Toy wooden railway challenges Virgin

Toy train makers lodged a bid to run services on the West Coast Main Line, promising no delays, frequent services and free trains for all.

Bigjigs Toys submitted its bid after a decision to award the deal to FirstGroup was overturned following a legal challenge from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Trains.

The Department for Transport promptly replied, thanking the firm for its helpful proposals that "would certainly brighten up the railway".

In its letter to transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Bigjigs Toys bosses wrote: "There is only one company that stands head and shoulders above the rest.

"This company has been delivering exceptional service on time and to low cost for its customers for years, and should be considered a serious candidate amongst the other four bidders.

"You might ask who can run such a service. Simple. Bigjigs Rail."

Department for Transport private secretary Mark Reach replied thanking Bigjigs for its letter and with advice on how to proceed with its application.

However he warns the bid is unlikely to succeed with Bigjigs' wooden train carriages unlikely "to meet modern crashworthiness standards".