THE train company which was set to lose one of the UK's biggest rail franchises later this year could yet retain a stake in the lucrative deal after joining forces with a bidder for the contract.

GNER won the franchise to run East Coast Main Line services in 2005 but the Government decided to re-tender the last year after GNER's parent company, Sea Containers, filed for bankruptcy protection in the US. But now Virgin Trains and Stagecoach have invited GNER to join their bid to run the franchise.