ATW Aber to London service turned down

[Exiled Oswestrian]

Looks like W&SR will stay


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/8543836.stm

[heavyhorses]

Between 5 and 8 hours on a 158, oh the joy,lol
To be fair though its all they can do to get to Birmingham International on time with out the train beiing cancelled at Wolverhamption or even Shrewsbury so that they can start the return leg on time.

Perhaps W&S should run a summer Saturdays train to Aber ?

[Unixman]

It is with issues like this that the problems of privatisation appear. Now this will never happen but to my mind the obvious thing would have been for ATW and W&S to get together and to have a joint service, even if it were a connection at Shrewsbury. Unfortunately that is far far too sensible!

[HY_4273]

If DB (Deutsche Bahn), which now owns W&S, Chiltern and freight operator EWS (now DB Schenker), to name but three is successful in its bid to acquire Arriva, who knows what may lie ahead..

[heavyhorses]

Arriva agrees to takeover by Deutsche Bahn

UK train and bus operator Arriva has agreed to be taken over by Germany's Deutsche Bahn in a deal worth £1.59bn.
The deal is set to create one of Europe's biggest rail and bus transport groups.
Deutsche Bahn runs Germany's national rail services, as well as Chiltern Railways and rail freight services in the UK.

Arriva runs rail and bus services in 12 European countries, including Arriva Trains Wales in the UK.

Deutsche Bahn's chief executive Rudiger Grube said he expected the deal to help his company expand further in Europe, targeting Europe's "increasingly liberalised and fast-growing transport markets" which he said were "of strategic interest to Deutsche Bahn".

Consolidation plans

The German operator is keen to expand beyond its domestic market, where it faces increased competition.
Arriva's chairman Sir Richard Broadbent said the £1.59bn price tag "fully reflects the value of the business".
Shareholders will now be asked to give their approval for the deal.

A takeover of the Sunderland-based company has been on the cards for months amid a trend towards consolidation of the European transport industry.

Arriva's agreement with Deutsche Bahn follows talks earlier this year with France's train operator SNCF, which ultimately broke down.

Deutsche Bahn's Mr Grube said he expected the newly merged group to eventually be one of the few leading transport companies operating in Europe.

taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8636503.stm