Wales and West

[387star]

Hi


When Wales and West was broken up it was owned by National Express but I'm a bit confused as to why Wales and Borders only lasted two years whereas Wessex Trains lasted 5? I presume when Wales and West was broken up the franchise was at a natural end or was it just because of Prism handing it back?

Also am I correct Wales and West refurbished the 153s and 158s with the well known blue seating? If this is correct the carpeting on those ex Alphaline 158s in use with ScotRail and Northern must be quite dire!

How many trains recieved Wales and West livery? I believe it was a sole 158 which then had its livery amended?
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PS the shortness of the franchise is rather like Arriva Trains Northern (two years) who took over Northern Spirit before giving it up to Northern when the franchise was enlarged. However here the franchise was enlarged after the franchise changed hands bearing in mind Northern Spirit changed hands because the parent company got into difficulty.

 

[Zoe]

When Wales and West was broken up it was owned by National Express but I'm a bit confused as to why Wales and Borders only lasted two years whereas Wessex Trains lasted 5? I presume when Wales and West was broken up the franchise was at a natural end or was it just because of Prism handing it back?

Prism did not hand the franchise back, the company was sold to National Express in 2000. In 2001 the existing Wales and West and Valley Lines franchises were reorganized with Wales and West Passenger Trains Limited changed their trading name to Wessex Trains.
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Arriva Trains Northern (two years) who took over Northern Spirit before giving it up to Northern when the franchise was enlarged.

This again was a takeover, it wasn't a new franchise.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The holders of the Merseyrail and Regional Railways Northeast (Northern Spirit) franchises, MTL, nearly went bust and were bought out by Arriva. When the Regional Railways Northeast and Regional Railways Northwest (First North Western) franchises were due to end they were reformed into Transpennine Express and Northern Rail with some services going to Arriva Trains Wales.

Wessex Trains was taken into the Greater Western (First Great Western) franchise along with Thames Trains (First Great Western Link) in 2006. Wales and Borders became part of Arriva Trains Wales when it was formed in 2003.

WAGN was also split while waiting for other franchises to end. The West Anglia part became part of ONE Railway (National Express East Anglia) whilst Great Northern waited a further two years to join up with Thameslink (First Capital Connect).
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....How many trains recieved Wales and West livery? I believe it was a sole 158 which then had its livery amended?....

I presume you mean the silver and blue livery with orange doors? Yes it was one unit. After that, the silver and yellow livery with blue doors was applied to two ex-Scotrail 158s and adopted as the Wales and Borders 158 livery, whilst Wessex 158s had basically the same livery, but with maroon doors.