First Great Western Link

{{Infobox Rail companies

|name = First Great Western Link

|bgcolor =

|image_filename = 166217 at Reading.JPG

|caption = Class 166 Networker Turbo at {{stnlnk|Reading}} in 2004

|image_size = 300px

|franchise = Thames
1 April 2004 – 31 March 2006

|logo_filename = FGWLink.svg

|nameforarea = region

|regions = Greater London, Southeast England

|secregions = East Midlands, Southwest England, West Midlands

|abbr = FK

|fleet = 62

|stations = 95

|parent_company = FirstGroup

|website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20051126055106/http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link/home/index.php www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link]|predecessor=Thames Trains|successor=First Great Western}}

First Great Western Link (FGWL)[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/04804687 Companies House extract company 4804687] First Great Western Link Limited was a train operating company in England owned by FirstGroup that operated the Thames franchise from April 2004 until March 2006.

History

In April 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority invited FirstGroup and Go-Ahead to bid for a two-year extension to the Thames franchise that would coincide with the end date of the First Great Western franchise, after which both would become part of the Greater Western franchise.[https://web.archive.org/web/20180921225924/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/go-ahead-facing-thames-tussle-7280512.html Go-Ahead facing Thames tussle] Evening Standard 10 April 2003{{cite magazine |title= SRA invites First Group to bid for Thames extension |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=460 |date= 30 April 2003|page=11}} In November 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the new franchise to First with the services operated by Thames Trains transferring to FGWL on 1 April 2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031104_preferred_bidder_announced_for_thames_franchise.tt2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031202235927/http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031104_preferred_bidder_announced_for_thames_franchise.tt2 |archive-date=2 December 2003 |title=Preferred Bidder Announced for New Thames Trains Franchise |publisher=Sra.gov.uk |date=2 December 2003 |access-date=22 September 2012}}{{cite magazine |title= Go-Ahead loses Thames Trains as SRA hands franchise to First |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=474 |date= 12 November 2003|page=26}}

On 12 June 2005 Heathrow Connect was introduced as a joint venture between FGWL and BAA.{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/67 |title=Heathrow Connect |date=12 June 2005 |work=Always Touch Out |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807224122/http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/67 |archive-date=7 August 2007 |df=dmy }}{{cite magazine |title= Take off! New Heathrow Connect targets airport staff |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=516 |date= 22 June 2005|page=8}}{{cite magazine |title= Heathrow Connect service begins |magazine= The Railway Magazine |issue=1252 |date= August 2005|page=76}} BAA supplied the Class 360 rolling stock and on-board staff. FGWL received the revenue for journeys between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington, and BAA the revenue for journeys between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport.[https://web.archive.org/web/20190624163616/https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/heathrow-connect-close-to-takeoff.html Heathrow Connect close to takeoff] Railway Gazette International 1 June 2004

Services

FGWL ran services along the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington to Didcot with services continuing to north to Oxford, Bicester Town, Hereford and Stratford-upon-Avon. It also operated services on the Greenford, Windsor & Eton Central, Marlow, Henley and Bedwyn lines and on the Reading to Basingstoke and North Downs lines.

The Stratford-upon-Avon service was transferred to Chiltern Railways in December 2004 with FGWL ceasing to operate beyond Banbury.

Great Western Main Line (Local services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway).
Cherwell Valley Line (Didcot Parkway - Oxford)
Cotswold Line (Oxford - Hereford)
North Downs Line (Reading - Redhill)
Reading to Plymouth Line (Reading - Bedwyn)
Reading to Basingstoke Line (Reading - Basingstoke)
Slough to Windsor & Eton Line (Slough - Windsor and Eton Central)
Oxford to Bicester Line (Oxford - Bicester Town)
Marlow Branch Line (Maidenhead - Marlow)
Henley Branch Line (Twyford railway station - Henley-on-Thames)
Greenford Branch Line (London Paddington - Greenford)

Rolling stock

FGWL inherited a fleet of Class 165s and 166s from Thames Trains. A franchise commitment was to use five Class 180 Adelantes from sister company First Great Western on Cotswold Line services from December 2004,{{cite magazine |title= Thames to see 125mph trains from First by next December |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=|date= 2004|page=}}{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} releasing five Class 165s for transfer to Chiltern Railways.{{cite magazine |title= Thames 165s on their way to Chiltern |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=487 |date= 2004|page=}}{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} Because of the short nature of the franchise and the fact that the Class 165s and 166s had only recently been repainted, the Thames Trains livery of white, blue and green was retained with FGWL branding applied.{{cite magazine |title= First reveals branding for Thames Turbos |magazine= Rail Magazine |issue=486 |date= 28 April 2004|page=14}}

class="wikitable" \|+ Fleet at end of franchise
rowspan="2" \|Class ! rowspan="2" \|Image ! rowspan="2" \|Type ! colspan="2" \|Top speed ! rowspan="2" \|Number ! rowspan="2" \|Built
mph !km/h
Class 165/1 Networker Turbo \|100px \| rowspan="2" \|diesel multiple unit \| rowspan="2" \|90 \| rowspan="2" \|145 \|36 \|1990–1992
Class 166 Networker Turbo \|100px \|21 \|1992–1993

class="wikitable"

|+ Fleet at end of franchise

rowspan="2" |Class

! rowspan="2" |Image

! rowspan="2" |Type

! colspan="2" |Top speed

! rowspan="2" |Number

! rowspan="2" |Built

mph

!km/h

Class 165/1 Networker Turbo

|100px

| rowspan="2" |diesel multiple unit

| rowspan="2" |90

| rowspan="2" |145

|36

|1990–1992

Class 166 Networker Turbo

|100px

|21

|1992–1993

Depot

FGWL's fleet was maintained at Reading TMD.

Demise

On 6 November 2002 as part of a franchise reorganisation by the Strategic Rail Authority, it was announced that the Great Western, Thames Trains and Wessex Trains franchises would be combined to form the Greater Western franchise. This was part of a Strategic Rail Authority strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from a single London terminal. This was expected to improve efficiency and reliability.[http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200211060700514089D SRA Announces New Franchise for the West] Strategic Rail Authority Press Release 6 November 2002{{cite magazine|title=FGW, Thames & Wessex to become one |magazine=Rail Magazine|issue=448|date=13 November 2002|page=5}}

In December 2005 the Department for Transport awarded the new Greater Western franchise to First with the services operated by FGWL transferring to First Great Western on 1 April 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/greater-western-franchise|title=Greater Western Franchise|publisher=Department for Transport|format=Invitation to tender|date=2 February 2006}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20051126055106/http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link/home/index.php Company website]

{{s-ttl|title=Operator of Thames franchise

|years=2004–2006}}

{{s-aft|after=First Great Western
{{small|Greater Western franchise}}}}

Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom

Category:FirstGroup railway companies

Category:Railway companies established in 2004

Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2006

Category:2004 establishments in England

Category:2006 disestablishments in England