First North Western

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters". First North Western[1] was a train operating company in England owned by FirstGroup that operated the North West Regional Railways franchise from March 1997 until December 2004.

History

In the lead up to the privatisation of British Rail, the North Western section of Regional Railways was established. For a brief period from 1989, this section was operated under the short-lived Network NorthWest brand name,[2][3] before becoming North West Regional Railways. The franchise was awarded by the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising to Great Western Holdings,[4][5] with operations commencing on 2 March 1997 under the North Western Trains brand.[6]

On 27 October 1997, a new livery of dark blue with a gold star was unveiled.[7][8] In March 1998, First bought out the other shareholders in Great Western Holdings.[9][10] The business was rebranded from North Western Trains to First North Western in November 1998 with First's corporate blue, pink and white livery adopted.[11][12]

Services

First North Western operated a mix of urban and rural passenger services in North West England and North Wales, radiating out from Manchester to Birmingham, Chester, Holyhead, Liverpool, Blackpool North, Windermere and Sheffield.[13]

In May 1998, North Western Trains commenced services from Manchester Airport and Rochdale to London Euston.[14][15][16] The Manchester Airport service ceased in May 1999[17][18] and the Rochdale service in May 2000.[19]

From May 2003, services from Manchester ceased operating south of Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe.[20]

Rolling stock

First North Western inherited a fleet of Mark 2 carriages, Class 101, 142, 150, 153, 156 and 158 diesel multiple units, and Class 309 and 323 electric multiple units. The Mark 2 carriages were generally hauled by EWS Class 37 locomotives and were used on North Wales services.

To operate the Manchester Airport to London Euston services, two Class 322s were hired from West Anglia Great Northern.[21]

First North Western ordered 11 two-carriage and 16 three-carriage Class 175 Coradia 1000s to replace the Mark 2 carriages, Class 101s and Class 309s.[22] Originally some were to be Class 180 Adelantes, capable of running at Script error: No such module "convert"., but this was later changed to an all-Class 175 fleet.[23]

Problems with the Class 175s saw locomotive-hauled trains reinstated on North Wales services from June 2002, with EWS Class 47s and First Great Western Mark 2 carriages.[24]

In February 2004, Class 31 locomotives were hired from Fragonset to top and tail Mark 2 carriages on Blackpool to Chester services.[25]

Class Image Type Top speed Number Built
mph km/h
101 File:101 685 at Manchester Piccadilly.jpg DMU 75 120 6 1956–1959
142 Pacer File:Pacer at Manchester Victoria.jpg 79 1985–1987
150 Sprinter File:Blaenau First.jpg 27 1984–1987
153 Super Sprinter File:153316 at Carlisle.JPG 8 1987–1988
156 Super Sprinter File:156427 at Carlisle.JPG 18 1987–1989
158 Express Sprinter File:158751 at Westbury.JPG 90 145 8 1989–1992
175 Coradia 1000 File:175111 'Brief Encounter' at Crewe.jpg 100 160 27 1999–2001
309 File:Class-309-Blue-Gray-Original-Windows-Liverpool-St-Stn.jpg EMU 9 1962–1963
322 File:Musselburgh railway station 322484.jpg 4 1990
323 File:323225 at Manchester Piccadilly.JPG 90 145 17 1992–1995

Depots

File:153316 at Carlisle.JPG
North Western Trains liveried Class 153 at Carlisle station in August 2004

First North Western's diesel fleet was maintained at Newton Heath Depot, and the electric fleet at Longsight Depot. The Class 175s were maintained at a purpose built depot in Chester.

Demise

In 2000, the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it planned to create a new TransPennine Express franchise transferring First North Western's Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere services, with the North Wales Coast Line services transferred to a new Wales & Borders franchise and the remaining services combined with those of Arriva Trains Northern to form a new Northern Rail franchise.[26][27][28]

On 28 September 2003, the North Wales Coast Line services transferred to Wales & Borders.

In July 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the TransPennine franchise to FirstGroup/Keolis with services operated by First North Western transferring to First TransPennine Express on 1 February 2004.[29]

In July 2004, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the Northern Rail franchise to Serco-NedRailways with the remaining services operated by First North Western transferring to Northern Rail on 12 December 2004.[30]

References

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  1. ↑ Companies House extract company no 3007946 Template:Webarchive North Western Trains Company Limited
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ FirstGroup Annual Report 31 March 1999 Script error: No such module "Unsubst".Template:Cbignore First Group plc
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Timetables First North Western 29 November 1999
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ First North Western Announces Minimal Service Changes First North Western May 2003
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ First North Western Template:Webarchive sulzerpower.com
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ The Trans-Pennine Express rail franchiseTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Yorkshire & The Humber Transport Activist's Roundtable Briefing Note October 2001
  28. ↑ The Wales and Borders Franchise Template:Webarchive House of Commons Select Committee on Welsh Affairs Third Report 17 March 2004
  29. ↑ SRA Announce Preferred Bidder for TransPennine Express Franchise Template:Webarchive Strategic Rail Authority Press Release 28 July 2003
  30. ↑ Serco joint venture selected as preferred bidder for Northern Rail train operating franchise Template:Webarchive Serco Group 1 July 2004

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External links

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Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Operator of the North West Regional Railways franchise
1997–2004 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

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