I'm worried that if maintainence schedules and repairs are purely down to the operators then they will put them back to as late a date as possible (keeping the line as profitable for as long before repair work) thus making it more dangerous. The good thing about Network Rail was that they didn't care about closing the track to carry out needed work as it didn't effect their profits whereas it will effect operators profits so they will put it back as much as possible which is pushing the limits for safety.
So Mick,
How does this make you feel? Is this the end of the yellow perils? Dun dun dun
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/network-rail-trains-tracks-chris-grayling-privatisation-a7453471.html
I may respray this into "Back the Bid London 2012/ Host City London 2012" class 87012. Would you say the high speed pantograph variant would be acceptable for the base model?