UK Rail Franchises information site

[pdeaves]

Please forgive this blatant plug!

I have just put on my website what I hope is a comprehensive list of franchises with dates, etc., which I hope will be of interest. There are a couple of places where dates are uncertain; any additional details (or other information or corrections) would be gratefully received!

The franchise page can be found at...

<drum roll>

http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/operators/franchises.shtm

Thank you for your time, we now return you to your regular programming.


(Permission received from administrator to post; link to RailUK Forums added to my site in return!)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's very difficult to track in a grid format, but the evolution of some of the franchises has been omitted.
Wales & Borders was formed progressively over several months in 2003 from:
(1) Cardiff Railways (renamed as W&B, branded as ATW)
(2) most Wales & West services in Wales
(3) First North Western services through Chester
(4) Central services through Shrewsbury

(Virgin) Cross Country Birmingham-Scotland services were retained by Virgin in an enlarged West Coast franchise when "new" Cross Country was taken over by Arriva in 2007 (with Manchester-Scotland going to TPE).

If you want to put owning groups in, the Arriva franchises (ATW, XC, Chiltern, and its share in LO (JV)) formally belong to DB Arriva.
DB Regio has been superseded by Arriva UK Trains.

 

[pdeaves]

Thanks for the additional data.

I have included it (along with a format change in an attempt to improve readability!) in an updated page (to go online shortly). I trust that I have done justice to your descriptions whilst keeping things simple!

 

[MikeWh]

Your first entry for South Eastern describes it as Network South East. Is that really correct. NSE was the name of the whole South East England operation before privatisation.

 

[Hornet]

My records (BR to BR Shadow Franchise to Franchise Details) show 11 sub-divisions within NSE, 7 sub-divisions within IC, and 8 sub-divisions within RR. At present my Franchise records show 74 Franchises (and concessions) and Franchise Changes since Franchise inception up to November 2014. 10 proposed new/existing renewal/extension Franchises/Concessions and 26 Open access/other operators that operate on the National Rail System.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I like the list in general, but I think it would be handy if the TOC names were linked, so that when you click one (eg in the superceded section) it jumps to the entry for that TOC.

 

[pdeaves]

I like the list in general, but I think it would be handy if the TOC names were linked, so that when you click one (eg in the superceded section) it jumps to the entry for that TOC.

I agree about the links, a very sensible thought; I am working on them now, hopefully to upload later this evening.

Thanks!

 

[TheNewNo2]

You can also be happy to know I've already cited it on Wikipedia (in about 15 articles) to reference the change from Wales & West to Wessex Trains, which fell into that annoying gap between privatisation and the rise of online news.