Wrexham & Shropshire

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Wrexham & Shropshire
Wrexhamandshropshire toc logo.svg
A First Refurbished Train Launch.JPG
Franchise(s): Not subject to franchising;
Open-access operator
28 April 2008–28 January 2011
Main route(s): London Marylebone - Tame Bridge - Wellington - Shrewsbury – Wrexham
Other route(s): None
Fleet size:

5 Class 67 Locomotives, 16 Mark 3 Coaches,

5 Driving Van Trailers
Stations called at: 12 (Also called at Wembley Stadium during events)
National Rail abbreviation: WS
Parent company: DB Regio/Renaissance Trains
Web site: www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk
Geographical representation of the Wrexham & Shropshire route
Wrexham & Shropshire route map
Head station
Wrexham General
Stop on track
Ruabon
Stop on track
Chirk
Stop on track
Gobowen (for Oswestry)
Station on track
Shrewsbury
Stop on track
Wellington
Station on track
Telford Central
Stop on track
Cosford
Stop on track
Wolverhampton - limited access
Stop on track
Tame Bridge Parkway
Stop on track
Leamington Spa
Stop on track
Banbury
Unknown BSicon "eHST"
Wembley Stadium - events only
Interchange end
London Marylebone London Underground

Wrexham & Shropshire was the operating name of the Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company (WSMR), a former train operating company in the United Kingdom. The company had a seven-year agreement to operate passenger train services from Wrexham via Shropshire to London on an open-access basis.[1] Wrexham & Shropshire began services on 28 April 2008.[2] The service ceased on 28 January 2011.[3]

The company restored direct services between Shropshire and London, the previous services operated by Virgin Trains having been withdrawn in 2000. In the Spring 2010 National Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus, the independent rail watchdog, Wrexham & Shropshire scored a 99% satisfaction rating - the highest rating in the survey's history.[4]

It was announced at short notice that Wrexham & Shropshire services would cease on 28 January 2011, with Chairman Adrian Shooter stating that there was no prospect of the business ever being profitable.[3]

Contents

[edit] Services

[edit] Route

From Wrexham General, the route ran via Ruabon, Chirk and Gobowen (near Oswestry) to Shrewsbury, then via Wellington, Telford Central and Cosford to Wolverhampton. From Wolverhampton, the service had the major obstacle of Birmingham to circumvent: it called at Tame Bridge Parkway and then joined the Birmingham New Street to Coventry line at Stechford, through Birmingham International and Coventry, before joining the Chiltern Main Line to call at Leamington Spa. Trains then called at Banbury and London Marylebone.

Under the terms of WSMR's Track Access Contract, trains were not permitted to call at Coventry, or to pick up (southbound) or set down (northbound) at Wolverhampton.[5] The agreement did allow for WSMR to serve Birmingham International, but the company's timetable did not include this.[6] Services did call at Tame Bridge Parkway, a station with a substantial car park and good bus services, with the additional benefit of providing Walsall with a direct service to London.

From 13 December 2009 WSMR services also called unrestricted at Leamington Spa and Banbury.[7]

[edit] Timetable

WSMR's initial timetable was for five trains per weekday between Wrexham and London with, since the introduction of its revised winter timetable in December 2008, an end-to-end journey time of almost 4 hours on weekdays.[6] Wrexham & Shropshire trains had to share tracks with the intensive Chiltern Railways service, with few overtaking opportunities.

In March 2009 the weekday service was reduced from five to four trains a day. Wrexham & Shropshire blamed the economic downturn for the cancelled services (10:17 from Marylebone and 17:23 from Wrexham).[8] In December 2010 the weekday service was reduced further to three per day, with insufficient customer demand being cited as the reason. The 07:20 and 11:20 trains from Marylebone were replaced by a 09:20 service, and the 11:27 and 15:25 trains from Wrexham were replaced by a 13:28 service.[9]

[edit] Restrictions on services

WSMR's original proposal was to start operations by summer 2007, but plans were delayed because of a "moderation of competition" protection clause in Virgin Trains' West Coast franchise agreement. Unless Virgin was willing to agree to WSMR services calling at Wolverhampton, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) said it would have to reject the proposals.[10] A revised Track Access Application was submitted, which was subsequently approved by the ORR. Under the amended proposals, WSMR trains called at Wolverhampton only to pick up passengers northbound, and set down southbound. To offset the reduction in potential passengers, services called additionally at Tame Bridge Parkway.

[edit] Rival service

In February 2008, Virgin Trains announced through that it would operate a direct service between Wrexham General and Euston on a trial basis from December 2008, with a morning southbound and evening northbound service.[11][12] Virgin's service operated from Wrexham General via Chester and Crewe to London Euston along the West Coast Main Line using Class 221 SuperVoyager trains, with a journey time of approximately 2½ hours - compared with WSMR's average of 4 hours. As this was an extension of a Chester - Euston service, it did not serve stations in Shropshire or the West Midlands.

[edit] Threat of permanent withdrawal of service

Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) had aspirations to operate through trains from Aberystwyth to London Marylebone. This proposal was rejected by the Office of Rail Regulation in March 2010 because it was concerned about the financial viability of the service. DB Regio UK stated in a letter to the Office of Rail Regulation that it would have been very likely that it would cease funding the Wrexham & Shropshire operation immediately, causing the operator to cease to operate, if the ATW agreement had been approved. ATW had removed stops at Shrewsbury, Wellington and Telford from its proposed 06:30 Aberystwyth - London service which it said stopped a duplication of WSMR services from those stations. WSMR stated in a letter to the ORR "We believe that this proposal - if approved - would push back the date of profitability of WSMR by at least a year. As a result of this our owning group would be unable to sustain additional and continuing losses and the WSMR service would cease to exist".[13][14]

[edit] Other services

The Welsh Assembly Government announced a proposal to introduce express services between North and South Wales featuring trains with first-class accommodation to attract business travellers. Wrexham & Shropshire declared an interest in the operation of such services from Wrexham to Cardiff in April 2008;[15] however, Wrexham & Shropshire did not win the contract, which was awarded to Arriva Trains Wales, which since 15 December 2008 has operated a daily locomotive hauled service between Holyhead and Cardiff.

[edit] Rolling stock

Wrexham & Shropshire DVT at Marylebone.
Class 67 No. 67015 at London Marylebone.
Wrexham & Shropshire train in operating service

Services were operated by locomotive hauled trains, each consisting of a 125 mph (200 km/h)-capable Class 67 diesel locomotive, three and later four Mark 3 carriages,[16][17] and a Mark 3 Driving Van Trailer (DVT).[18] Wrexham & Shropshire obtained four complete train sets, with the Mark 3 coaches on lease from parent company DB Regio UK and five Class 67 locomotives from EWS.[19]

In the week to 8 October 2006, a trial run was carried out using the EWS Company Train from London Marylebone to Wrexham General via the proposed route. Originally the locomotive/DVT arrangement was used for expediency in getting a test run organised. However, as the test train arrived on time (despite a delay at Wolverhampton), it demonstrated that such a combination was a viable option.[20] There were regular trains between Wrexham and Marylebone to test the timetable between March and the launch in late April 2008. Services began on 28 April 2008.[citation needed]

Earlier proposals included the possible use of diesel multiple units, such as the Class 158 or Class 170[20] but a lack of available stock saw the locomotive hauled option adopted. All of the seats in the refurbished Mark 3 carriages - in First and Standard Class - aligned with the windows.[21]

[edit] Refurbishment gallery

  • The first refurbished rake of Mk 3 carriages at London Marylebone on Wednesday 30 September 2009 during the launch event.

  • Extensively refurbished Mk 3A RFM No. 10208

  • The extensively refurbished first-class interior of Mk 3A RFM No. 10208.

  • Recently refurbished Mark 3A TSO No. 12127

  • The refurbished interior of standard class.

  • Recently refurbished Mark 3A TSO No. 12145

  • Class 67 No. 67015 brought the first refurbished train set into Marylebone.

[edit] Fleet

Class Image Type Top speed Routes operated Built
mph km/h
Class 67 Wrexham and Shropshire 67012 Marylebone TT1.jpg Diesel locomotive 125 200 London Marylebone - Wrexham 1999–2000
Mark 3 Coach N Mark IIIA TSO 12127.JPG Passenger rolling stock 110 177 London Marylebone - Wrexham 1975–1986
A First Refurbished Train Launch.JPG Driving Van Trailer 110 177 London Marylebone - Wrexham 1988

[edit] Ownership and management

[edit] Background

Wrexham & Shropshire was founded as a joint venture between two existing railway companies: Renaissance Trains and Laing Rail. DB Regio, a subsidiary of the German state railway operator Deutsche Bahn, acquired Laing Rail in January 2008, and with it their interest in Wrexham & Shropshire. The directors of the company include John Nelson and Mike Jones from Renaissance Trains (also directors of First Hull Trains) and Adrian Shooter (Chairman and Managing Director of Chiltern Railways) and Andy Hamilton, both from Laing Rail, Hamilton (former Engineering Director of Chiltern Railways) being appointed as Managing Director.

[edit] Operations

Trains were stabled overnight in the previously disused bay platform at Wrexham General, and the previously disused offices there served as the train crew depot. Some sets were stabled at Wembley TMD where they also received minor maintenance.[22] Customer services were based in Coton Hill, Shrewsbury.[23]

[edit] Merger with Chiltern Railways

Wrexham & Shropshire DVT in Chiltern livery at Shrewsbury.

In September 2009, WSMR announced that from the beginning of 2010, it hoped to transfer operation of the Wrexham & Shropshire branded services to Chiltern Railways, part of DB Regio UK.[24]

[edit] Track record of the partners

Renaissance Trains is a partner in First Hull Trains, an open-access operator which has provided services between Hull and London King's Cross since 2000. First Hull Trains' punctuality record is 94.8%, the second best of all long-distance train operating companies in Britain.[25] It was also awarded the Golden Spanner in 2005 and 2006 for the reliability of its trains.[26]

In the United Kingdom, DB Regio is the owner of Chiltern Railways (also previously part of Laing Rail).[27] Since being awarded its franchise in 1996, Chiltern Railways increased passenger numbers by 70%, increased services by a third, and more than doubled the number of carriages operated[28] while being the third most punctual train operator in the UK with a record of 94.5% for the second financial quarter of 2007/2008.[29] Chiltern Railways already operates services between London Marylebone and Kidderminster along part of the Wrexham & Shropshire route. In December 2007, Henderson Group, the parent company of John Laing plc, announced the sale of the Laing Rail division, which comprises the stake in Wrexham & Shropshire, the Chiltern Railways franchise, and a 50% stake in London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL). Two bidders emerged, Deutsche Bahn and NedRail,[30] with DB ultimately being successful.

[edit] Performance

Performance figures released by the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) rated Wrexham and Shropshire at 88.1% PPM for the second quarter of the 2010-11 financial year.[31]

[edit] Welsh Assembly funding

In October 2006 the Welsh Assembly announced that WSMR did not qualify for employment grants which it had intended to use to improve the facilities at Wrexham General station in order to turn it into the company's operational centre. This led to speculation that, if the funding could not be found, the company might have to move to Shrewsbury, which would affect the number of services it could run to/from Wrexham.[32] However, in November 2006 the Welsh Assembly announced that the WSMR was eligible for the money and, as a result, a site survey at Wrexham General was undertaken. The depot would be open to all train-operating companies.[33]

[edit] Cessation of service

On Wednesday 26 January 2011 Wrexham & Shropshire announced that it would cease operations two days later. The last train to run was the 18:30 from London Marylebone to Wrexham on 28 January.[34]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "ORR announces decision on additional services between London and Wrexham" (Press release). Office of Rail Regulation. 3 September 2007. http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.8899. Retrieved 3 September 2007. 
  2. ^ Clinnick, Richard (7 May 2008). "40 years on – Wrexham and Shropshire takes to the rails". Rail (Peterborough) 591: 6–7. 
  3. ^ a b "Wrexham-Shropshire-London direct rail link to end". BBC News Online (London). 26 January 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12284468. 
  4. ^ "National Passenger Survey - Spring 2010". Passenger Focus. 22 June 2010. http://www.passengerfocus.org.uk/news-and-publications/document-search/document.asp?dsid=4094. Retrieved 23 June 2010. 
  5. ^ "Track Access Contract". Office of Rail Regulation. 10 September 2007. http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-wsmr-nr-dec-let-100907.pdf. Retrieved 20 October 2007. 
  6. ^ a b "Proposed timetable". Wrexham & Shropshire. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/timetable.html. Retrieved 20 October 2007. [dead link]
  7. ^ "Wrexham and Shropshire Timetable". Wrexham and Shropshire. 23 November 2009. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/timetables.php. Retrieved 23 November 2009. 
  8. ^ "WSMR cuts service". Modern Railways (London): p. 6. April 2009. 
  9. ^ "Tracks - Dec 2010/Jan2011". Content.yudu.com. http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1qb9r/TracksDec2010Jan2011/resources/index.htm. Retrieved 26 January 2011. 
  10. ^ "Wrexham and Shropshire responds to consultation on its proposals to provide direct train services to London" (Press release). Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company. 27 February 2007. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/admin/userfiles/Consultation%20Response%2027-02-07.pdf. Retrieved 10 March 2007.  (Dead link)
  11. ^ Crump, Eryl (21 February 2008). "Wrexham to London rail link launch". Daily Post (Liverpool). http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/02/21/wrexham-to-london-rail-link-launch-55578-20501954/. Retrieved 25 April 2008. "Journey time will be around two-and-a half-hours." 
  12. ^ "Wrexham set to join Virgin Trains network" (Press release). Virgin Trains. 20 February 2008. http://mediaroom.virgintrains.co.uk/2008/02/wrexham-set-to-join-virgin-trains.html. Retrieved 3 October 2009. 
  13. ^ "DB Regio to cease funding WSMR if Arriva runs in to London". Rail Magazine (Peterborough) (630). 4 November 2009. 
  14. ^ "Aberystwyth to London direct rail route rejected". BBC News Online (London). 1 March 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8543836.stm. Retrieved 1 March 2010. 
  15. ^ Clark, Rhodri (26 April 2008). "Trains carry true taste of Wales". Western Mail (Cardiff). http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/04/26/trains-carry-true-taste-of-wales-91466-20823184/. Retrieved 26 April 2008. 
  16. ^ A look at the new refurbished Wrexham and Shropshire Mark 3 at Stoke Marcroft.
  17. ^ A YouTube video of the new refurbished coaches nearing completion.
  18. ^ "Trains and livery". Wrexham & Shropshire. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/livery.html. Retrieved 20 October 2007. [dead link]
  19. ^ "Presentation to Shropshire County Rail Forum" (PDF). Shropshire County Council. 13 October 2006. http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/committee.nsf/0/82DCDA7D709A71AC802571FF00337312/$file/061013%20shrops%20county%20pres.pdf. Retrieved 22 October 2007. 
  20. ^ a b "Application for Passenger Track Access by WSMR". Office of Rail Regulation. http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-wsmr-ntaa-appfrm.pdf. Retrieved 20 October 2007. 
  21. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20080708153738/http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/standard-class-accommodation.php
  22. ^ Crump, Eryl (13 October 2006). "New rail company plans direct Wrexham link with London". Daily Post (Liverpool). http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/regionalnews/tm_headline=new-rail-company-plans-direct-wrexham-link-with-london%26method=full%26objectid=17922082%26siteid=50142-name_page.html. Retrieved 10 March 2007. 
  23. ^ Wrexham and Shropshire Contact Us
  24. ^ "Wrexham & Shropshire backed by respected rail firm" (Press release). Wrexham & Shropshire. 24 September 2009. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/news-item.php?id=75. Retrieved 28 September 2009. "From the New Year ... Network Rail to transfer Wrexham & Shropshire’s track access rights to DB owned Chiltern Railways, ... no changes to the branding of Wrexham & Shropshire ... which will continue to be an open access business unit" 
  25. ^ "Hull Trains performance just gets better and better" (Press release). First Hull Trains. 30 June 2006. http://www.hulltrains.net/latestnews.php?id=121&page=4. Retrieved 19 March 2007. 
  26. ^ "Hull Trains wins prestigious reliability award for second year running" (Press release). Hull Trains. 6 December 2006. http://www.hulltrains.net/latestnews.php?id=131&page=2. Retrieved 19 March 2007. 
  27. ^ Buckley, Christine (22 January 2008). "Germans set to run Chiltern as Deutsche Bahn buys Laing Rail". The Times (London). http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3228220.ece. Retrieved 23 January 2008. 
  28. ^ "Investments and Achievements". Chiltern Railways. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070207231617/http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/content.php?nID=43. Retrieved 19 March 2007. 
  29. ^ "Office of Rail Regulation - National Rail Trends". ORR. http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/347.pdf. 
  30. ^ O'Connell, Dominic (9 December 2007). "Rail rivals line up Chiltern". The Sunday Times (London). http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3021314.ece. 
  31. ^ "National Rail Trends Chapter 2". ORR. http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/nrt-ch2-railperformance.pdf. 
  32. ^ "Pledge over capital rail link". Shropshire Star (Shrewsbury). 19 October 2006. http://www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2006/10/pledge-over-capital-rail-link/. Retrieved 10 March 2007. "[Shrewsbury] could replace Wrexham as the main base for trains on the route after the Welsh Assembly refused funding for the project, meaning stops at Wrexham and Gobowen could be axed." 
  33. ^ "Rail depot may bring London link". BBC News Online (London). 21 November 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/6168562.stm. Retrieved 10 March 2007. "A Wrexham to London rail link is a step closer, after the Welsh Assembly Government offered funding for a depot." 
  34. ^ "Wrexham & Shropshire railway company to close" (Press release). Wrexham & Shropshire. 26 January 2011. http://www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk/news-item.php?id=131. 

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