Rail tickets from the Racecourse station Options

[On the edge]

The only good thing about BR was knowing you could get a 3 cheese pizza baguette in any travellers fayre on any station in the country and it would equally burn the top of your mouth off and all the buffet cars would sell McEwans Export

What is even more odd, is Mr Cameron and his merry band of pilgrims wanting to stay in Europe, where the railways are run by apparently efficient de-facto monopolies. Frankly, as we've made such a porridge of managing our railways, I quite like the idea of SNCF or DB having a go. Sad really, we Brits seem to have lost the savvy and skills to run successful and efficient commercial operations.

[Biker1]

What is even more odd, is Mr Cameron and his merry band of pilgrims wanting to stay in Europe, where the railways are run by apparently efficient de-facto monopolies. Frankly, as we've made such a porridge of managing our railways, I quite like the idea of SNCF or DB having a go. Sad really, we Brits seem to have lost the savvy and skills to run successful and efficient commercial operations.

Great Eastern
Scotrail
Both rum by Abellio....Parent Company.. Dutch National Rail

Arriva Trains Wales
Chiltern Railways
Cross Country
Grand Central Trains
Northern Rail
All Run by Arriva.........Parent Company Deutsche Bahn.. German State Railway

London Midland
South Eastern
Southern / Thameslink and Great Northern
All Run by Govia......Parent company Keolis..35% owned by SNCF (French National Railways).

FREIGHT

DB Schenker (UK's largest freight operator)......Parent Company Deutsche Bahn.. German State Railway

[On the edge]

Great Eastern
Scotrail
Both rum by Abellio....Parent Company.. Dutch National Rail

Arriva Trains Wales
Chiltern Railways
Cross Country
Grand Central Trains
Northern Rail
All Run by Arriva.........Parent Company Deutsche Bahn.. German State Railway

London Midland
South Eastern
Southern / Thameslink and Great Northern
All Run by Govia......Parent company Keolis..35% owned by SNCF (French National Railways).

FREIGHT

DB Schenker (UK's largest freight operator)......Parent Company Deutsche Bahn.. German State Railway

That's very interesting. I didn't realise just how much of this was going on. Perhaps I should have made my post much clearer. The main issue as I see it, is that the market theory of separating track, rolling stock and operation works only for the owners and the bankers - but not the passengers. Its simply perverted political dogma. The railway is a de-facto monopoly; something recognised in Stockton many years back when it was first mooted. That the de-facto public railways from other Countries see the UK as a brilliant place to extract money is proof that the present British model is not there to serve the public. However, it is classic Adam Smith in action. So what like to see is rather than the UK letting these continental firms subsidise their home operation, is for one or other of them to run the UK operation on the Continental basis; that would include the RailTrack and 'Leasing Co' bits as well. Ironic really, perhaps this step at a time take over is part of the Tory conversion to socialism. No wonder 'Dave' doesn't like Jeremy Corbyn; its just jealousy!