On Feb 20, 12:16*pm, "
wrote:
On 20.02.10 12:01, Roy Badami wrote: Subject says it all. *Is London Overground part of the National Rail,
network, or not?

The observation that triggered the question was seeing, on one of the
maps on board a tube train, a station showing an interchange opportunity
with London Overground, but *not* showing the National Rail symbol
against the station name. Which would seem to imply not.

-roy

It is part of National Rail, but TfL has the franchise for whatever
number of years.

That's not quite right. TfL has taken over the responsibility for
awarding the concession from DfT. The current operating company is
LOROL, with a contract for seven years (plus a possible two year
extension) which started November 2007. LO is not a franchise (in the
same way as most of the other Train Operating Companies), as TfL takes
the full revenue risk and LOROL has to run the services to TfL's
specifications for a contracted price; with all the revenue going
back to TfL. When LOROL's contract is over, it will be upto TfL to
award the next concession. As far as ticketing, timetabling etc. is
concerned, LO are still part of the National Rail systems.

In some ways this is similar to the situation with Merseyrail, where
DfT has devolved the awarding of the concession/franchise to
Merseyside.