Wales and Borders
Encyclopedia
Wales and Borders is the name of a franchise of train services
covering Wales
, the Welsh Marches
and bordering counties of England.
franchise (the remainder forming Wessex Trains
) and the Cardiff Railway Company (which traded as Valley Lines
), together with the lines from Shrewsbury
to Pwllheli
and Aberystwyth
formerly operated by Central Trains
. This franchise was operated by a company also named Wales and Borders, which was part of the National Express Group
and was based in Cardiff
. It also took over the operation of all railway stations in Wales.
In September 2003 the lines west of Crewe
, through Chester
to Holyhead
, Llandudno
and Blaenau Ffestiniog
previously operated by First North Western
were transferred to Wales and Borders. This was the first time that all mainline railways in Wales were operated as a cohesive unit.
In July 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority
announced that from 7 December 2003 the franchise would be awarded for a 15-year period (subject to satisfactory reviews after 5 and 10 years) to Arriva Trains Wales
.
to England (such as Milford Haven
to Manchester Piccadilly via the Marches line) also increased. However this was at the expense of services from stations west of Cardiff to the South Coast of England (e.g. Brighton
and Portsmouth Harbour
), since services to those destinations were transferred to Wessex Trains
(later merged with the enlarged First Great Western
), which used Cardiff as their westernmost terminus in Wales.
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Rail franchising in Great Britain
Rail franchising in Great Britain was created by the Railways Act 1993. Passenger services are franchised, for a limited period, to train operating companies...
covering Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
and bordering counties of England.
History
The franchise was initially formed from part of the former Wales and WestWales and West
Wales & West was a British Train Operating Company that ran services from 1997 to 2001, and was one of the original 25 Train Operating Companies that were set up after the UK Rail Industry was privatised...
franchise (the remainder forming 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...
) and the Cardiff Railway Company (which traded as Valley Lines
Valley Lines (train operating company)
For the surviving urban rail network around Cardiff, formerly operated by this franchise but today by Arriva Trains Wales, see Valley LinesValley Lines was the trading name of the Cardiff Railway Company, the franchise which operated most of these services from privatisation in 1996 until 2001,...
), together with the lines from Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
to Pwllheli
Pwllheli
Pwllheli is a community and the main market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. It has a population of 3,861, of which a large proportion, 81 per cent, are Welsh speaking. Pwllheli is the place where Plaid Cymru was founded. It is the birthplace of Albert Evans-Jones -...
and Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
formerly operated by Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
. This franchise was operated by a company also named Wales and Borders, which was part of the 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...
and was based in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. It also took over the operation of all railway stations in Wales.
In September 2003 the lines west of Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, through Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
, Llandudno
Llandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
and Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
previously operated by First North Western
First North Western
First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. It operated from 1997 to 2004.The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Holdings, a partnership between Great Western's management, First...
were transferred to Wales and Borders. This was the first time that all mainline railways in Wales were operated as a cohesive unit.
In July 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
announced that from 7 December 2003 the franchise would be awarded for a 15-year period (subject to satisfactory reviews after 5 and 10 years) to Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
.
Effect on Services
As a result of the formation of the Wales and Borders franchise, the number of services between North and South Wales increased. There are now 7 trains a day between Cardiff and Holyhead. The number of direct trains from stations west of CardiffCardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
to England (such as Milford Haven
Milford Haven railway station
Milford Haven railway station serves the town of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Opened on 7 September 1863, it was originally known as Milford, becoming Old Milford by January 1902, and finally being renamed Milford Haven by April 1910....
to Manchester Piccadilly via the Marches line) also increased. However this was at the expense of services from stations west of Cardiff to the South Coast of England (e.g. Brighton
Brighton railway station
Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...
and Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
), since services to those destinations were transferred to 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...
(later merged with the enlarged 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....
), which used Cardiff as their westernmost terminus in Wales.
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