Only two years?

I must admit that running a railway company can't be the easiest thing in life. Not something that I would like to try under current restrictions.

Maybe it's just me, but I fail to understand the point of awarding contract extensions for only a couple of years. Just exactly how much benefit is that going to bring?

Well according to the recent Virgin extension for West coast - an awful lot. And all in just the two years.

Two years, to spend £20 million on improving stations, and another £35 million on improving the trains. That seems an awful lot to spend.

Now if you're going to spend that much money, you would expect everything would come your way at the next bidding round?

If the next bidding actually works next time, and Virgin don't get the new contract, do they get some sort of refund?  And let's face it, the bidding process really has got to work really well, otherwise I can see someone throwing their toys out of the pram again.

Personally I don't think so.

I reckon that Virgin are an automatic shoe in for the new contract in 2017. After all, £55 million is a lot to spend, just to get nothing out of it in the end. Otherwise, it would be hardly worth the risk.