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<p>The West Coast Main Line (WCML) Franchise was let by the Office of Passenger Rail
Franchising (OPRAF), a non-Departmental government body following a competition to
Virgin Rail Group<sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup> (VRG). VRG, through a competitive process,
procured both rolling stock and the separation of the fleet maintenance and engineering
functions. West Coast Train Care, an Alstom company, took over responsibility for
the Depots and Maintenance of all trains and the existing staff in the Depot. This
was all included in VRG’s franchise bid for the WCML in 1997 thus the costs of this
separation rested with the operator, while the taxpayer benefitted as a whole from
the returns of the new 15 year franchise awarded.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>At
the time of the WCML franchise award in 1997, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising
(OPRAF) procurement rules and procedures were followed. OPRAF, will have scrutinised
bidder responses under the parameters set out in the ITT, including the separation
of the fleet maintenance and engineering functions.</p><p> </p><p>The Franchisee (Virgin
Rail Group) was responsible for compliance with the Railways Act 1993 in transferring
employees from the operator to the maintainer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><sup><sup>[1]</sup></sup>
In its original entity – i.e. excluding Stagecoach</p>
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