Virgin Trains manager jumps ship to First Group for west coast main line railway takeover
First Group has poached the boss of Virgin Trains just in time to take over the west coast main line rail franchise in 12 days’ time.
Phil Whittingham, who has been at Virgin since it took control of the country’s most lucrative rail network in 1998, will keep running the line, which connects London to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.
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Virgin has railed against the Department of Transport for choosing a First Group joint venture with Italian rail operator Trenitalia to take over the line.
Whittingham has been Virgin Trains’ managing director since 2013. He will join First with his entire management team from Virgin.
Virgin, which is still owned by billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, has run the line with transport giant Stagecoach in recent years, and is locked in a legal dispute with the DfT over its decision to give First the contract.
The joint venture had been banned from bidding because of a row over train workers’ future pension liabilities.
Nevertheless, Branson remains keen on being a part of Britain’s rail industry.
Last month, he told City PM that although the current franchising system “needs a rethink,” he would be “very keen to have a look at” any new model which comes out of an upcoming major government review into the networks.
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First Group also announced that the director who masterminded its bid for the West Coast Partnership, Caroline Donaldson, would oversee preparations for the operation of trains on HS2, for which First has also been appointed.
“Phil and Caroline bring great experience, insight and drive,” said Steve Montgomery, managing director of First Group’s rail operations.