|
British Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 (HST) is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 ''High Speed Train'' (formerly Classes British Rail Class 253, 253 and British Rail Class 254, 254) power cars, built by British Rail Engineering Limited from 1975 to 1982, and in service in the UK since 1976. The class is officially the Railway speed record#Fuel-electric, fastest diesel locomotive in the world, with an absolute maximum speed of , and a regular service speed of . The record run was led by 43102 (43302) and trailed by 43159. History and background In the early 1970s, the British Railways Board made the decision to replace its main-line express diesel traction. Financial limitations were tight, so mass electrification was not possible. As a result, a new generation of high-speed diesel trains had to be developed. Experience with the high-speed British Rail Class 55, Class 55 ''Deltic'' locomotives had shown that a low axle weight was essential to avoid damage to the track at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 (originally Inter-City 125New train speeds into service . BBC News, 1976-10-04; reproduced in the BBC "On This Day" website, accessed on 2019-05-15.) or High Speed Train (HST) is a diesel-powered high-speed passenger train built by between 1975 and 1982. Each set is made up of two Class 43 |
ScotRail
ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail ( gd, Rèile na h-Alba), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise as an operator of last resort since 1 April 2022. History The ScotRail network had since 2015 been operated by the private-sector franchisee Abellio ScotRail. In December 2019, Transport Scotland announced Abellio had not met the performance criteria necessary to have its seven-year franchise extended for a further three years, and the franchise would conclude on 31 March 2022. In March 2021, Transport Scotland announced that the franchise would not be re-tendered for another private-sector operator to run, but would be operated by an operator of last resort owned by the Scottish Government.ScotRail to be Nationalised ''Rail Express'' issue 300 May 2021 page 6 The move was welcomed by the ASLEF, RMT and TSSA unions. The Minister for Tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast (NXEC) was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, owned by National Express, that operated the InterCity East Coast franchise on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland from December 2007 until November 2009. During December 2006, the previous franchisee Sea Containers, operating via its subsidiary Great North Eastern Railway (GNER), was stripped of the franchise after failing to meet overly-generous payments. During August 2007, National Express was awarded the franchise via a competitive tender; its bid was criticised for having offered similarly onerous payments to GNER. Within months of commencing operation in December 2007, NXEC became known for its cost-cutting measures and a noted drop in service level. The company became unable to meet its payment obligations, having forecast greater ridership than actually experienced while fuel costs had risen considerably. By early 2009, National Expre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
GNER
Great North Eastern Railway, often referred to as GNER, was a train operating company in the United Kingdom, owned by Sea Containers, that operated the InterCity East Coast franchise on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland from April 1996 until December 2007. During March 1996, Sea Containers was awarded the franchise to operate the East Coast services; it begin operations on 28 April 1996. Initially receiving a favourable reception, the company brought in several service alterations and innovations, including the leasing of Class 373 ''Regional Eurostars'' along with the refurbishment of the InterCity 225 fleet. However, GNER's reputation and passenger numbers were both hit by a pair of derailments during the early 2000s, the Hatfield rail crash and the Great Heck rail crash. Plans to procure a fleet of tilting trains based on the Pendolino were mooted by the company, but were discarded amid a protracted and complex refranchisin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cotswold Rail
Cotswold Rail was an English company, based in Gloucester, which arranged the spot-hire of shunting and mainline locomotives. History Cotswold Rail was founded in 2000, initially as a broker for rolling stock. In June 2000, it offered 13 Class 141 ''Pacers'' for sale. In 2001, some Class 08 shunting locomotives were purchased, which were hired to both industry and main-line railway companies. Cotswold Rail also purchased a fleet of Class 47 locomotives. From June 2002 until June 2009, it provided Class 47s for Anglia Railways (and its successor National Express East Anglia), as rescue locomotives, and to haul Mark 2 sets on summer Saturday services from Norwich to Great Yarmouth. In 2004, Cotswold Rail leased 12 former Virgin Trains Mark 3 carriages from Rolling stock company Porterbrook. In April 2005, the company acquired leased some Class 87 electric locomotives. A fleet of ten locomotives was planned, for spot-hire work, charter operations, and a new intermodal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by National Express that operated the Midland Main Line franchise from April 1996 until November 2007. Midland Mainline ran fast and semi-fast passenger services from London to the East Midlands and Yorkshire, on the Midland Main Line. Most services ran between London St Pancras and either , or . Some services extended to , , , , and . History The Midland Mainline franchise was awarded by the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising to National Express for a period of ten years with operations commencing on 28 April 1996. In May 1999 Midland Mainline was able to extend its sphere of operation after receiving new rolling stock. In August 2000 the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority awarded a two-year extension in return for National Express committing to invest including ordering new rolling stock and running an hourly service to Leeds. Service patterns The off peak service pattern, upon conclusion of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Virgin CrossCountry
Virgin CrossCountry was a train operating company in the United Kingdom operating the InterCity CrossCountry passenger franchise from January 1997 until November 2007. Virgin CrossCountry operated some of the longest direct rail services in the United Kingdom but most avoided Greater London after 2003. All services called or terminated at Birmingham New Street. The company traded under the Virgin Trains brand, along with the InterCity West Coast franchise, however the two franchises were operated by separate legal entities. History Virgin Rail Group was awarded the InterCity CrossCountry franchise in November 1996, with operations commencing on 5 January 1997. Services were operated by a wholly owned subsidiary, CrossCountry Trains Limited. In October 1998, Virgin Group sold 49% of the shares in Virgin Rail Group to Stagecoach. In the wake of the collapse of Railtrack and the inability of Network Rail to deliver on the 140 mph West Coast Main Line upgrade, both the Vir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Virgin Trains West Coast
Virgin Trains (legal name West Coast Trains Limited) was a train operating company in the United Kingdom owned by Virgin Rail Group, a joint venture between Virgin Group and Stagecoach, which operated the InterCity West Coast franchise from 9 March 1997 to 7 December 2019. The franchise covered long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, consequently connecting six of the UK's largest cities: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, which have a combined metropolitan population of over 18 million. Virgin Trains had around 3,400 employees in 2015. The Virgin Trains brand was also used on the legally and operationally separate Virgin Trains East Coast from 2015 until 2018, and previously on Virgin CrossCountry, which operated between 1997 and 2007, as well as from 2018 to 2020 by Virgin Trains USA in Florida. The contract expired on 7 December 2019 (h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Western Trains
Great Western Railway (GWR) is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that operates the Greater Western passenger railway franchise. It manages 197 stations and its trains call at over 270. GWR operates long-distance inter-city services along the Great Western Main Line to and from the West of England and South Wales, inter-city services from London to the West Country via the Reading–Taunton line, and the ''Night Riviera'' sleeper service between London and Penzance. It also provides commuter and outer-suburban services from its London terminus at Paddington to West London, the Thames Valley region including parts of Berkshire, parts of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire; and regional services throughout the West of England and South Wales to the South coast of England. Great Western Railway also provides and maintains the Electrostar Class 387 fleet for Heathrow Express. The company began operating in February 1996 as Great Western Trains, as part of the priv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Rail
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies, and was privatised in stages between 1994 and 1997. Originally a trading brand of the Railway Executive of the British Transport Commission, it became an independent statutory corporation in January 1963, when it was formally renamed the British Railways Board. The period of nationalisation saw sweeping changes in the railway. A process of dieselisation and electrification took place, and by 1968 steam locomotives had been entirely replaced by diesel and electric traction, except for the Vale of Rheidol Railway (a narrow-gauge tourist line). Passengers replaced freight as the main source of business, and one-third of the network was closed by the Beeching cuts of the 1960s in an effort to reduce rail subsidies. On privatis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RailAdventure
RailAdventure is a train operator based in Munich, Germany. Founded in 2006, it operates a fleet of ex Deutsche Bundesbahn and Swiss Federal Railways locomotives.RailAdevnture launches British operation with modified HST power cars ''The Railway Magazine'' issue 1442 May 2021 page 7 In April 2021 the company bought existing UK TOC Hanson & Hall Rail Services, subsequently renamed RailAdventure UK Ltd. As well as taking over the existing fleet of a Class 31 and a Class 50, the company purchased eight Class 43 powercars from Angel Trains, six for dual-car operational use, and two for spare parts.Power Car moves to Eastleigh ''Railways Illustrated'' May 2021 page 20 It has been involved in the hauling of Class 777 and Class 802 rollingstock to the Eurotunnel Calais Terminal The Eurotunnel Calais Terminal (also known as the Charles Dickens Terminal or Coquelles Terminal) is a railway terminal built for the transport of road-going vehicles on specially constructed trains thro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colas Rail
Colas Rail is a railway infrastructure and rail freight company primarily active in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of the French industrial group Bouygues. Colas Rail was originally created as ''Seco Rail'', named after its then-parent company SECO (''Société d'Études et de Construction d'Outillage''). In the twentieth century, its main activities were railway construction and maintenance. Seco Rail participated in various major projects, such as in the construction of phase one of High Speed 1. During 2006, it became a rail freight operator in the British market, initially transporting Construction aggregate, aggregates using leased rolling stock. Seco Rail acquired its first locomotives and regular freight customer, Kronospan, during the following year. In early 2008, Colas Group opted to reorganise its rail subsidiaries following recent acquisitions, merging Seco Rail with AMEC-Spie and Carillion, Carillion Rail's former plant division under the name Colas Rail. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> British Rail")
.jpg "Click for more on -> RailAdventure")
.jpg "Click for more on -> Colas Rail")