First Harrogate Trains

First Harrogate Trains
Overview
Franchise(s): Open access operator
Main (s): Harrogate Line
East Coast Main Line
Parent company: FirstGroup (80%)
Renaissance Trains (20%)
Website: www.harrogatetrains.co.uk

First Harrogate Trains[1] was a proposed open access operator with ambitions to run passenger services between Harrogate and London King's Cross via York.[2][3][4][5]

First Harrogate Trains was a subsidiary of Hull Trains, owned by FirstGroup (80%) and Renaissance Trains (20%).

The application to run trains was rejected by the Office of Rail Regulation in February 2009.[6] It cited that the services would not bring enough new patronage and thus rely on abstracting revenue from existing train operating companies.[7]

Had it been successful, it was intended that services would have commenced in the summer of 2009.[8]

Rolling stock

The preferred rolling stock to be used was Class 180 Adelante or Class 222 Pioneer trains, the types used by Hull Trains currently and previously respectively.[9][10]

Route

First Harrogate Trains route map
Harrogate
Starbeck
Knaresborough
Cattal
Hammerton
Poppleton
York
Doncaster
Retford
Grantham
Stevenage
London Kings Cross

First Harrogate Trains proposed to run from Harrogate to London with up to four services each way per day calling at:[9]

References

  1. Companies House extract company no 6592311 First Harrogate Trains Limited
  2. "Three companies want East Coast paths" Today's Railways issue 78 June 2008 page 6
  3. "Hull Trains applies to serve Harrogate four times a day" Rail Magazine issue 594 18 June 2008 page 12
  4. Train firm aims to boost London link Harrogate Advertiser 4 July 2008
  5. Poppleton to London direct The Press (York) 1 August 2008
  6. ORR announces its decision on East Coast Main Line track access applications Office of Rail Regulation 27 February 2009
  7. "Grand Northern set for Bradford" Rail Magazine issue 611 11 February 2009 page 20
  8. Home Harrogate Trains
  9. 1 2 Track Application - page 2 Office of Rail Regulation
  10. "Hull Trains unveils Harrogate service" Today's Railways issue 85 January 2009 page 10
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