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Ground transport / Rail operator update<br />
[ <strong>The</strong> UK's train operators: who's who ]<br />
C2C<br />
Owned by: Trenitalia, part of the state-owned<br />
Italian rail operator.<br />
Franchise period: 2014-29.<br />
Main routes: London Fenchurch Street to<br />
destinations in Essex.<br />
CALEDONIAN SLEEPER<br />
Owned by: Serco.<br />
Franchise period: 2015-30.<br />
Main routes: Overnight services from London<br />
Euston to major Scottish cities.<br />
CHILTERN TRAINS<br />
Owned by: Arriva UK Trains, part of stateowned<br />
German operator DB.<br />
Franchise period: 2002-21.<br />
Main routes: London Marylebone to<br />
Aylesbury, Oxford and Birmingham.<br />
CrossCountry<br />
Owned by: Arriva UK Trains.<br />
Franchise period: 2007-19.<br />
Main routes: Birmingham to the South West,<br />
Bournemouth, Cardiff, Nottingham, Stansted,<br />
Manchester, Leeds, the North East and<br />
Scotland. Franchise renewal postponed<br />
indefinitely due to the Williams Review.<br />
East Midlands Trains<br />
Owned by: Abellio, part of Dutch train<br />
operator NS, which replaced Stagecoachowned<br />
East Midlands Trains in August <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Franchise period: <strong>2019</strong>-27.<br />
Main routes: London St Pancras to Leicester,<br />
Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield; Norwich<br />
to Liverpool.<br />
Govia Thameslink Railway<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Keolis<br />
(majority owned by French state-owned<br />
operator SNCF) and Go-Ahead Group.<br />
Franchise period: 2015-21.<br />
Main routes: London to Bedford,<br />
Peterborough and King’s Lynn; and London<br />
to Brighton and other south coast cities<br />
(including Thameslink services via central<br />
London); plus local services across south<br />
London. Many routes carry Great Northern<br />
or Southern branding, and it includes the<br />
Gatwick Express service.<br />
Grand Central<br />
Owned by: Arriva UK Trains. Non-franchised<br />
open access operator.<br />
Main routes: London King’s Cross to<br />
Bradford, York and Sunderland.<br />
GREATER ANGLIA<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Abellio<br />
and Japanese rail interests.<br />
Franchise period: 2016-25.<br />
Main routes: London-Norwich; Stansted<br />
Express; regional services throughout<br />
East Anglia.<br />
Great Western Railway<br />
Owned by: FirstGroup.<br />
Franchise period: 2006-20.<br />
Main routes: London Paddington to the<br />
West Country, South Wales and Cotswolds;<br />
regional services in the South West and<br />
Thames Valley.<br />
Heathrow Express<br />
Owned by: Heathrow Airport, but operated<br />
by Great Western. Non-franchised open<br />
access operator.<br />
Main route: London Paddington to London<br />
Heathrow Airport.<br />
HULL TRAINS<br />
Owned by: FirstGroup. Non-franchised open<br />
access operator.<br />
Main route: London King’s Cross to Hull.<br />
LONDON NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY<br />
Owned by: Department for Transport.<br />
Operating period: 2018-20, when new<br />
franchise is due to start.<br />
Main routes: London King’s Cross to<br />
Peterborough, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh,<br />
Aberdeen and Inverness.<br />
London Northwestern Railway<br />
London / WeST Northwestern MIDLANDS RAILWAY Railway/We<br />
Owned by: West Midlands Tren Abellio<br />
(part of Dutch train operator NS) and<br />
Japanese rail interests.<br />
Franchise period: 2017-26.<br />
Main routes: London to Birmingham and<br />
Crewe; Birmingham to Liverpool; local<br />
services in West Midlands.<br />
London Overground<br />
Owned by: Arriva UK Trains (on behalf of<br />
Transport for London).<br />
Franchise period: 2016-24.<br />
Main routes: Local services around London.<br />
Merseyrail<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Abellio<br />
and Serco.<br />
Franchise period: 2003-28.<br />
Main routes: Local services around Liverpool.<br />
NORTHERN<br />
Owned by: Arriva UK Trains.<br />
Franchise period: 2016-25.<br />
Main routes: Services throughout the North.<br />
ScotRail<br />
Owned by: Abellio (on behalf of the Scottish<br />
government).<br />
Franchise period: 2015-25.<br />
Main routes: Most services within Scotland.<br />
Southeastern<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Keolis<br />
(majority owned by French state-owned<br />
operator SNCF) and Go-Ahead Group.<br />
Franchise period: 2006-19. Franchise renewal<br />
postponed due to the Williams Review.<br />
Main routes: London to Kent; local services<br />
around south London.<br />
South Western Railway<br />
Owned by: A partnership between FirstGroup<br />
and Hong Kong rail operator MTR.<br />
Franchise period: 2017-24.<br />
Main routes: London to the south coast and<br />
Exeter; local services around south London.<br />
TfL Rail<br />
Owned by: Transport for London.<br />
Franchise period: 2015-23.<br />
Main routes: East London. It will operate<br />
Crossrail (Elizabeth Line) when it opens.<br />
TransPennine Express<br />
Owned by: FirstGroup.<br />
Franchise period: 2016-23.<br />
Main routes: Liverpool and Manchester<br />
Airport to Yorkshire and North East;<br />
Manchester Airport to Edinburgh and<br />
Glasgow; Manchester to Hull and Cleethorpes.<br />
TransPORT FOR WALES RAIL<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Keolis and<br />
Amey (on behalf of Transport for Wales).<br />
Franchise period: 2018-33.<br />
Main routes: Most services within Wales,<br />
and to Birmingham and Manchester.<br />
VIRGIN TRAINS<br />
Owned by: A partnership between Virgin<br />
Group and Stagecoach.<br />
Franchise period: 1997-<strong>2019</strong>. To be replaced<br />
in December by a partnership between<br />
FirstGroup and Trenitalia (franchise to 2031).<br />
Main routes: London to the West Midlands,<br />
North West, North Wales and Scotland;<br />
Birmingham to Scotland.<br />
80 THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.com
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