Night Riviera

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Image:GreatWesternLogo.png
Franchise(s): N/A
Main route(s): London-Penzance
Other route(s):
Fleet size: 4 Class 57 locomotives
Mark 3 day coaches
Mark 3 sleeper coaches
Stations: 16
Parent company: First Great Western
Web site: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=42

The Night Riviera is a sleeper train service operated by First Great Western. It is one of only three remaining sleeper services on the railway in Great Britain (the others being the Caledonian Sleepers). It runs two trains per night, six days a week (Sun-Fri) between London Paddington and Penzance, with one train departing in each direction.

[edit] Night Riviera Route

  London Paddington
  Reading
  Taunton
  Exeter St Davids
  Newton Abbot
  Plymouth
  Liskeard
  Bodmin Parkway
  Lostwithel
  Par
  St Austell
  Truro
  Redruth
  Camborne
  Hayle
  St Erth
  Penzance

The service is pulled by four dedicated Class 57 locomotives. The locomotives and rolling stock still bear the original First Great Western green and gold, and did not receive First's new corporate colours of blue and pink in 2000. In 2006 the Mark 2 day coaches were replaced with newer Mark 3 day coaches formerly operated by Virgin Trains, with the green and gold colours applied to match the rest of the train.

[edit] Amenities

The Night Riviera operates First Class and Standard Class. Passengers pay standard fares, with extra charges for sleeping berths (a single berth is more expensive than a double berth); passengers with First Class tickets pay extra for their sleeping berth, but receive complimentary breakfast and newspaper. In addition, sleeper passengers receive the following amenities:

  • Dedicated Service Leader to provide an at-seat food and beverage service
  • Air-conditioned sleeper berths
  • A complimentary toiletry pack
  • Morning wake up call
  • Complimentary newspaper and breakfast for First Class passengers
  • Use of First Class Lounge on arrival in Paddington, including complimentary refreshments for all sleeper berth passengers
  • Use of showers for sleeper berth passengers upon arrival at Paddington.
  • Free taxi transfer from Paddington to Waterloo International for Eurostar passengers

The Night Riviera was also responsible for pulling the last Motorail service on British railways; the Friday Night Riviera had special carriages capable of accommodating a number of cars which are pulled as part of the train. This service was only available in the summer from May to September, but was permanently withdrawn after 2005.


Domestic: Arriva Trains Wales - c2c - Central Trains - Chiltern Railways - First Capital Connect
First Great Western - First ScotRail - Grand Central1 - GNER - Heathrow Connect
Hull Trains - Island Line2 - Merseyrail - Midland Mainline - Northern Rail
Northern Ireland Railways3 - 'one' - Silverlink - Southeastern - Southern
South West Trains2 - TransPennine Express - Virgin Trains
International: Enterprise3 - Eurostar
Airport Link: Gatwick Express - Heathrow Express - Stansted Express4
Sleeper: Caledonian Sleeper5 - Night Riviera6
1 Starts 20 May 2007 - 2 To be replaced by the South Western franchise in February 2007
3 Operated on the Irish railway network - 4 Operated by 'one' - 5 Operated by First ScotRail
6 Operated by First Great Western


Future passenger train operators in Great Britain
New Franchises: Cross Country1 - East Midlands1 - London Overground1 - South Western2
West Midlands1
Proposed open-access
operators:
Grand Union3 - Wrexham & Shropshire4
1 Starts November 2007 - 2 Starts February 2007 - 3 Proposed - 4 Awaiting Approval