On 15th December last year the government announced that it was stripping GNER of its franchise to run the east coast mainline railway route which goes from London to Edinburgh, the most valuable train franchise in the UK. Instead of operating the route until 2015, as originally agreed, GNER will be replaced in mid-2008.

GNER got off to a good start in 1996 when it first won the franchise: the chart for that moment shows the Ascendant linked directly to the UK's Mercury in Sagittarius in the 3rd house, symbolising transport and journeys. Unfortunately, Neptune and Uranus in the 2nd house of finances and assets aren't so straight-forward...... the price paid for the franchise was inflated beyond realism (Neptune).

In January 2002 when the franchise was extended transiting Pluto was exactly conjunct the 1996 franchise Ascendant, reflecting new life, but also survival issues. At the same time, transiting Neptune in the 2nd house was exactly square the 1996 Sun, showing the potential to lose one's way, to dissolve.

Over the next months transiting Pluto would come into orb of opposing the 1996 Venus, showing that a potential financial crisis needed to be dealt with head-on.

The latest franchise agreement came into operation in April 2005, with transiting Neptune in semisquare to 1996 Saturn suggestive of an undermining process that washes away secure-footing. Neptune was slowly edging its way towards being within orb of its trine to 1996 Venus, indicating the potential for financial dissolution.

In December 2006 when GNER was stripped of the franchise, the Neptune transit to Saturn was just passed exactitude. Transiting Pluto (life/death changes) was almost exactly trine 1996 Mars (survival) and quincunx 1996 Mercury (transport, travel, journeys, trading). Most appropriately, transiting Saturn had been stationary in square to Mercury - hitting the buffers, no less, as the planet of limits and endings stopped moving as it aligned with the planet of movement.......

(The date of Saturn's exact station was 6th December, although a fortnight either side of that date is when the cessation of motion is evident.)