Wales and West

Wales and West

Franchise(s):	Wales and West 1997 – 14 October 2001
Main region(s):	Wales
Other region(s):	South West, West Midlands, North West
Parent company:	National Express

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. Its last owner was National Express Group and was based in Cardiff.

History

Originally known as 'South Wales and West Railway', this privatised UK train operating company was created from the South Wales and West division of Regional Railways. The franchise was awarded to Prism Rail, who were eventually bought out by the National Express Group. The shortened name was adopted during 1997.

On 14 October 2001 both the Wales and West and Valley Lines franchises were reorganised. Wales and West Passenger Trains Ltd. took on the trading name of Wessex Trains and the operation of services in southwest England; Cardiff Railway Company Ltd. changed its trading name from Valley Lines to Wales and Borders Trains and took on the running of most trains in Wales and the adjoining parts of England. Both franchises continued to be owned by the National Express Group until Arriva took over a slightly modified Wales and Borders franchise in 2003.

Network & Operations

The company operated routes along Wales and the South West coast as seen in their route map.[1] The company ran a number of core routes similar to those of sister company Central Trains, but also ran several irregular routes like Manchester to London Waterloo via Cardiff and Salisbury.

From the North West they operated irregularly out of Liverpool, as well as the regular service Manchester to Cardiff via Shrewsbury. They ran a joint service with Central Train to from Birmingham to Cardiff, starting several services from Birmingham International.

Wales and West ran all local routes in South West England as well as most in South Wales, except the Cardiff Valley Lines services that were later merged into the Welsh national franchise. Other Alphaline routes included Cardiff to Southampton & Brighton and Bristol to Penzance. These inter urban core routes were called Alphaline services, with the irregular inter-urban routes known as Betaline services.

Wales & West maintained train crew depots at Crewe, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Camarthen, Swansea, Bristol, Gloucester, Westbury, Weymouth, Cosham, Exeter, Par & Penzance. They maintained trains at there main TMDs at Cardiff, Bristol & Exeter, as well as stabling there trains at various other locations.

Preceded by Regional Railways As part of British Rail	Operator of Wales and West franchise 1997 - 2001	Succeeded by Wales and Borders Wales and Borders franchise
		Succeeded by Wessex Trains Wessex franchise