Wales and West
Encyclopedia
Wales & West was a British Train Operating Company that ran services from 1997 to 2001, and was one of the original 25 Train Operating Companies that were set up after the UK Rail Industry was privatised. Its last owner was National Express Group
and was based in Cardiff.
train operating company
was created from the South Wales and West division of Regional Railways
. The franchise was awarded to Prism Rail
, who were eventually bought out by the National Express Group
. The shortened name was adopted during 1997.
On 14 October 2001 both the Wales and West and Valley Lines
franchises were reorganised. Wales and West Passenger Trains Ltd. took on the trading name of Wessex Trains
and the operation of services in southwest England; Cardiff Railway Company Ltd. changed its trading name from Valley Lines to Wales and Borders Trains
and took on the running of most trains in Wales and the adjoining parts of England. Both franchises continued to be owned by the National Express Group until Arriva
took over a slightly modified Wales and Borders franchise in 2003.
and the South West
coast as seen in their route map.http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9258/wwmap9yl.gif The company ran a number of core routes similar to those of sister company Central Trains, but also ran several irregular routes like Manchester to London Waterloo via Cardiff and Salisbury.
From the North West they operated irregularly out of Liverpool, as well as the regular service Manchester to Cardiff via Shrewsbury. They ran a joint service with Central Train to from Birmingham to Cardiff, starting several services from Birmingham International
.
Wales and West ran all local routes in South West England as well as most in South Wales, except the Cardiff Valley Lines services that were later merged into the Welsh national franchise. Other Alphaline routes included Cardiff to Southampton & Brighton and Bristol to Penzance. These inter urban core routes were called Alphaline services, with the irregular inter-urban routes known as Betaline services.
Wales & West maintained train crew depots at Crewe, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Camarthen, Swansea, Bristol, Gloucester, Westbury, Weymouth, Cosham, Exeter, Par & Penzance. They maintained trains at there main TMDs at Cardiff, Bristol & Exeter, as well as stabling there trains at various other locations.
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National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
and was based in Cardiff.
History
Originally known as 'South Wales and West Railway', this privatised UKUnited 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...
train operating company
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
was created from the South Wales and West division of Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
. The franchise was awarded to 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...
, who were eventually bought out by the National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
. The shortened name was adopted during 1997.
On 14 October 2001 both the Wales and West and Valley Lines
Valley Lines
Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes is the busy network of passenger suburban railway services radiating from Cardiff, Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys....
franchises were reorganised. Wales and West Passenger Trains Ltd. took on the trading name of Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
and the operation of services in southwest England; Cardiff Railway Company Ltd. changed its trading name from Valley Lines to Wales and Borders Trains
Wales and Borders
Wales and Borders is the name of a franchise of train services covering Wales, the Welsh Marches and bordering counties of England.-History:The franchise was initially formed from part of the former Wales and West franchise and the Cardiff Railway Company , together with the lines from Shrewsbury...
and took on the running of most trains in Wales and the adjoining parts of England. Both franchises continued to be owned by the National Express Group until Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
took over a slightly modified Wales and Borders franchise in 2003.
Network & Operations
The company operated routes along WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
coast as seen in their route map.http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9258/wwmap9yl.gif The company ran a number of core routes similar to those of sister company Central Trains, but also ran several irregular routes like Manchester to London Waterloo via Cardiff and Salisbury.
From the North West they operated irregularly out of Liverpool, as well as the regular service Manchester to Cardiff via Shrewsbury. They ran a joint service with Central Train to from Birmingham to Cardiff, starting several services from Birmingham International
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
.
Wales and West ran all local routes in South West England as well as most in South Wales, except the Cardiff Valley Lines services that were later merged into the Welsh national franchise. Other Alphaline routes included Cardiff to Southampton & Brighton and Bristol to Penzance. These inter urban core routes were called Alphaline services, with the irregular inter-urban routes known as Betaline services.
Wales & West maintained train crew depots at Crewe, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Camarthen, Swansea, Bristol, Gloucester, Westbury, Weymouth, Cosham, Exeter, Par & Penzance. They maintained trains at there main TMDs at Cardiff, Bristol & Exeter, as well as stabling there trains at various other locations.
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