case of Luton the conditions were a minimum of 2 trains an hour through the night to serve the airport. This was part of a 332 page requirement.
I think it is up to Southend Airport to do some serious lobbying but with so few early and late aircraft movements their lobbying might fall on deaf ears.
Chicken and eggs comes to mind as do you put the trains in first to attract the passengers or the passengers into the airport first so they want to use the train?
I think it is up to Southend Airport to do some serious lobbying but with so few early and late aircraft movements their lobbying might fall on deaf ears.
Chicken and eggs comes to mind as do you put the trains in first to attract the passengers or the passengers into the airport first so they want to use the train?
Last edited by LTNman; 22nd Nov 2015 at 05:28.
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Disappointing as the October stats may be, I am more worried about the general malaise that appears to be at SEN at the moment. I popped into the airport last Thursday as I was driving by as was surprised at the lack of aircraft and activity. On the 'active' aprons there were only 4 aircraft (2 Easyjets on the main apron, a Binair Metro outside the old terminal and a PA28 type well covered for the weather on the north apron).
Obviously, with ATC Lasham gone, there was nothing around the hangar area. No GA twins or executive aircraft either. In all my 60+ years of enthusiastically following SEN I have never seen the place look so sad.
I feel that without the arrival of another low cost carrier (possibly Wizzair as their A320s become available?) 2 million passengers a year seems a distant dream and even 1 million may be a bit of a struggle at the moment. There are only so many holiday destinations achievable from SEN and most of these seem well covered now (apart from perhaps Malta and Nice) so does future expansion lie East into Europe and not South?
Cheers
Southender
Obviously, with ATC Lasham gone, there was nothing around the hangar area. No GA twins or executive aircraft either. In all my 60+ years of enthusiastically following SEN I have never seen the place look so sad.
I feel that without the arrival of another low cost carrier (possibly Wizzair as their A320s become available?) 2 million passengers a year seems a distant dream and even 1 million may be a bit of a struggle at the moment. There are only so many holiday destinations achievable from SEN and most of these seem well covered now (apart from perhaps Malta and Nice) so does future expansion lie East into Europe and not South?
Cheers
Southender
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The last time I was at Southend was maybe around 6 years ago when the airport was using the wooden terminal which I thought was great. There were just a few spotters in the terminal's cafe and no passengers.
Was surprised me for an airport that then had just the odd weekend service was the number of airliners scattered around the airport hidden away in nooks and crannies as well as on the main apron. I thought the place was fantastic. Sorry to hear that everything has now gone as I didn't know how bad things had become.
Was surprised me for an airport that then had just the odd weekend service was the number of airliners scattered around the airport hidden away in nooks and crannies as well as on the main apron. I thought the place was fantastic. Sorry to hear that everything has now gone as I didn't know how bad things had become.
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I know this is not a rail forum so perhaps we'd better not get too involved but the Greater Anglia franchise is, I believe, up for grabs and should be awarded in about a year or so. I remember hearing somewhere that a condition of the new franchise would be improvements and more trains on certain lines and there was a mention of Southend. We'll probably have to wait until at least the December 2016 timetable to find out so it's just a case of wait and see!
mik3bravo
No chance of c2c gaining the franchise I'm afraid as they are not on the shortlist of bidders, which are:
Abellio East Anglia Limited (a joint venture between Abellio and Stagecoach)
First East Anglia Limited
National Express East Anglia Trains Limited
Whether any information on the content of each company's bid will be forthcoming before the Minister's announcement of the award of the nine year franchise contract in June 2016 I don't know. The new franchise is expected to commence in October 2016.
No chance of c2c gaining the franchise I'm afraid as they are not on the shortlist of bidders, which are:
Abellio East Anglia Limited (a joint venture between Abellio and Stagecoach)
First East Anglia Limited
National Express East Anglia Trains Limited
Whether any information on the content of each company's bid will be forthcoming before the Minister's announcement of the award of the nine year franchise contract in June 2016 I don't know. The new franchise is expected to commence in October 2016.
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It will make no difference who wins the franchise as the requirements for the service will be laid out by the government including a service requirement through different parts of the day and night. The bid will to be to meet the level of service laid down.
For Thameslink there were 392 pages of requirements which was found by googling thameslink franchise document. (Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise train service requirements). The agreement came to 662 pages. (Govia Thameslink franchise agreement: execution version)
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...via-thameslink
I can't find one for East Anglia so I don't think it has been made public.
For Thameslink there were 392 pages of requirements which was found by googling thameslink franchise document. (Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise train service requirements). The agreement came to 662 pages. (Govia Thameslink franchise agreement: execution version)
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...via-thameslink
I can't find one for East Anglia so I don't think it has been made public.
Last edited by LTNman; 24th Nov 2015 at 17:01.
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Expressflight, in case you didn't know C2C are owned by National Express.
The main priorities that need addressing are the early/late evening trains and the upgrading of ageing rolling stock.
The main priorities that need addressing are the early/late evening trains and the upgrading of ageing rolling stock.
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@Expressflight & tws123 - thanks both for replies, useful. When we look at rail link services from London out to either EGKK/LL/SS and of course a handy DLR jolly from Tower quick switch at Canning and in no time you're at EGLC, you quickly see a potential business argument to rapid rail link EGMC into London.
The current service is terrible both in terms of the very dated rolling stock plus the lack of early and late services. I suspect there are capacity constraints in trying to run a fast train service on that line into L'pool Street especially at peak evening rush hour where pax are eager to jump on flights between 16:30 and 19:30.
You have to question the current 10 year plan for SEN and recalibrate to yield higher yield margins. It's a Stobart under utilised asset which certainly appears to lack effective and efficient management. No doubt Stobarts commercial lenders are observing with particular interest. It will be hard for the company to get away a bond for any expansion if there is no tangible evidence of growth being delivered in a consistent manner with sustainable margin generating routes for all involved.
The current service is terrible both in terms of the very dated rolling stock plus the lack of early and late services. I suspect there are capacity constraints in trying to run a fast train service on that line into L'pool Street especially at peak evening rush hour where pax are eager to jump on flights between 16:30 and 19:30.
You have to question the current 10 year plan for SEN and recalibrate to yield higher yield margins. It's a Stobart under utilised asset which certainly appears to lack effective and efficient management. No doubt Stobarts commercial lenders are observing with particular interest. It will be hard for the company to get away a bond for any expansion if there is no tangible evidence of growth being delivered in a consistent manner with sustainable margin generating routes for all involved.
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Trains
Gents.......... I know I started this but please remember that the mods don't like too much rail discussion on what is an airport forum. Don't want to get closed again, do we?
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I quote below from the BBC's news website, local news, Leigh-on-Sea, re the autumn statement:
"There will be £7m to support new air routes, some of which will go towards the Norwich to Exeter and Norwich to Newcastle routes."
SOME of the £7m will go towards routes from Norwich. On the BBC local news (East) at 6:30 this evening a headline announcement stated Norwich and Southend airports would benefit from extra flights but unfortunately I was unable to stay for the full news bulletin so don't know if any further information was given out. Can't seem to find anything else on any other websites. Anyone having any better luck in this respect than I am?
"There will be £7m to support new air routes, some of which will go towards the Norwich to Exeter and Norwich to Newcastle routes."
SOME of the £7m will go towards routes from Norwich. On the BBC local news (East) at 6:30 this evening a headline announcement stated Norwich and Southend airports would benefit from extra flights but unfortunately I was unable to stay for the full news bulletin so don't know if any further information was given out. Can't seem to find anything else on any other websites. Anyone having any better luck in this respect than I am?
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Southend Airport
London Southend Airport has been named the 'Best Airport in the UK' (with under three million passengers, per year) at the Airport Operators Association (AOA) Annual Awards 2015.