First Great Eastern

First Great Eastern

Franchise(s):	Great Eastern January 1997 - March 2004
Main Region(s):	London, East of England
Other Region(s):	None
Fleet size:	144
Stations called at:	61
Parent company:	First Group
Web site:	www.firstgroup.com

First Great Eastern was an award-winning train operating company (TOC) that operated suburban, local and medium distance train services from London Liverpool Street via Romford to Essex and Ipswich in the United Kingdom on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) railway.

First Group gained the Great Eastern franchise in 1997 as part of the Privatisation of British Rail. In 2003, as part of a franchise reorganisation planned by the then Strategic Rail Authority, the Great Eastern was to be merged to form a 'Greater Anglia' franchise. This new contract was won by National Express Group who took over First Great Eastern operations on April 1, 2004 using the brand name 'one', which was rebranded as National Express East Anglia in 2008. The franchise was later passed on to Greater Anglia in 2012.

Most lines previously served by First Great Eastern are electrified with 25 kV AC overhead catenary wires, with the exception of the Marks Tey to Sudbury branch line, which is served by diesel units.

The first logo.

Branches served

• Romford to Upminster
• Shenfield to Southend Victoria
• Shenfield to Southminster
• Witham to Braintree
• Marks Tey to Sudbury
• Colchester to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze
• Colchester to Colchester Town
• Manningtree to Harwich Town

Fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 150		diesel multiple unit	75	120	Hired from Anglia Railways*	Marks Tey - Sudbury	1984–1987
Class 153		diesel multiple unit	75	120	Hired from Anglia Railways*	Marks Tey - Sudbury	1987-1988
Class 312		electric multiple unit	90	145	24	Colchester - Walton-on-the-Naze Harwich Town - Manningtree London Liverpool Street - Clacton-on-Sea and Ipswich (peak times only)	1975-1978
Class 315		electric multiple unit	75	120	43	London Liverpool Street - Shenfield and Southminster Romford - Upminster	1980-1981
Class 321		electric multiple unit	100	160	77	London Liverpool Street - Braintree, Southend Victoria, Ipswich, Walton-on-the-Naze, Colchester Town, Clacton-on-Sea Wickford - Southminster (Sundays only)	1988-1991
Class 360 Desiro		electric multiple unit	100	160	21	London Liverpool Street - Clacton-on-Sea and Harwich Town London Liverpool Street - Ipswich (peak times only)	2002–2003

• A diesel multiple unit (DMU), was used on the Sudbury-Marks Tey branch line due to the lack of electrification, a Class 150 Sprinter, was used on weekdays and a Class 153 Sprinter at weekends. This was an unspecified unit from the Anglia Railways fleet based at Norwich, swapped daily.

External links

• Greater Anglia

References

Preceded by Network SouthEast As part of British Rail

Operator of Great Eastern franchise 1997 - 2004

Succeeded by National Express East Anglia Greater Anglia franchise