Central Trains

Central Trains Ltd was a British railway company of the National Express Group, the operational between 1997 and 2007 regional and supra-regional passenger trains in central England. The center of their network was Birmingham.

  • 4.1 Cross Country
  • 4.2 West Midlands
  • 4.3 East Midlands

Company Central Trains Ltd

In the British passenger rail operation of subnets will be awarded after the franchise principle by the UK Department for Transport temporary basis to interested companies. The Central Trains subnet was privatized as one of the last subnet in March 1997 and initially assigned to March 2003, which belonged to the National Express Group Central Trains Ltd. The contract was then again extended for another three years to March 2006 and in October 2004 to around 1.5 years until the fall of 2007.

In fiscal year 2004/2005 Central Trains carried around 40.5 million passengers; eight million more than were carried in the financial year 1996/1997 before privatization to the same relations. 2004/2005 1428.2 million passenger kilometers were traveled in Central Trains trains.

Operators lucrative subnets have to pay concession fees to the SRA, while other networks will be eligible. Central Trains was awarded in fiscal year 2004/2005 payments totaling 155 million British pounds that have been especially granted to cover investment in new vehicles. Among the 18 subsidized by the SRA company Central Trains thus received 2004/2005 by far the highest payments. Per passenger kilometer, however, six companies were granted more subsidies.

Operation and train services

Central Trains offered on weekdays at around 1,300 train trips and served while 232 stations. For over regional transport its own brand name was used with " Central City Link "; the local services in the Birmingham area were offered under the supervision of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive under their own brand name " Centro ".

The following relations were served by Central Trains:

About Regional ( " Central City Link " )

Regional

  • -/Walsall Birmingham - Wolverhampton - Shrewsbury ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Coventry - Northampton ( " Centro "; was operated until 2004 by Silver Link )
  • Birmingham - Stourbridge - Kidderminster - Worcester - Great Malvern - Hereford ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Bromsgrove - Worcester / - Redditch ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Walsall - Stafford ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Stratford- upon- Avon ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Leamington Spa ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Lichfield ( " Centro " )
  • Birmingham - Nuneaton - Leicester
  • Stafford - Stoke -on-Trent
  • Coventry - Nuneaton - Lichfield - Stafford
  • Derby - Matlock
  • Nottingham - Derby - Birmingham / - Stoke -on-Trent - Crewe
  • Nottingham - Loughborough - Leicester
  • Nottingham - Grantham - Sleaford - Skegness
  • Nottingham - Mansfield - Worksop
  • Nottingham - Newark - Lincoln
  • Newark - Lincoln - Grimsby
  • Peterborough - Sleaford - Lincoln - Sheffield / Doncaster -

Rolling stock

Central Trains Ltd renewed the car park was acquired in 1997 within the ten years of operation largely. The last vehicles were procured 30 electric railcar class 350 from the " Desiro " family of vehicles from Siemens, which came on the traffic of Central Trains sections of the West Coast Main Line between Northampton, Birmingham and Liverpool / Preston used.

The consistently leased vehicles were passed after the end of the Central Trains operating concession to other railway companies.

End of the Central Trains services

On 19 October 2004, the UK Department for Transport the " Central Trains ' franchise area after the expiry of the existing contract with Central Trains Ltd decided under the leadership of Alistair Darling, on November 11, 2007 to dissolve. The previously summarized in this subnet traffic was instead assigned to three partially existing franchise subnets. Instead of the greater omentum " Central Trains ", which included very different performances on a large geographical area, a more functional as well as spatial division should be created. This brings the hope of improving the reliability and cost savings.

The existing " Central Trains ' services were integrated from November 11, 2007 In the following subnets:

Cross Country

The " Cross Country" sub-network comprised by 2007 already long-distance connections between the South of England, South Wales and Cornwall and Scotland via Birmingham. These were supplemented by the regional Central Trains connections Cardiff or Hereford - Birmingham - Nottingham and Birmingham - Peterborough Stansted Airport.

At the same time, the operator moved that subnet by Virgin Trains has been replaced by Arriva.

West Midlands

The new "West Midlands " sub-network was formed from the previously operated by Silverlink subnet with performances on between London and Northampton and former Central Trains - traffic to Birmingham, Liverpool and Preston. Again, there was a change of operator: Instead of Silverlink now London Midland provides these services.

East Midlands

The equally new "East Midlands " franchise all previous " Central Trains ' services were assigned to the north and east of a line of thought Leicester Crewe, unless they are part of the " Cross Country " network. In addition, the entire " Midland Mainline " subnet, which was operated until April 2008 by the Midland Mainline Ltd was integrated into the "East Midlands " network. Operators of this network was East Midlands Trains.

  • Former railway company (England)
The Midlands East Anglia Preston, Lancashire Malvern (Worcestershire) Stratford-upon-Avon Royal Leamington Spa Matlock (Derbyshire) Lincoln, England British Rail Class 350 Class (locomotive)
173168
de