8 to	the
      8 Share	on
      7 switch	to
      7 high	speed
      6 west	coast
      6 edition	switch
      5 on	the
      5 The	Guardian
      4 speed	trains
      4 Virgin	Trains
      3 which	has
      3 to	Birmingham
      3 the	UK
      3 run	the
      3 of	the
      3 more	than
      3 jobs	Dating
      3 in	the
      3 by	the
      3 Search	jobs
      3 International	edition
      3 HS2	west
      3 Group	and
      3 First	Group
      3 Discount	Codes
      2 years	old
      2 will	be
      2 well	as
      2 via	Email
      2 train	on
      2 to	run
      2 the	west
      2 the	new
      2 the	existing
      2 the	current
      2 the	US
      2 the	French
      2 the	British
      2 the	Australia
      2 than	2
      2 said	This
      2 readers	Contribute
      2 pre	HS2
      2 on	Twitter
      2 on	Facebook
      2 of	SNCF
      2 is	more
      2 in	a
      2 funded	by
      2 from	London
      2 franchise	will
      2 for	the
      2 for	everyone
      2 for	a
      2 everyone	funded
      2 current	pre
      2 coast	route
      2 by	readers
      2 by	foreign
      2 article	is
      2 and	the
      2 and	Stagecoach
      2 and	Glasgow
      2 Virgin	train
      2 Virgin	Stagecoach
      2 US	edition
      2 UK	edition
      2 Twitter	Share
      2 This	article
      2 Syndicate	B2B
      2 Support	The
      2 Stagecoach	and
      2 Sport	Culture
      2 Share	via
      2 Richard	Branson
      2 Project	Syndicate
      2 Opinion	Sport
      2 News	Opinion
      2 Money	Markets
      2 Markets	Project
      2 Manchester	Liverpool
      2 London	to
      2 Liverpool	and
      2 Holidays	Digital
      2 Guardian	Available
      2 French	state
      2 Facebook	Twitter
      2 Facebook	Share
      2 Economics	Banking
      2 Digital	Archive
      2 Dating	Holidays
      2 Culture	Lifestyle
      2 Contribute	Subscribe
      2 Business	Economics
      2 Britain	s
      2 Branson	and
      2 Birmingham	Manchester
      2 Banking	Money
      2 Back	to
      2 Available	for
      2 Australia	edition
      2 Archive	Discount
      2 Apr	2017
      2 A	Virgin
      2 25	BUTTON
      2 2	years
      1 you	want
      1 yet	another
      1 year	Topics
      1 writers	Digital
      1 would	build
      1 worth	more
      1 world	class
      1 working	in
      1 with	us
      1 with	the
      1 with	other
      1 with	google
      1 with	Virgin
      1 with	SNCF
      1 with	British
      1 winner	will
      1 winner	selected
      1 will	see
      1 will	run
      1 will	put
      1 will	pit
      1 will	hope
      1 will	continue
      1 whoever	comes
      1 which	operates
      1 when	they
      1 way	ticket
      1 was	briefly
      1 war	that
      1 want	to
      1 view	Columnists
      1 videos	Letters
      1 using	their
      1 us	Search
      1 us	Privacy
      1 us	Complaints
      1 up	in
      1 up	for
      1 up	and
      1 until	the
      1 unthreaded	Loading
      1 union	s
      1 union	Tennis
      1 uk	Contact
      1 travel	in
      1 transport	Transport
      1 transport	2CTransport
      1 transformed	intercity
      1 trains	will
      1 trains	which
      1 trains	from
      1 trains	across
      1 trains	The
      1 trains	Martin
      1 topics	All
      1 top	in
      1 top	2020
      1 together	the
      1 today	uk
      1 to	top
      1 to	search
      1 to	retain
      1 to	private
      1 to	partner
      1 to	make
      1 to	main
      1 to	home
      1 to	come
      1 to	challenge
      1 to	bring
      1 to	be
      1 to	Branson
      1 ticket	to
      1 this	new
      1 this	latest
      1 this	content
      1 they	come
      1 their	local
      1 the	winner
      1 the	team
      1 the	taxpayer
      1 the	service
      1 the	rest
      1 the	public
      1 the	news
      1 the	most
      1 the	main
      1 the	irony
      1 the	high
      1 the	first
      1 the	contract
      1 the	contest
      1 the	chief
      1 the	chairman
      1 the	bank
      1 the	addition
      1 the	West
      1 the	Virgin
      1 the	Italian
      1 the	International
      1 the	HS2
      1 the	Guardian
      1 the	DfT
      1 the	2012
      1 that	trains
      1 that	this
      1 that	the
      1 that	derailed
      1 that	are
      1 that	all
      1 than	500m
      1 term	do
      1 team	which
      1 taxpayer	s
      1 taking	a
      1 stipulated	that
      1 still	to
      1 states	Read
      1 state	with
      1 state	railway
      1 state	owned
      1 state	in
      1 square	up
      1 sports	BUTTON
      1 spine	served
      1 speed	services
      1 speed	operator
      1 speed	network
      1 speculators	looking
      1 some	consortium
      1 since	1997
      1 should	be
      1 shortlist	of
      1 sharing	our
      1 shared	dividends
      1 share	SNCF
      1 sex	Health
      1 services	when
      1 services	First
      1 service	on
      1 service	in
      1 service	alone
      1 served	by
      1 series	of
      1 selected	next
      1 see	First
      1 sector	firms
      1 secretary	Mick
      1 search	BUTTON
      1 said	it
      1 s	railways
      1 s	rail
      1 s	process
      1 s	paper
      1 s	longstanding
      1 s	general
      1 s	expense
      1 s	Virgin
      1 s	SNCF
      1 s	Italian
      1 running	high
      1 running	by
      1 run	trains
      1 run	by
      1 route	to
      1 route	Photograph
      1 route	A
      1 rights	reserved
      1 retaining	the
      1 retain	its
      1 rest	of
      1 reserved	BUTTON
      1 representing	a
      1 replies	Public
      1 repeat	of
      1 recommendations	BUTTON
      1 recognised	and
      1 realising	that
      1 railways	by
      1 railway	SNCF
      1 rail	travel
      1 rail	lottery
      1 rail	is
      1 rail	franchising
      1 rail	firm
      1 rail	being
      1 radio	Art
      1 put	it
      1 publisher	alternate
      1 published	on
      1 public	interest
      1 profile	Account
      1 process	leading
      1 prize	Branson
      1 private	sector
      1 powerful	world
      1 potential	bidders
      1 position	to
      1 popular	Business
      1 policy	Terms
      1 policy	Cookie
      1 pole	position
      1 pit	the
      1 phase	of
      1 period	after
      1 people	and
      1 partnership	with
      1 partnership	bringing
      1 partner	with
      1 partner	Trenitalia
      1 paper	Inside
      1 paid	for
      1 p	c1
      1 owned	by
      1 owned	Trenitalia
      1 over	again
      1 out	on
      1 out	Search
      1 our	expertise
      1 others	to
      1 other	potential
      1 or	its
      1 operator	in
      1 operation	in
      1 operation	has
      1 operates	a
      1 one	way
      1 on	top
      1 on	board
      1 on	WhatsApp
      1 on	Tue
      1 on	Pinterest
      1 on	Messenger
      1 on	LinkedIn
      1 on	Britain
      1 oldest	BUTTON
      1 old	Virgin
      1 old	Group
      1 of	working
      1 of	speculators
      1 of	running
      1 of	direct
      1 of	bidders
      1 of	Stagecoach
      1 of	Britain
      1 of	430
      1 obliged	Virgin
      1 not	by
      1 north	on
      1 next	year
      1 newspaper	archive
      1 news	as
      1 news	UK
      1 news	Share
      1 news	Environment
      1 news	2
      1 newest	BUTTON
      1 new	high
      1 new	franchise
      1 new	HS2
      1 network	is
      1 network	includes
      1 nationalised	all
      1 must	have
      1 most	recognised
      1 more	comments
      1 more	The
      1 marketing	______________________________________________________________
      1 make	a
      1 main	line
      1 main	content
      1 lucrative	prize
      1 lottery	The
      1 looking	to
      1 longstanding	commitment
      1 long	argued
      1 local	knowledge
      1 loading	BUTTON
      1 link	up
      1 line	until
      1 line	from
      1 legal	challenge
      1 leading	to
      1 latest	UK
      1 landgrab	on
      1 landgrab	The
      1 knowledge	and
      1 killing	at
      1 jobs	Sign
      1 its	franchise
      1 its	affiliated
      1 it	would
      1 it	in
      1 is	yet
      1 is	to
      1 is	taking
      1 is	nationalised
      1 is	due
      1 is	completed
      1 irony	of
      1 into	operation
      1 interest	and
      1 intercity	service
      1 intercity	rail
      1 integrated	HS2
      1 industry	HS2
      1 industry	2CBusiness
      1 includes	a
      1 in	this
      1 in	pole
      1 in	partnership
      1 in	about
      1 in	My
      1 in	June
      1 in	Europe
      1 in	Britain
      1 hope	that
      1 home	Support
      1 have	shared
      1 have	experience
      1 has	transformed
      1 has	stipulated
      1 has	obliged
      1 has	long
      1 has	been
      1 governments	denounced
      1 google	Make
      1 general	secretary
      1 garden	Women
      1 from	the
      1 from	Virgin
      1 from	2019
      1 franchising	in
      1 franchise	before
      1 franchise	and
      1 forward	The
      1 form	footer
      1 foreign	states
      1 foreign	governments
      1 for	whoever
      1 for	us
      1 for	by
      1 for	Transport
      1 for	HS2
      1 footer	today
      1 fleet	of
      1 flaws	in
      1 fitness	Home
      1 first	phase
      1 first	HS2
      1 firms	that
      1 firm	s
      1 exposed	flaws
      1 expertise	and
      1 experience	of
      1 experience	The
      1 expense	As
      1 expanded	BUTTON
      1 existing	west
      1 existing	intercity
      1 executive	of
      1 eventually	retaining
      1 email	form
      1 edition	current
      1 edition	Search
      1 edition	News
      1 edition	International
      1 due	to
      1 do	you
      1 dividends	worth
      1 direct	awards
      1 development	Football
      1 details	Emails
      1 design	Film
      1 derailed	rail
      1 denounced	the
      1 cv	2
      1 current	edition
      1 creates	a
      1 correspondent	GwynTopham
      1 corrections	SecureDrop
      1 contribution	Subscribe
      1 contracted	to
      1 contract	for
      1 continue	north
      1 contest	will
      1 content	View
      1 content	The
      1 consortium	of
      1 consortium	against
      1 confirmed	in
      1 conditions	Help
      1 comscorekw	Virgin
      1 completed	The
      1 competition	for
      1 companies	using
      1 companies	All
      1 commitment	of
      1 comments	Trouble
      1 comments	Most
      1 comments	BUTTON
      1 comes	out
      1 come	into
      1 come	forward
      1 collapsed	BUTTON
      1 coast	service
      1 coast	operation
      1 coast	line
      1 coast	franchise
      1 class	partnership
      1 cj	1
      1 chief	executive
      1 challenge	from
      1 challenge	First
      1 chairman	of
      1 capable	high
      1 c2	6035250
      1 c1	2
      1 by	some
      1 by	Frecciarossa
      1 by	BUTTON
      1 by	2026
      1 build	on
      1 bringing	together
      1 bring	SNCF
      1 briefly	awarded
      1 bought	and
      1 both	realising
      1 board	Stagecoach
      1 bidding	war
      1 bidders	will
      1 bidders	still
      1 bidders	must
      1 bid	to
      1 bid	This
      1 being	contracted
      1 before	a
      1 been	bought
      1 be	up
      1 be	run
      1 be	confirmed
      1 be	a
      1 bank	for
      1 awards	Virgin
      1 awarded	the
      1 at	the
      1 as	well
      1 as	the
      1 as	representing
      1 as	a
      1 argued	the
      1 are	owned
      1 archive	Facebook
      1 app	Video
      1 another	landgrab
      1 and	should
      1 and	sharing
      1 and	running
      1 and	run
      1 and	paid
      1 and	others
      1 and	not
      1 and	for
      1 and	experience
      1 and	capable
      1 and	Virgin
      1 and	Sir
      1 and	SNCF
      1 and	Richard
      1 and	France
      1 alternate	Skip
      1 alone	since
      1 all	over
      1 all	comments
      1 all	bidders
      1 against	First
      1 again	by
      1 after	that
      1 affiliated	companies
      1 addition	of
      1 across	Europe
      1 account	Comments
      1 about	2026
      1 a	spine
      1 a	series
      1 a	repeat
      1 a	powerful
      1 a	period
      1 a	one
      1 a	lucrative
      1 a	legal
      1 a	killing
      1 a	fleet
      1 a	contribution
      1 a	bid
      1 a	French
      1 a	50
      1 ______________________________________________________________	Sign
      1 ______________________________________________________________	Membership
      1 ____________________	What
      1 World	news
      1 Work	for
      1 Women	Men
      1 WhatsApp	Share
      1 What	term
      1 West	Coast
      1 Weekly	Crosswords
      1 Wed	26
      1 Virgin	will
      1 Virgin	to
      1 Virgin	square
      1 Virgin	exposed
      1 Virgin	20
      1 View	more
      1 View	all
      1 Video	Podcasts
      1 US	sports
      1 UK	with
      1 UK	rail
      1 UK	news
      1 UK	jobs
      1 Twitter	Search
      1 Twitter	Advertise
      1 Tue	25
      1 Trouble	loading
      1 Trenitalia	with
      1 Trenitalia	s
      1 Travel	Money
      1 Transport	news
      1 Transport	has
      1 Transport	correspondent
      1 Trains	for
      1 Trains	This
      1 Trains	Rail
      1 Trains	2CRail
      1 Topics	Virgin
      1 Topham	Transport
      1 Today	s
      1 Threads	BUTTON
      1 This	is
      1 This	creates
      1 The	winner
      1 The	union
      1 The	shortlist
      1 The	integrated
      1 The	first
      1 The	competition
      1 The	RMT
      1 The	Observer
      1 The	French
      1 The	Department
      1 Terms	conditions
      1 Tennis	Cycling
      1 Tech	Business
      1 TV	radio
      1 Subscriptions	______________________________________________________________
      1 Subscribe	Contribute
      1 Subscribe	Back
      1 Subscribe	BUTTON
      1 Stagecoach	said
      1 Stagecoach	is
      1 Stagecoach	have
      1 Stagecoach	eventually
      1 Stagecoach	Rail
      1 Stage	BUTTON
      1 Sport	Football
      1 Skip	to
      1 Sir	Richard
      1 Sign	out
      1 Sign	in
      1 Show	More
      1 Show	25
      1 SecureDrop	Work
      1 Search	with
      1 Search	switch
      1 Search	UK
      1 Science	Cities
      1 SNCF	which
      1 SNCF	said
      1 SNCF	on
      1 SNCF	link
      1 SNCF	is
      1 SNCF	consortium
      1 SNCF	and
      1 SNCF	30
      1 Rugby	union
      1 Reuse	this
      1 Recipes	Love
      1 Read	more
      1 Rail	transport
      1 Rail	industry
      1 RMT	which
      1 Public	profile
      1 Privacy	policy
      1 Podcasts	Pictures
      1 Pinterest	Share
      1 Pictures	Newsletters
      1 Photograph	Martin
      1 Pepy	the
      1 Partnership	franchise
      1 PA	The
      1 Order	by
      1 Opinion	videos
      1 Opinion	The
      1 Observer	Guardian
      1 Obituaries	BUTTON
      1 Newsletters	Today
      1 News	World
      1 News	Media
      1 My	account
      1 Music	TV
      1 Most	popular
      1 More	Virgin
      1 More	BUTTON
      1 Money	____________________
      1 Mick	Cash
      1 Messenger	Reuse
      1 Men	Family
      1 Membership	Contributions
      1 Media	Limited
      1 Martin	Keene
      1 Martin	Griffiths
      1 Make	a
      1 Love	sex
      1 Loading	comments
      1 LinkedIn	Share
      1 Limited	or
      1 Lifestyle	Show
      1 Lifestyle	IFRAME
      1 Lifestyle	Fashion
      1 Letters	BUTTON
      1 Keene	PA
      1 June	and
      1 Italian	state
      1 Italian	network
      1 Inside	the
      1 IFRAME	email
      1 Home	garden
      1 Help	All
      1 Health	fitness
      1 HS2	services
      1 HS2	route
      1 HS2	high
      1 HS2	bid
      1 HS2	Stagecoach
      1 GwynTopham	Wed
      1 Gwyn	Topham
      1 Guillaume	Pepy
      1 Guardian	view
      1 Guardian	app
      1 Guardian	Weekly
      1 Guardian	The
      1 Guardian	News
      1 Guardian	Back
      1 Group	to
      1 Griffiths	the
      1 Golf	US
      1 Global	development
      1 Glasgow	from
      1 Glasgow	Gwyn
      1 Games	Classical
      1 French	rail
      1 French	landgrab
      1 Frecciarossa	high
      1 France	s
      1 Football	Tech
      1 Football	Cricket
      1 Food	Recipes
      1 First	was
      1 First	published
      1 First	partner
      1 Film	Games
      1 Fashion	Food
      1 Family	Travel
      1 F1	Golf
      1 Europe	will
      1 Europe	Guillaume
      1 Environment	Science
      1 Emails	marketing
      1 Email	Share
      1 Email	A
      1 Digital	newspaper
      1 DfT	s
      1 Department	for
      1 Dating	Discount
      1 Cycling	F1
      1 Culture	Books
      1 Crosswords	Facebook
      1 Cricket	Rugby
      1 Cookie	policy
      1 Contributions	Subscriptions
      1 Contribute	Search
      1 Contact	us
      1 Complaints	corrections
      1 Comments	replies
      1 Columnists	Cartoons
      1 Codes	The
      1 Codes	Support
      1 Codes	Business
      1 Coast	Partnership
      1 Close	p
      1 Classical	Stage
      1 Cities	Global
      1 Cash	said
      1 Cartoons	Opinion
      1 CPolitics	
      1 Business	Obituaries
      1 British	state
      1 British	rail
      1 British	people
      1 British	companies
      1 Britain	First
      1 Branson	s
      1 Branson	both
      1 Books	Music
      1 Birmingham	is
      1 BUTTON	unthreaded
      1 BUTTON	recommendations
      1 BUTTON	oldest
      1 BUTTON	newest
      1 BUTTON	expanded
      1 BUTTON	collapsed
      1 BUTTON	View
      1 BUTTON	Threads
      1 BUTTON	Sport
      1 BUTTON	Show
      1 BUTTON	Search
      1 BUTTON	Order
      1 BUTTON	Opinion
      1 BUTTON	News
      1 BUTTON	More
      1 BUTTON	Lifestyle
      1 BUTTON	International
      1 BUTTON	Culture
      1 BUTTON	Close
      1 BUTTON	All
      1 BUTTON	50
      1 BUTTON	25
      1 BUTTON	100
      1 BST	Share
      1 BST	First
      1 B2B	News
      1 B2B	BUTTON
      1 As	well
      1 Art	design
      1 All	writers
      1 All	topics
      1 All	rights
      1 All	BUTTON
      1 Advertise	with
      1 Account	details
      1 6035250	cv
      1 500m	from
      1 50	share
      1 50	BUTTON
      1 47	BST
      1 430	high
      1 30	and
      1 2CUK	news
      1 2CTransport	2CUK
      1 2CStagecoach	2CRail
      1 2CRail	transport
      1 2CRail	industry
      1 2CHS2	2CStagecoach
      1 2CBusiness	2CHS2
      1 26	Apr
      1 25	Apr
      1 2026	and
      1 2026	British
      1 2020	Guardian
      1 2019	as
      1 2017	13
      1 2017	07
      1 2012	bidding
      1 20	The
      1 2	c2
      1 2	CPolitics
      1 2	0
      1 1997	the
      1 13	47
      1 100	BUTTON
      1 1	comscorekw
      1 07	03
      1 03	BST
      1 0	cj