View source for London Overground Rail Operations

{{Short description|Former train operating company}}
{{About|the former operator of the London Overground network|the network itself|London Overground}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = London Overground Rail Operations
|logo             = LOROL.svg
|logo_size        = 250px
|type             = [[Private company]]
|foundation       = 11 November 2007
|dissolved        = 13 November 2016
|location_city    = [[London]]
|key_people       = Steve Murphy, [[Chair (official)|Chairman]]
|area_served      = [[Greater London]] and [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]]
|industry         = [[Rail transport]]
|services         = [[Train operating company|Train operations]]
|parent           = [[Arriva UK Trains|Arriva]]/[[MTR Corporation|MTR]]
|divisions        =
|homepage         = {{URL|http://www.lorol.co.uk}}}}

'''London Overground Rail Operations Limited'''<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/05668786 Companies House extract company no 5668786] London Overground Rail Operations Limited</ref> was a [[train operating company]] contracted to operate the [[London Overground]] train service on the [[National Rail]] network, under the franchise control of [[Transport for London]]. The company was a 50/50 [[joint venture]] between [[Arriva UK Trains]] and [[MTR Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us |publisher=LOROL |date=April 2008 |url=http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/About-Us/ |access-date=4 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801025935/http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/About-Us/ |archive-date=1 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
On 20 February 2006, the [[Department for Transport]] announced that [[Transport for London]] would take over management of services then provided by [[Silverlink|Silverlink Metro]].<ref name="hansard2006">{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060214/wmstext/60214m11.htm#60214m11.html_spmin1|title=Silverlink Metro|last=Darling|first=Alistair |date=14 February 2006|publisher=Hansard|access-date=25 August 2008}}</ref>

In June 2006, Transport for London announced that [[Govia]], [[MTR Corporation|MTR]]/[[John Laing Group|Laing Rail]], [[National Express]] and [[Abellio (transport company)|NedRail]] had been shortlisted to bid for the London Rail Concession.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/3563.html |title= Four bidders on TfL London Rail Concession shortlist |publisher=Transport for London |date=7 June 2006}}</ref> In September 2006, Transport for London announced that the extended East London Line would be included, and the operation branded ''London Overground''.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/3489.html |title= Introducing London Overground – a new era for London Rail |publisher=Transport for London |date=5 September 2006}}</ref>

In June 2007, Transport for London awarded the concession to MTR Laing, and operations started on 11 November 2007.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.laing.com/news/70/27/MTRLaing-appointed-to-run-London-Overground.html |title= MTRLaing appointed to run London Overground |publisher= John Laing |date=19 June 2007}}</ref> The concession was for six years, four months until 31 March 2014 with a two-year extension option.<ref name="mtrlaing">{{cite web |title= MTR Laing beats Go-Ahead unit Govia to win North London rail franchise  |publisher= Hemscott |url= http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=45163729017190 |access-date= 19 June 2007 }}</ref> The option was taken up with the concession to end on 12 November 2016.<ref>[http://www.arriva.co.uk/media/news/2014/04-06-2014 London Overground operator appointed to run additional services for TfL] Arriva 4 June 2014</ref>

In December 2007, [[Henderson Group]], the parent company of John Laing plc, announced the sale of the Laing Rail division, which comprised half of LOROL, [[Chiltern Railways]] and a stake in the [[Wrexham & Shropshire]] open-access railway operator. In April 2008, Laing Rail was bought by the German Government's rail operator [[Deutsche Bahn]], which now holds a 50% stake in LOROL.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/News/Deutsche-Bahn-acquires-LOROL/|title=Deutsche Bahn acquires LOROL|date=1 April 2008|publisher=LOROL|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080617203845/http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/News/Deutsche-Bahn-acquires-LOROL/ |archive-date = 17 June 2008}}</ref> The price was said to be around [[Euro|€]]170&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Germany's Deutsche Bahn to buy Laing Rail-report |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/deutschebahn-laing-idUSL2010922820080120 |work=Reuters |date=20 January 2008 |access-date=4 February 2011 |first=Dave |last=Graham}}</ref> Laing Rail became part of DB Regio, before a restructuring saw it moved under the control of [[Arriva UK Trains]].

In April 2015, Transport for London placed a notice in the [[Official Journal of the European Union]], inviting expressions of interest in operating the next concession.<ref>[http://maintenance.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2015/april/tfl-starts-search-for-next-operator-to-run-overground TfL starts search for next operator to run Overground]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Transport for London 9 April 2015</ref> On 31 May 2015, London Overground Rail Operations took over the [[Liverpool Street station|Liverpool Street]] to [[Enfield Town railway station|Enfield Town]], [[Cheshunt railway station|Cheshunt]] (via [[Seven Sisters station|Seven Sisters]]) and [[Chingford railway station|Chingford]] services, as well as the [[Romford railway station|Romford]] to [[Upminster railway station|Upminster]] service, from [[Abellio Greater Anglia]].<ref>[http://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/london-overground-operator-appointed-run-additional-services-tfl/ London Overground operator appointed to run additional services for TfL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150517021245/http://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/london-overground-operator-appointed-run-additional-services-tfl/ |date=17 May 2015 }} ''Travel & Tour World'' 4 June 2013</ref>

In July 2015, Transport for London announced the shortlisted bidders for the next concession were [[Arriva UK Trains]], [[ComfortDelGro]], a [[Keolis]]/[[Go-Ahead Group|Go-Ahead]] joint venture and [[MTR Corporation]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/four-bidders-shortlisted-for-london-overground-operating-concession.html|title=Four bidders shortlisted for London Overground operating concession|magazine=[[Railway Gazette International]]|date=29 June 2015}}</ref> In March 2016, [[Arriva Rail London]] was awarded the concession commencing 13 November 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-03-18 |title=Arriva wins £1.5bn London Overground contract |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-35841733 |access-date= |work=BBC News}}</ref>

==Services==
London Overground operated these services:
* [[East London line]]: [[Highbury & Islington station|Highbury & Islington]] to [[West Croydon station|West Croydon]]/[[Crystal Palace railway station|Crystal Palace]]; [[Dalston Junction railway station|Dalston Junction]] to [[New Cross railway station|New Cross]]/[[Clapham Junction railway station|Clapham Junction]]
* [[Gospel Oak to Barking line]]: [[Gospel Oak railway station|Gospel Oak]] to [[Barking station|Barking]]
* [[North London line]]: [[Richmond station (London)|Richmond]] to [[Stratford station|Stratford]]
* [[Watford DC line]]: [[Watford Junction railway station|Watford Junction]] to [[Euston railway station|Euston]]
* [[West London line]]: [[Clapham Junction railway station|Clapham Junction]] to [[Willesden Junction railway station|Willesden Junction]]
* [[South London line]]: [[Dalston Junction railway station|Dalston Junction]] to [[Clapham Junction railway station|Clapham Junction]]
* [[Lea Valley lines|Lea Valley line]]: [[Liverpool Street station|Liverpool Street]] to [[Cheshunt railway station|Cheshunt]] and [[Enfield Town railway station|Enfield Town]] via [[Seven Sisters railway station|Seven Sisters]], and [[Chingford railway station|Chingford]] via [[Clapton railway station|Clapton]]
* [[Romford–Upminster line]]: [[Romford railway station|Romford]] to [[Upminster station|Upminster]]

==Rolling stock==
London Overground inherited a fleet of [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150 ''Sprinter'']] [[diesel multiple unit]]s, and [[British Rail Class 313|Class 313]] and [[British Rail Class 508|Class 508]] [[electric multiple unit]]s, from [[Silverlink]]. Between 2009 and 2011, the Sprinters were replaced with new [[British Rail Class 172|Class 172 ''Turbostar'']] units, and the Class 313s and 508s with new [[British Rail Class 378|Class 378 ''Capitalstar'']] units.

London Overground further inherited a number of [[British Rail Class 315|Class 315]] and [[British Rail Class 317|Class 317]] EMUs from [[Greater Anglia (train operating company)|Abellio Greater Anglia]] upon the takeover of the Lea Valley lines from Liverpool Street and the Romford–Upminster line on 31 May 2015.

===Final fleet===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
!Class
!Image
!Type
!Number
!Cars per set
!Seat layout
!Routes operated
!Built
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
|-
|[[British Rail Class 172|172/0 ''Turbostar'']]
|[[File:Overground-Class172-Gospel-Oak.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]]
|8
|2
|2+2
|[[Gospel Oak to Barking line]]
|2010
|-
|[[British Rail Class 315|315]]
|[[File:Unit 315817 at Chingford 2015.JPG|100px]]
|rowspan="5"|[[Electric multiple unit|EMU]]
|19
|rowspan="3"|4
|2+3
|[[Lea Valley lines]]<br />[[Romford–Upminster line]]
|1980–1981
|-
|[[British Rail Class 317|317/7]]
|[[File:London Overground train at Upminster.jpg|100px]]
|8
|2+2
|rowspan="2"|[[Lea Valley lines]]
|rowspan="2"|1981–1982
|-
|[[British Rail Class 317|317/8]]
|[[File:London Overground 317891 at Enfield Town.jpg|100px]]
|6
|2+3
|-
|[[British Rail Class 378|378/1 ''Capitalstar'']]
|[[File:Au Morandarte Flickr DSC00759 (11026567924).jpg|100px]]
|20
|rowspan="2"|5
|rowspan="2"|Longitudinal
|[[East London line]]<br />[[South London line]]
|rowspan="2"|2008–2011
|-
|[[British Rail Class 378|378/2 ''Capitalstar'']]
|[[File:Unit 378 232 at Harringay Green Lanes station.jpg|100px]]
|37
|[[North London line]]<br />[[West London line]]<br />[[East London line]]<br />[[South London line]]<br />[[Watford DC line]]
|-
|}

===Past fleet===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
!Class
!Image
!Type
!Number
!Cars per set
!Seat layout
!Routes operated
!Built
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
|-
|[[British Rail Class 150|150/1 ''Sprinter'']]
|[[File:Leytonstone High Road railway station MMB 04A 150130.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]]
|8
|2
|rowspan="4"|2+3
|[[Gospel Oak to Barking line]]
|1984–1987
|-
|[[British Rail Class 313|313/1]]
|[[File:Hackney Central railway station MMB 05 313123.jpg|100px]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Electric multiple unit|EMU]]
|23
|3
|[[North London line]]<br />[[West London line]]<br />[[Watford DC line]]
|1976–1977
|-
|[[British Rail Class 321|321/4]]
|[[File:321 413 Gypsy Lane.jpg|100px]]
|2
|4
|[[Romford–Upminster line]]
|1988–1990
|-
|[[British Rail Class 508|508/3]]
|[[File:Willesden Junction station MMB 03 508303.jpg|100px]]
|3
|3
|[[Watford DC line]]
|1979–1980
|}

==Depots==
London Overground's fleet was maintained at [[New Cross]] and [[Willesden Traction Maintenance Depot|Willesden]] depots.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lorol.co.uk LOROL official site]

{{s-start}}
{{s-new|creation}}
{{s-ttl|title=Operator of London Overground concession|years=2007–2016}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Arriva Rail London]]}}
{{end}}

{{London Overground navbox}}
{{UK TOCs|defunct|state=collapsed}}
{{Arriva Group UK}}
{{MTR Corporation}}

[[Category:Arriva Group companies]]
[[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:John Laing Group]]
[[Category:London Overground]]
[[Category:MTR Corporation]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 2007]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:Railway operators in London]]
[[Category:2007 establishments in England]]
[[Category:2016 disestablishments in England]]