jis
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In the context of the outfit called "Virgin" buying into any transport business, it does not matter what Branson is or is not. The outfit that runs the transportation business or owns parts of conglomerates that do is the Virgin Group, and Branson's relationship to it is just an emeritus status as the Founder. The guys with real executive authority are the CEO Josh Bayliss and Chairman of the Board Peter Norris.
Specifically on the Rail side of things Virgin Rail which is the primary rail transport related holding company, is 51% owned by Virgin Group and 49% by Stagecoach Group, which used to be a pure bus company but now owns a couple of UK Rail franchises on its own. Virgin Rail own the Intercity West Coast franchise in the UK. In addition it owns 10% or Virgin East Coast franchise, the remaining 90% owned by the Stagecoach Group.
So as you can see Branson is many steps removed and often his primary connection is with an outfit that is either a small minority owner and sometimes a bare majority owner of the relevant subsidiaries.
Even if any private outfit comes to run a part of Amtrak it at most may have a franchise use of the Virgin name, but the actual company will probably be mostly Stagecoach or First Group (another originally bus company) or some such. Even Virgin Atlantic Airline at present is operationally more dependent on Delta than it has ever been before, and is still in dire financial straits.
Specifically on the Rail side of things Virgin Rail which is the primary rail transport related holding company, is 51% owned by Virgin Group and 49% by Stagecoach Group, which used to be a pure bus company but now owns a couple of UK Rail franchises on its own. Virgin Rail own the Intercity West Coast franchise in the UK. In addition it owns 10% or Virgin East Coast franchise, the remaining 90% owned by the Stagecoach Group.
So as you can see Branson is many steps removed and often his primary connection is with an outfit that is either a small minority owner and sometimes a bare majority owner of the relevant subsidiaries.
Even if any private outfit comes to run a part of Amtrak it at most may have a franchise use of the Virgin name, but the actual company will probably be mostly Stagecoach or First Group (another originally bus company) or some such. Even Virgin Atlantic Airline at present is operationally more dependent on Delta than it has ever been before, and is still in dire financial straits.