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Class 158 Express Sprinter at Bristol Temple Meads in 2003 | |
Overview | |
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Franchise(s) | Wales & Borders 14 October 2001 – 6 December 2003 |
Main region(s) | South Wales, Mid Wales |
Other region(s) | West Country |
Parent company | National Express |
Reporting mark | WB |
Predecessors | Valley Lines, Wales & West |
Successor | Arriva Trains Wales |
Wales and Borders [1] was a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by National Express that operated the Wales & Borders franchise from October 2001 until December 2003.
In October 1996, the Valley Lines franchise commenced operating services around Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys. In March 2000, the Strategic Rail Authority decided to re-organise the Valley Lines and Wales & West franchises, both being operated by National Express.
Valley Lines became Wales & Borders from October 2001, combining its services with most of Wales & West's Welsh services and the Cambrian Line services from Central Trains. In September 2003 Wales & Borders took over the North Wales Coast Line services from First North Western.
Wales and Borders operated passenger services in Wales and the West Country as seen in their route map. [2] It also operated services to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham International, Penzance and London Waterloo.
On 14 October 2001, the services from Birmingham New Street to Chester, Aberystwyth, and Pwllheli operated by Central Trains were transferred. [3]
On 28 September 2003, the services from Birmingham New Street, Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno and Holyhead as well as those between Bidston and Wrexham Central and Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog operated by First North Western were also transferred. [4]
Wales and Borders inherited a fleet of Class 142, Class 143 and Class 150s from Valley Lines and Class 158s from Wales & West and Central Trains. From First North Western it inherited Class 153 and Class 175s.
Wales and Borders also used Mark 2 carriages on Rhymney Line and Fishguard Harbour services hauled by English Welsh & Scottish EWS Class 37s and Mark 2 carriages hauled by English Welsh & Scottish Class 47s on North Wales Coast Line services. [5] [6]
Wales and Borders' fleet was maintained at Cardiff Canton depot.
On 1 August 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the new franchise to Arriva with the services operated by Wales & Borders transferring to Arriva Trains Wales on 7 December 2003. [7] [8]
Arriva Trains Northern was a train operating company in England owned by Arriva that operated the Regional Railways North East franchise from March 1997 until December 2004. Arriva resumed operating Northern train services again on 1 April 2016 under the Northern brand but ceased again on 29 February 2020.
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.
A train operating company (TOC) is the term used on the railway system of Great Britain for a railway undertaking operating passenger trains under the collective National Rail brand. TOCs have existed since the privatisation of the network under the Railways Act 1993.
The British Rail Class 175Coradia 1000 is a type of diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger train from the Alstom Coradia 1000 family.
Wessex Trains was a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by National Express that operated the Wessex Trains franchise from October 2001 until March 2006, when the franchise was merged with the Great Western and Thames Valley franchises to form the Greater Western franchise.
The North Wales Main Line, also known as the North Wales Coast Line, is a major railway line in the north of Wales and Cheshire, England, running from Crewe on the West Coast Main Line to Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. The line has 19 stations, with all except two, Chester and Crewe, being in Wales.
Bangor railway station serves the city of Bangor, Gwynedd; it is operated by Transport for Wales. The station, which is 24+3⁄4 miles (40 km) east of Holyhead, is the last mainland station on the North Wales Coast line between Crewe and Holyhead. It is the busiest in terms of passenger numbers in North Wales, as it serves the community around Caernarfon and further west. It is close to the Snowdonia National Park and Bangor University, and has an interchange with bus services to the various towns and villages of north-west Gwynedd and Anglesey.
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.
The Butetown branch line, also known as the Cardiff Bay Line, is a 1-mile-6-chain (1.7 km) commuter railway line in Cardiff, Wales from Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Queen Street. The service pattern used to comprise a mixture of shuttle services along the branch and through trains along the Rhymney Line to Caerphilly, or the Coryton Line to Coryton, but since December 2005 is a shuttle service from Queen Street station. The normal journey time is four minutes.
The Rhymney line is a commuter rail line running from Cardiff Central through the Rhymney valley via Heath and Llanishen in the north of the city, to Caerphilly, Bargoed and Rhymney.
First North Western was a train operating company in England owned by FirstGroup that operated the North West Regional Railways franchise from March 1997 until December 2004.
Llandudno Junction is a station serving the village of Llandudno Junction on the North Wales Main Line between Crewe and Holyhead. The station is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, although Avanti West Coast services also stop there. It is a junction for trains to Llandudno and the Conwy Valley line.
Chester railway station is located in Newtown, Chester, England. Services are operated by Avanti West Coast, Merseyrail, Northern and Transport for Wales. From 1875 to 1969, the station was known as Chester General to distinguish it from Chester Northgate. The station's Italianate frontage was designed by the architect Francis Thompson.
Transport in Wales is heavily influenced by the country's geography. Wales is predominantly hilly or mountainous, and the main settlements lie on the coasts of north and south Wales, while mid Wales and west Wales are lightly populated. The main transport corridors are east–west routes, many continuing eastwards into England.
Llandudno railway station serves the seaside town of Llandudno in North Wales. It is the terminus of a 3 miles (4.8 km) long branch line from Llandudno Junction on the North Wales Coast Line, between Crewe and Holyhead. The station is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, who operate all trains serving it. Llandudno Victoria station, the lower terminus of the Great Orme Tramway, is a 15-minute walk from the main station.
Wrexham General is the main railway station serving the city of Wrexham, north-east Wales, and one of the two serving the city, alongside Wrexham Central. It is currently operated and mostly served by Transport for Wales, with some additional services provided by Avanti West Coast to London Euston.
Transport in Cardiff, capital and most populous city in Wales involves road, rail, bus, water and air. It is a major city of the United Kingdom and a centre of employment, government, retail, business, culture, media, sport and higher education.
Valley Lines was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, a train operating company owned by Prism Rail and later National Express, that ran local services around Cardiff from October 1996 until October 2001.
Urban andsuburban rail plays a key role in public transport in many of the major cities of the United Kingdom. Urban rail refers to the train service between city centres and suburbs or nearby towns that acts as a main mode of transport for travellers on a daily basis. They consist of several railway lines connecting city centre stations of major cities to suburbs and surrounding towns.
The Wales & Borders franchise is a railway franchise for passenger services in the United Kingdom operated since 7 February 2021 by publicly owned operator, Transport for Wales Rail. The franchise covers the majority of rail services in Wales, with some services in the bordering English regions and counties, notably North West England, the West Midlands, and Gloucestershire.