Franchise(s) | Open access operator |
---|---|
Parent company | Ian Yeowart |
Other | |
Website | www |
Grand Union is a prospective open access operator which is proposing to operate train services in the United Kingdom from England to Wales and Scotland. Grand Union is headed by Ian Yeowart, who founded previous open access operators Alliance Rail Holdings and Grand Central before selling both to Arriva.
In December 2022, the company was authorised by the Office of Rail and Road to operate trains between London Paddington and Carmarthen from December 2024.
Grand Union's first proposal was to operate a two-hourly service between London Paddington and Cardiff Central calling at Reading, Bristol Parkway, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport and Cardiff Parkway. From 2023, the service would have been increased to hourly and extended to Llanelli calling at: Swansea, with possibly a further extension to Carmarthen. In its April 2019 submission to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), it proposed operating hourly services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central. [1] [2]
In July 2019, the application was withdrawn and replaced with an amended one. [3] [4] In May 2020, the application was replaced again seeing the introduction of a proposed extended service running to Carmarthen, with the initial two-hourly service starting in December 2021. [5] In February 2021 the application was rejected. [6] [7] In April 2021 an amended application was lodged. [8] [9]
Grand Union proposed to operate with LNER Class 91s and Rail Operations Group Class 93s hauling nine-car Mark 4s and a Driving Van Trailer. [10] [11]
In December 2022, the ORR approved Grand Union's plan for the new rail service from Paddington to Carmarthen, directing Network Rail to enter into a contract with the operator. A fleet of new bi-mode trains will be used. The project is being developed in partnership with European investment company Serena Industrial Partners and Spanish rail operator Renfe. The new service is scheduled to commence in December 2024. [12] The service will call at Bristol Parkway, Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport, Cardiff Central, Gowerton and Llanelli. [13]
In August 2019, Grand Union lodged an application to operate four trains each way per day between London Euston and Stirling calling at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert with InterCity 225s from May 2021. [14] In June 2021, Grand Union lodged an amended application proposing to use LNER Class 91s and Rail Operations Group Class 93s hauling nine-car Mark 4s and a Driving Van Trailer. [15]
In 2023 Grand Union revised its proposal changing its planned rolling stock to Class 22x units, at the same time the start date for this service was changed to June 2025. [16]
On the 7th of March 2024, the Office of Rail and Road approved Grand Union’s proposed service starting from June 2025. [17]
In 2023, Grand Union initiated consultation to operate five daily train services connecting Cardiff Central and Edinburgh Waverley, with a possible start in 2025. [18] This followed CrossCountry's franchise extension in September 2023 to run until 15 October 2027, which included a commitment to reintroduce a daily service between the two cities by the end of 2024. [19] [20] The service expects to call at Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction, Gloucester, Birmingham New Street, Derby, Sheffield, Doncaster, York and Newcastle. It encompasses the utilisation of either Class 221 Super Voyager or Class 222 Meridian multiple units. [21]
Arriva Trains Wales was a British train operating company owned by Arriva UK Trains that operated the Wales & Borders franchise. It ran urban and inter-urban passenger services to all railway stations in Wales, including Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham General and Holyhead, as well as to certain stations in England such as Hereford, Shrewsbury, Chester, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street.
Cardiff Central is a major station on the South Wales Main Line. It is located in the capital of Wales, Cardiff, 170 miles 30 chains (274 km) down the line from London Paddington, via Stroud. It is one of the city's two urban rail network hubs, along with Cardiff Queen Street. Opened in 1850 as Cardiff station, it was renamed Cardiff General in 1924 and then Cardiff Central in 1973.
Lockerbie railway station is a railway station serving the town of Lockerbie, on the West Coast Main Line, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is located 75 miles south of Glasgow Central and 324 miles north of London Euston. The station is owned by Network Rail.
Severn Tunnel Junction railway station is a minor station on the western side of the Severn Tunnel in the village of Rogiet, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is 123.5 miles (198.8 km) from London Paddington and lies at the junction of the South Wales Main Line from London and the Gloucester to Newport Line.
The British Rail Class 180 is a class of 14 diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger trains manufactured by Alstom at its Washwood Heath factory in 2000/01 for First Great Western (FGW). They are part of the Coradia 1000 family, along with the Class 175.
The British Rail Mark 4 is a class of passenger carriages built for use in InterCity 225 sets on the East Coast Main Line between King's Cross, Leeds and Edinburgh. Withdrawals began in 2019, with some being sold for further use with Transport for Wales between Cardiff and Holyhead.
Newport is the second-busiest railway station in Wales. It is situated in Newport city centre and 158 miles 50 chains (255.3 km) from London Paddington, via Stroud.
Bridgend railway station is a main line station serving the town of Bridgend, south Wales. It is located approximately halfway between Cardiff Central and Swansea stations, at the point where the Maesteg Line diverges from the South Wales Main Line; it is also the western terminus of the Vale of Glamorgan Line from Cardiff. It is 190 miles 45 chains (306.7 km) measured from the zero point at London Paddington, via Stroud.
The West Wales lines are a group of railway lines from Swansea through Carmarthenshire to Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The main part runs from Swansea to Carmarthen and Whitland, where it becomes three branches to Fishguard, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.
Fishguard Harbour railway station serves the port of Fishguard Harbour, Wales. It is the terminus of one of the branches of the West Wales Line from Swansea. The area is also now served by Fishguard and Goodwick railway station.
Port Talbot Parkway railway station is a railway station in Port Talbot, Wales. The station is located at street level near Station Road in Port Talbot town centre. It is 202 miles 59 chains (326 km) from London Paddington.
Pencoed railway station is a minor station in Pencoed, Bridgend County Borough, south Wales. The station is located at street level at The Square in Pencoed.
Llanelli railway station is the railway station serving the town of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located on the West Wales line and the Heart of Wales line 225 miles 20 chains (362.5 km) from the zero point at London Paddington, measured via Stroud. The station and the majority of trains calling are operated by Transport for Wales.
Gowerton railway station serves the village of Gowerton, Wales. It is located at street level at the end of Station Road in Gowerton, 219 miles 45 chains (353.4 km) from the zero point at London Paddington, measured via Stroud. The station is unmanned but has a ticket machine, shelters on each platform and live train running information displays.
Carmarthen railway station is on the West Wales Line serving the town of Carmarthen, Wales, south of the River Towy, 245 miles 55 chains (395.4 km) from the zero point at London Paddington, measured via Stroud. The station is operated by Transport for Wales. Great Western Railway also run a limited service between Carmarthen and London Paddington, usually six trains each way daily with an additional return service to Bristol Parkway.
Grand Central is an open-access train operating company in the United Kingdom. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, it has operated passenger rail services since December 2007.
Rail services in the West of England refer to passenger rail journeys made in the Bristol commuter area. 17 million passenger rail journeys were made in 2019-20 within the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath region.
Alliance Rail Holdings was a railway company developing plans to operate passenger trains in the United Kingdom through its subsidiaries Great North Western Railway Company Limited (GNWR) and Grand Southern Railway (GSR). Despite various proposals, the company did not run any passenger services.
Lumo is a British open-access operator owned by FirstGroup that operates passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. It is headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne.
West Wales Parkway is a proposed railway station north of Swansea, near to the boundaries of the neighbouring principal area of Carmarthenshire, and the villages of Felindre and Llangyfelach. The station is proposed to be situated at the former Felindre steelworks, near Junction 46 of the M4 and A48, and near Felindre Business Park and Penllergaer Business Park. The project is in the planning stages, as part of a wider Department for Transport proposal to re-open the Swansea District line to passenger traffic.