First Great Western Link
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| Franchise(s): | Thames April 2004 - 31. March 2006 |
| Main Region(s): | Thames Valley |
| Other Region(s): | North Downs, Cotswolds |
| Fleet size: | 62 |
| Stations: | 95 |
| Parent company: | First Group |
| Web site: | www.firstgreatwesternlink.co.uk |
First Great Western Link was a train operating company owned by First Group that provided train services, on a franchise basis, from Paddington Station to destinations such as Slough, Reading, Didcot, Oxford, Goring and Streatley, Henley-on-Thames, Newbury, Bedwyn, Hereford, Worcester and Banbury. Train services were also provided from Reading to Gatwick Airport (via Guildford and Dorking), and from Reading to Basingstoke. The company also used to operate services to Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon, but these were transferred to Chiltern Railways and the First Great Western Link route curtailed at Banbury.
Prior to April 2004 the franchise was held by the Go-Ahead Group, trading as Thames Trains. First Great Western Link shared a management team with First Great Western, a separately franchised train operating company that ran inter-city services on Great Western Main Line and associated lines.
On 12 June 2005 Heathrow Connect was introduced as a joint venture between First Great Western Link and BAA plc.
From 1 April 2006 First Great Western, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains were merged into the Greater Western Franchise. Three companies - First Group plc, National Express Group PLC and Stagecoach Group - were shortlisted to run this new franchise. On 13 December 2005 it was announced that First Group had won the franchise. The services operated by First Great Western Link are now operated by First Great Western. A new livery will be rolled out across the fleet during 2006.
[edit] Further information
- Routes
- Rolling Stock
[edit] External links
- First Great Western Link
- Route map of FGWL services (caution – PDF)
| Preceded by: Thames Trains |
Operator of Thames franchise 2004-2006 |
Succeeded by: First Great Western Greater Western franchise |
| Defunct train operating companies: | |
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| InterCity: | Anglia Railways - Great Western Trains |
| London & South East: | Connex South Central - Connex South Eastern - First Great Eastern - First Great Western Link South Eastern Trains - Thames Trains - Thameslink - wagn |
| Regional: | Arriva Trains Merseyside - Arriva Trains Northern - First North Western - MTL - North Western Trains Northern Spirit - ScotRail - Valley Lines - Wales and Borders - Wales and West - Wessex Trains |
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