First Great Western Link
Encyclopedia
First Great Western Link was a train operating company owned by First Group that provided train services, on a franchise basis, from Paddington Station
to destinations such as Greenford
, Slough
, Reading
, Didcot
, Oxford
, Goring and Streatley
, Henley-on-Thames
, Newbury
, Bedwyn
, Hereford
, Worcester
and Banbury
. Train services are also provided from Reading to Gatwick Airport (via Guildford
and Dorking
), and from Reading to Basingstoke
. The company also used to operate services to Warwick
and Stratford-upon-Avon
, but these were transferred to Chiltern Railways
and the First Great Western Link route curtailed at Banbury.
Prior to April 2004 the franchise was held by the Go-Ahead Group
, trading as Thames Trains
. First Great Western Link shared a management team with First Great Western
, a separately franchised train operating company that ran inter-city services on Great Western Main Line and associated lines.
On 12 June 2005 Heathrow Connect
was introduced as a joint venture between First Great Western Link and BAA plc
.
From 1 April 2006 First Great Western
, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains
were merged into the Greater Western Franchise. Three companies - First Group plc, National Express Group
PLC and Stagecoach Group
- were shortlisted to run this new franchise. On 13 December 2005 it was announced that First Group had won the franchise. The services operated by First Great Western Link are now operated by First Great Western. A new livery was rolled out across the fleet during late 2006.
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
to destinations such as Greenford
Greenford
Greenford is a large suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, UK. It was historically an ancient parish in the former county of Middlesex. The most prominent landmarks in the suburb are the A40, a major dual-carriageway; Horsenden Hill, above sea level; the small Parish Church of...
, Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Didcot
Didcot
Didcot is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire about south of Oxford. Until 1974 it was in Berkshire, but was transferred to Oxfordshire in that year, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Goring and Streatley
Goring and Streatley
Goring and Streatley are twin villages, in the English counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire respectively, separated by the River Thames and joined by Goring and Streatley Bridge...
, Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
, Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
, Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.-Location:Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about south-west of Hungerford and south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass...
, Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
and Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
. Train services are also provided from Reading to Gatwick Airport (via Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
and Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
), and from Reading to Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
. The company also used to operate services to Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
and Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, but these were transferred to Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
and the First Great Western Link route curtailed at Banbury.
Prior to April 2004 the franchise was held by the Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
, trading as Thames Trains
Thames Trains
Thames Trains was a British railway company, owned by the Go-Ahead Group, franchised to run regional and suburban trains from London Paddington station to destinations in the home counties west of London like Slough, to Worcester, Hereford and Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Reading to Gatwick Airport...
. First Great Western Link shared a management team with First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
, a separately franchised train operating company that ran inter-city services on Great Western Main Line and associated lines.
On 12 June 2005 Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect is a train operating company in London provided jointly by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with station. The service follows the same route as the Heathrow Express service but serves intermediate stations en route, thus connecting several...
was introduced as a joint venture between First Great Western Link and BAA plc
BAA plc
BAA Ltd. is the Spanish-owned operator of six British airports and Naples Airport in Italy, making the company one of the largest transport companies in the world. BAA stems from British Airports Authority and is owned by a consortium led by Grupo Ferrovial, a Spanish firm specialising in...
.
From 1 April 2006 First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
were merged into the Greater Western Franchise. Three companies - First Group plc, National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
PLC and Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
- were shortlisted to run this new franchise. On 13 December 2005 it was announced that First Group had won the franchise. The services operated by First Great Western Link are now operated by First Great Western. A new livery was rolled out across the fleet during late 2006.
Routes
- Great Western Main LineGreat Western Main LineThe Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
(Local services between London Paddington and Didcot ParkwayDidcot Parkway railway stationDidcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
). - Cherwell Valley LineCherwell Valley LineThe Cherwell Valley Line is the railway line between Didcot and Banbury via Oxford. It links the Great Western Main Line and the south to the Chiltern Main Line and the Midlands...
(Didcot ParkwayDidcot Parkway railway stationDidcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
- OxfordOxford railway stationOxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
) - Cotswold LineCotswold LineThe Cotswold Line is an railway line between and in England.-Route:The line comprises all or part of the following Network Rail routes:*GW 200 from Oxford*GW 310 from Wolvercot Junction*GW 300 from Norton Junction*GW 340 from Worcester Shrub Hill...
(OxfordOxford railway stationOxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
- HerefordHereford railway stationHereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
) - North Downs LineNorth Downs LineThe North Downs Line is the name of the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Gatwick Airport, on the Brighton Main Line...
(ReadingReading railway stationReading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
- RedhillRedhill railway stationRedhill railway station serves the town of Redhill, Surrey, England. The station is a major interchange point on the Brighton Main Line 21 miles south of London Victoria...
) - Reading to Plymouth Line (ReadingReading railway stationReading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
- BedwynBedwyn railway stationBedwyn railway station is a railway station in the village of Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, England. It is also, along with , a station for the market town of Marlborough away...
) - Reading to Basingstoke LineReading to Basingstoke LineThe Reading to Basingstoke Line is a short railway link between the South Western Main Line and the Great Western Main Line, constructed by the Great Western Railway between 1846 and 1848. The line is served by First Great Western local services between Reading and Basingstoke, which stop at the...
(ReadingReading railway stationReading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
- BasingstokeBasingstoke railway stationBasingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to...
) - Slough to Windsor & Eton Line (SloughSlough railway stationSlough railway station, in Slough, Berkshire, England, is served by local services operated by First Great Western from to and intercity services on the Great Western Main Line, the original line of the Great Western Railway...
- Windsor and Eton CentralWindsor and Eton Central railway stationWindsor & Eton Central station is one of two terminal stations serving the town of Windsor in Berkshire, England. Although a small part still functions as a railway station, the station structure has largely been converted into a tourist-oriented shopping centre, known as Windsor Royal Shopping...
) - Oxford to Bicester LineOxford to Bicester LineThe Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
(OxfordOxford railway stationOxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
- Bicester TownBicester Town railway stationBicester Town is the smaller of two railway stations serving the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire. The larger is . Bicester Town station is miles north-east of . It is operated by Chiltern Railways.-History:...
) - Marlow Branch LineMarlow Branch LineThe Marlow Branch Line is a single track railway line between Maidenhead, Berkshire, Bourne End and Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. Passenger services are operated by First Great Western using Class 165 diesel trains...
(MaidenheadMaidenhead railway stationMaidenhead railway station serves the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is served by local services operated by First Great Western from to , and is also the junction for the Marlow Branch Line. It has five platforms which are accessed through ticket barriers at both entrances to the...
- MarlowMarlow railway stationMarlow railway station serves the town of Marlow in Buckinghamshire, England. It is the terminus of a single-track branch line with the station situated west of Bourne End station.-History:...
) - Henley Branch Line (Twyford railway stationTwyford railway stationTwyford railway station is a railway station in the village of Twyford, Berkshire, England.It is served by local services operated by First Great Western from , east, to...
- Henley-on-ThamesHenley-on-Thames railway stationHenley-on-Thames railway station is a terminal railway station in the town of Henley-upon-Thames in Oxfordshire, England.The station is served by local services operated by First Great Western on the Henley Branch Line from on the Great Western Main Line about to the south.-Service:There is a...
) - Greenford Branch LineGreenford Branch LineThe Greenford Branch Line is a 2¾ mile Network Rail suburban railway line in west London, England. It runs northerly from a triangular junction with the Great Western Main Line west of West Ealing to a central bay platform at Greenford station which is also on the London Underground Central line....
(London Paddington - GreenfordGreenford stationGreenford station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Greenford, Greater London, and is owned and managed by LUL. It is the terminus of the National Rail Greenford Branch Line, and is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
)
Fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||
| Class 165/1 Network Turbo British Rail Class 165 The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 36 | 1990 - 1992 |
| Class 166 Network Express Turbo British Rail Class 166 The British Rail Class 166 Turbo Express is a fleet of diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by ABB at York Works between 1992 and 1993... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 21 | 1992 - 1993 |