Thames Trains

Thames Trains

A Thames Trains service at Evesham in 2003
Overview
Franchise(s): Thames Trains
13 October 1996 – 31 March 2004
Main region(s): Thames Valley
Other region(s): West Midlands, Cotswolds and North Downs
Fleet size: 62 (Classes 165 and 166)
Stations called at: Similar number to that of
First Great Western Link
National Rail abbreviation: TT
Parent company: Go-Ahead

Thames Trains[1] was a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by Go-Ahead that operated the Thames Trains franchise from October 1996 until March 2004.

History

The Thames Trains franchise was awarded by the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising to Victory Rail Holdings,[2] a company owned by Go-Ahead (65%) and some ex British Rail managers (35%), with operations commencing on 13 October 1996.[3] Go-Ahead bought the remaining shares it didn't own in June 1998.[4]

Services

Thames Trains ran passenger services from along the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington to Greenford, Windsor & Eton Central, Marlow, Henley, Reading, Bedwyn, Oxford, Bicester Town, Worcester, Hereford and Stratford-upon-Avon. It also ran services from Reading to Basingstoke and Reading to Gatwick Airport.

In 1998 a service from Oxford to Bristol was introduced in partnership with First Great Western. This was withdrawn in 2003 at the request of the Strategic Rail Authority to relieve congestion.

Rolling stock

A Class 166 Thames Turbo Express unit at Oxford.
A Class 166 at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2002.
Pictures of various Thames Trains Thames Turbo/Turbo Express interiors and a cab shot are from 2000 to 2004 are of the following parts - (clockwise, from top left) 1st class, the driver's cab, 2nd class Class 166 seats and 2nd class Class 165 seats.
Class Image Type Top speed Number Built
mph km/h
Class 165/1 Network Turbo diesel multiple unit 90 145 36 1990-1992
Class 166 Network Express Turbo diesel multiple unit 90 145 21 1992-1993

Depot

Thames Trains' fleet was maintained at Reading depot.

Demise

In April 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority invited First and Go-Ahead to bid for a two-year franchise.[5] On 4 November 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the new franchise to First with the services operated by Thames Trains transferring to First Great Western Link on 1 April 2004.[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Companies House extract company no 3007943 Thames Trains Limited
  2. ↑ Companies House extract company no 3147927 Victory Rail Holdings Limited
  3. ↑ Go-Ahead annual report 1997 Go-Ahead Group plc 28 June 1997
  4. ↑ Go-Ahead annual report 1998 Go-Ahead Group plc 27 June 1998
  5. ↑ Go-Ahead facing Thames tussle London Evening Standard 10 April 2003
  6. ↑ "Preferred Bidder Announced for New Thames Trains Franchise". Sra.gov.uk. 2003-12-02. Archived from the original on 2003-12-02. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
  7. ↑ Rail Magazine Issue 474 12 November 2003
Preceded by
Network SouthEast
As part of British Rail 		Operator of Thames franchise
1996 - 2004 		Succeeded by
First Great Western Link
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