West Anglia Great Northern

West Anglia Great Northern

Franchise(s):	West Anglia Great Northern: 1997 - April 2004 Great Northern only: April 2004 - 1 April 2006
Main region(s):	East of England
Other region(s):	Greater London (north and north-east)
Fleet size:	145
Stations called at:	55
Parent company:	National Express Group

West Anglia Great Northern (WAGN) was a UK train operating company that existed from the start of railway privatisation in 1994 until a redrawing of franchise areas took effect in 2006.

The company operated a network of commuter and local services from King's Cross, Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations in central London, to north London, Cambridgeshire and east Hertfordshire, along with border areas of Essex and Norfolk.

History

The three corporate logos used by WAGN during its existence

One of the original 25 train operating companies created during the privatisation of British Rail, WAGN came into existence on 1 April 1994 and passed into the private ownership of Prism Rail on 5 January 1997.

A takeover of Prism Rail saw WAGN transfer to the control of National Express Group in 2000, but otherwise the company's operations remained essentially unchanged until 1 April 2004 when services operating out of London Liverpool Street transferred to a new, consolidated East Anglia railway franchise, One Railway. After this time the company stopped referring to itself as West Anglia Great Northern, using only the abbreviation WAGN instead.

The company ceased to exist on 1 April 2006 when its remaining services were taken over by First Capital Connect.

Routes and services

With its roots in British Rail's Network SouthEast sector, WAGN was primarily a suburban and commuter railway. Some higher profile express services were also operated, including the non-stop Cambridge Cruiser to and from London and the frequent airport express service, Stansted Express.

WAGN's West Anglia services operated from London Liverpool Street to Chingford, Enfield, Hertford East, Stansted Airport and Cambridge. West Anglia services were eventually surrendered to train operating company One Railway in 2004.

Suburban Great Northern services remained with the company throughout its life and ran from London King's Cross and Moorgate to Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn.

Trains operated

All WAGN services were operated with electric multiple units inherited from British Rail. At its creation, the company had a varied fleet of over 150 units that ranged from 1970s suburban trains to brand new Network Express units for long-distance services. The company favoured refurbishment of existing trains over the procurement of new ones and the only new additions to the WAGN fleet was a further batch of Network Express units transferred from train company South Eastern during 2004.

The interior of the refurbished WAGN Railway Class 313 EMU

The first fleet of trains to receive an overhaul was the 24-strong Class 317/2 fleet, which was made more suitable for long distance use through repainting, the addition of carpet, installation of lower-density seating and an improved first class area. Improved lighting and dedicated bicycle and wheelchair spaces were also provided, while the exterior gained a new white, brown and red livery.

Suburban trains were also improved as the Class 313 fleet gained new seating with higher backs, wheelchair provision and minor improvements to fittings such as stanchions in the passenger areas. Many emerged from refurbishment work at Railcare Wolverton with a plain white undercoat before a new company-wide two tone purple livery was introduced.

In the late 1990s, a small dedicated fleet of five Class 322 trains for the Stansted Express service were sub-leased to other operators before ultimately finding a permanent home with ScotRail. To replace these units and increase the service frequency, dedicated Class 317/7 units were created through the refurbishment of nine existing Class 317 units during 1999-2000. These featured an improved passenger environment and better accessibility for disabled passengers. A new, metallic blue livery Stansted Express livery was also created.

A large proportion of the fleet eventually transferred to One Railway along with the operation of the West Anglia route. In the remaining two years of the franchise, WAGN completed minor refurbishments to all remaining trains.

Refurbished Class 317/6 EMU in the first WAGN Railway livery at London Liverpool Street.

Fleet details

Class	Image	Top speed		Number	Built	Notes
		mph	km/h
Class 313		75	120	41	1976–1977	Moorgate/London King's Cross - Hertford North, Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City
Class 315		75	120	18	1980–1981	London Liverpool Street - Chingford, Cheshunt and Enfield Town London Liverpool Street - Hertford East (peak times and Sundays only) Transferred to 'One Railway' in April 2004
Class 317		100	160	72	1981–1982 1985-1987	London King's Cross - Cambridge London Liverpool Street - Cambridge, Hertford East and Stansted Airport Stratford - Stansted Airport 60 transferred to One Railway in April 2004
Class 365		100	160	40	1994-1995	London King's Cross - Cambridge, Peterborough and King's Lynn 24 originally; 16 were added in 2004 from South Eastern Trains

References

Preceded by Network SouthEast As part of British Rail	Operator of West Anglia Great Northern franchise 1997 - 2004/2006	Succeeded by National Express East Anglia Greater Anglia franchise from 2004
		Succeeded by First Capital Connect Thameslink/Great Northern franchise from 2006