Fraser Eagle
Encyclopedia
Fraser Eagle was a group of companies based in the United Kingdom
specialising in passenger transport, travel and logistics. Services included pre-planned and emergency coach and taxi services nationwide, corporate travel, event transport, incident management transport and destination management services. These services were provided mainly to the corporate sector. The company also provided coach tours and independent travel agency services to the consumer sector. The company went into administration on 10 March 2009.
-based coach company in 1919, transporting holidaymakers to the coastal resorts in England
and Scotland
. The company was formed by Harold Williams and Ward Knowles, and they later expanded to include tours and excursions across Europe
.
The company expanded rapidly in the 1990s when it began providing coaches to the rail industry when train services were disrupted - quickly becoming the UK's leading provider of rail replacement services, a business which exploded in the wake of the disruption following the Hatfield rail crash
and the long-running modernisation of the West Coast Main Line
.
It also managed, plans, and provides replacement coaches in non-emergency situations (railway engineering works etc), acting as a transport broker
with a database of 5,000 coach and taxi suppliers nationwide.
Among others, Fraser Eagle provide replacement transport for Virgin Trains
, winning a £12m three-year contract to provide Virgin with around 100,000 taxis a year.
Recently however, increased train reliability and punctuality has led to a downturn in business, as well as increased competition from National Express
, First Group and Stagecoach
.
Concern has been expressed from both suppliers and clients about the future commercial viability of Fraser Eagle, particularly in February 2009 when they announced 50 of their 170 staff were being laid off, the closure of Fraser Eagle Cars division and that they would be ending their sponsorship of Accrington Stanley earlier than contracted. Although claiming this was a result of the financial downturn and increased competition, it seems apparent the story runs deeper with allegations of insolvent trading for several months and many of Fraser Eagle's regular suppliers refusing to take any work on until arrears have been settled, some of which date back to Summer 2008.
These concerns were realised when the company filed for administration on 10 March 2009.
to London
since December 2007.
Fraser Eagle sold Grand Central to a consortium headed by a former manager of Prism Rail
, backed by a private equity firm in March 2007.
, Lancashire
, employing 180 full time staff. They also have an offices in Malta
.
The company sponsored Blackburn Rovers F.C.
(as well as the Blackburn Cathedral Choir), Rabat Ajax F.C., and Accrington Stanley FC
, who have named their stadium Fraser Eagle Stadium
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
specialising in passenger transport, travel and logistics. Services included pre-planned and emergency coach and taxi services nationwide, corporate travel, event transport, incident management transport and destination management services. These services were provided mainly to the corporate sector. The company also provided coach tours and independent travel agency services to the consumer sector. The company went into administration on 10 March 2009.
History
The company started out as an AccringtonAccrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
-based coach company in 1919, transporting holidaymakers to the coastal resorts in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The company was formed by Harold Williams and Ward Knowles, and they later expanded to include tours and excursions across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The company expanded rapidly in the 1990s when it began providing coaches to the rail industry when train services were disrupted - quickly becoming the UK's leading provider of rail replacement services, a business which exploded in the wake of the disruption following the Hatfield rail crash
Hatfield rail crash
The Hatfield rail crash was a railway accident on 17 October 2000, at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK. Although the accident killed fewer than other accidents, Hatfield exposed the major stewardship shortcomings of the privatised national railway infrastructure company Railtrack and the failings of...
and the long-running modernisation of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
.
It also managed, plans, and provides replacement coaches in non-emergency situations (railway engineering works etc), acting as a transport broker
Broker
A broker is a party that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller, and gets a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal...
with a database of 5,000 coach and taxi suppliers nationwide.
Among others, Fraser Eagle provide replacement transport for Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
, winning a £12m three-year contract to provide Virgin with around 100,000 taxis a year.
Recently however, increased train reliability and punctuality has led to a downturn in business, as well as increased competition from National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
, First Group and Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
.
Concern has been expressed from both suppliers and clients about the future commercial viability of Fraser Eagle, particularly in February 2009 when they announced 50 of their 170 staff were being laid off, the closure of Fraser Eagle Cars division and that they would be ending their sponsorship of Accrington Stanley earlier than contracted. Although claiming this was a result of the financial downturn and increased competition, it seems apparent the story runs deeper with allegations of insolvent trading for several months and many of Fraser Eagle's regular suppliers refusing to take any work on until arrears have been settled, some of which date back to Summer 2008.
These concerns were realised when the company filed for administration on 10 March 2009.
Grand Central Railway
The company was a major stakeholder of the Grand Central Railway, an "open-access" railway company that has run trains from Sunderland and HartlepoolHartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since December 2007.
Fraser Eagle sold Grand Central to a consortium headed by a former manager of Prism Rail
Prism Rail
Prism Rail was established in 1995 to acquire passenger rail franchises being made available under the Government's rail privatisation programme. It bid for 17 franchises, was shortlisted for 12 and was ultimately awarded 4, which were LTS Rail, Wales and West, WAGN and Valley Lines Trains.Of the...
, backed by a private equity firm in March 2007.
Other businesses
The group also manage Fraser Eagle Worldchoice Travel Agent, and Fraser Eagle Cars. They are based in PadihamPadiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, employing 180 full time staff. They also have an offices in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
The company sponsored Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
(as well as the Blackburn Cathedral Choir), Rabat Ajax F.C., and Accrington Stanley FC
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
, who have named their stadium Fraser Eagle Stadium
Fraser Eagle Stadium
The Crown Ground, known as the Fraser Eagle Stadium for sponsorship purposes until the demise of local company Fraser Eagle in 2009 , is a multi-use stadium in Accrington, England. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of Accrington Stanley F.C.. The stadium...
.