(27 Jul 2015, 8:01 pm)8222 wrote I think it's something to do with the money they earn. Don't ask me how it works, but I remember reading a few years back that they take a hefty chunk of money from East Coast for operating York - Kings Cross. I think they get a bigger amount of money than what fares they actually take for their services alone. I think the same is true for Hull Trains and is the reason why the West Yorkshire service stops at Doncaster. I think it's all divided up proportionally. If it went to Newcastle, I think the Rail Regulators wouldn't allow it as they would be seen to take too much money from the main ECML route, hence the random start point of Sunderland.

That's quite worrying, as it seems that would be a direct barrier to any competition, and being detrimental to the consumer. Is there not a competition regulator for these things, to stop one service creating a monopoly.