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Arriva Trains Wales

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File:Arriva Trains Wales logo.gif
Overview
Franchise(s)Wales and borders
8. December 2003 – 2018
Main Region(s)Wales
Other Region(s)North West, West Midlands
Fleet size135
Stations called at235 operated
Parent companyArriva Group
Reporting markAW
Other
Websitewww.arrivatrainswales.co.uk

Arriva Trains Wales (Template:Lang-cy) is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches. Its hubs are Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street.

Description

The company was formed when Wales and West was split into Wales and Borders and Wessex Trains. Initially both were operated by National Express Group. Arriva won the Wales and Borders franchise in 2003 and promptly renamed the company Arriva Trains Wales.

They operate almost all services in Wales, with the exception:

However, its parent company operates the CrossCountry franchise which runs services from Cardiff Central via Newport to Nottingham via Birmingham New Street and Newcastle via York.

Performance

In October 2006 the company was ranked seventh best (out of 21 companies) with an above average 89.9% of trains 'on time' according to Network Rail statistics.[1] The latest figures released by the ORR (Office of Rail Regulation) rate punctuality (PPM) at 92.3% for the second quarter of the 2007/8 financial year.[2] Their MAA (Monthly Annual Average) figure up to 30 September 2007 is also up on last year at 90.7%.[3] However, the Cambrian Main Line is still a poor performer, with anecdotal evidence suggesting punctuality levels as low as 60%. [4]

Routes

Arriva Trains Wales's main routes and services are centred at Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street as well as their major interchange stations at Newport and in England at Chester, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly and Shrewsbury.

The company started services to the new Rhoose Cardiff International Airport railway station and Llantwit Major in June 2005 as a result of the reopening to passenger services of the Vale of Glamorgan route. Frequent bus services run to the departure terminal from the station.

The company withdrew its services from Cardiff Central and Newport to the South West of England in December 2005. These are now operated by First Great Western.

Arriva Trains Wales also operates one service a day (Monday-Saturday) which is routed via the Swansea District Line, a route normally used only by freight trains. This is the day service to Fishguard Harbour, usually operated by a 158. The trains are routed via the Swansea district line for driver training for the event of diversions over the line.

Main routes

  • North Wales Coast Line (Crewe-Chester-Llandudno Junction-Bangor-Holyhead) with services from either Crewe, Cardiff Central, Manchester Piccadilly or Birmingham New Street.
  • South Wales Main Line (Newport-Cardiff Central-Swansea Swanline service)
  • Chester to Manchester Line (Manchester Piccadilly-Manchester Oxford Road-Warrington Bank Quay-Chester) with most hourly services continuing to Llandudno and two services a day terminating at Holyhead
  • Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury (Birmingham New Street-Wolverhampton-Telford Central-Shrewsbury) with most services continuing towards either Aberystwyth and Pwllheli on the Cambrian Line or Chester via Wrexham on the Shrewsbury to Chester line. One train a day carries on to Holyhead.
  • Welsh Marches Line (Newport-Hereford-Shrewsbury) from either Milford Haven, Carmarthen or Cardiff Central and then on towards either Crewe, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly, or Wrexham, Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead

Secondary and rural routes

Cardiff and Valleys local services

Arriva operate the Valley Lines services, serving stations in Cardiff, towns in the South Wales Valleys, Bridgend County and the Vale of Glamorgan.

  • Cardiff Bay (Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay non stop)
  • Cardiff City Line (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Radyr - Pontypridd)
  • Coryton Line (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Coryton)
  • Ebbw Valley Line (Cardiff Central - Rogerstone - Crosskeys - Ebbw Vale Parkway)
  • Maesteg Line (Cardiff Central - Pontyclun - Bridgend - Maesteg)
  • Merthyr Line (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Radyr - Pontypridd - Aberdare or Merthyr Tydfil)
  • Rhondda Line (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Radyr - Pontypridd - Treherbert)
  • Rhymney Line (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Llanishen - Caerphilly - Rhymney)
  • Vale of Glamorgan Line
    • (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Grangetown - Penarth)
    • (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Grangetown - Cogan - Barry - Barry Island)
    • (Cardiff Central - Cardiff Grangetown - Cogan - Barry - Rhoose Cardiff Intl Airport - Llantwit Major - Bridgend)
A Class 158 at Bristol Temple Meads operated by Arriva Trains Wales

Swanline


Swanline is the local rail service that operates on the South Wales Main Line connecting Swansea to Cardiff Central. The line serves Pontyclun, Llanharan, Pencoed, Bridgend, Pyle, Port Talbot, Baglan, Briton Ferry, Neath, Skewen and Llansamlet as well.

Other services

For special events such as football or rugby matches, Arriva is known to operate additional services to the venue of one or both sides playing. Arriva has arranged in the past a stopping service to Edinburgh Waverley, Liverpool Lime Street and through services to Stratford. Numerous other services have been operated. Arriva usually operates shuttle services to Newport on match days. All of these services have been operated using locos and hauled stock - usually on loan. It is expected to continue in this fashion.

Major stations served

Rolling stock

Arriva Trains Wales currently operate a fleet of 129 diesel multiple units. They also own some MK2 coaching stock and have occasionally used hired-in locomotives to run extra services.

Class Image Type Top speed Number Routes operated Unit numbers Built
mph km/h
Class 121 Bubble car diesel multiple unit 70 112 1 Cardiff Bay Line 121032 1960
Class 142 Pacer diesel multiple unit 75 120 15 Valley Lines
Swanline 		142002 / 006 / 010 / 069 / 072 - 077 / 080 - 083 / 085 1985
Class 143 Pacer diesel multiple unit 75 120 15 Valley Lines
Swanline 		143601 /602 / 604 - 610 / 614 / 616 / 622 - 625 (613 was scrapped following a fire) 1985
Class 150 Sprinter diesel multiple unit 75 120 36 Valley Lines
Borderlands Line 		150208 / 213 / 217 / 227 / 229 - 231 / 235 - 237 / 240 - 242 / 245 / 250 - 260 / 262 / 264 / 267 / 278 - 285 1984 - 1987
Class 153 Super Sprinter diesel multiple unit 75 120 8 Heart of Wales Line
Conwy Valley Line
Swanline
Borderlands Line 		153303 / 320 / 321 / 323 / 327 / 353 / 362 / 367 1987 - 1988
Class 158 Express Sprinter diesel multiple unit 90 145 24 Most Semi-fast Services 158818 - 841 1989 - 1992
Class 175 Coradia diesel multiple unit 100 160 27 Most Express Services 175001 - 011 / 175101 - 116 1999 - 2001
Mark 2 Coach Passenger Rolling stock 100 160 1964

Arriva has expanded its Class 150 fleet, with units cascaded from Scotrail and One Railway early in the franchise. On 10 December 2006, 8 further Class 150s from First Great Western were added, these being sets: 150230/236/240/241/242/251/253/254:

  • 4 will operate on the Borderlands Line (Wrexham Central-Bidston)
  • 4 will enter service on South Wales valley routes for use on the restored Ebbw Valley Line from summer 2007

In 2006 'heritage' unit 121032 was purchased by Arriva for use on the Cardiff Bay Shuttle. The unit has been repainted into Arriva colours and was hauled to Wales in June 2006 to enter service in July. The unit finally entered service on 17 August 2006 but was withdrawn 2 days later due to a major problem with the engine. The unit re-entered service on the Cardiff Bay line on 14 September 2006.

From November 2007, 10 Class 150/2 units transerred from the West Midlands as the Central Trains franchise came to an end. London Midland (the successor to Central Trains) will utilise Class 170s on Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Stafford services to enable the release of these 10 units.


References

  1. ^ Network Rail Punctuality Statistics
  2. ^ PPM actual "Office of Rail Regulation - National Rail Trends". ORR. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  3. ^ PPM actual "Office of Rail Regulation - National Rail Trends". ORR. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. ^ Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth Rail Passengers Association
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arriva Trains Wales.


Preceded by Operator of Wales and Borders franchise
2003 — present 		Incumbent


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