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::: RMT ScotRail staff walk out





First Great Western
Great Western Trains

Resurgence Railways, led by a former BR manager, but RR failed to obtain enough third-party investment. As a result, the contract was then offered to GWH.

The original brand name was Great Western (or Great Western Trains), but when First acquired the shares of the other partners on 30 March 1998 the public name of the franchise then became First Great Western.

The Strategic Rail Authority announced plans for a new franchise in the Great Western territory on 6 November 2002. This would be known as ‘Greater Western’ and combine the Great Western intercity franchise with Thames Trains and Wessex Trains. Its start date was to be 1 April 2006, and the existing FGW franchise was extended by two railway periods (56 days) to allow for this." target="blank" class="mouse" >A first-generation franchise lasting ten years signed on 20 December 1995 by Great Western Holdings, a joint venture between BR managers (51%), FirstBus (24.5%) and investors 3i (24.5%). The favoured bidder had been Resurgence Railways, led by a former BR manager, but RR failed to obtain enough third-party investment. As a result, the contract was then offered to GWH.

The original brand name was Great Western (or Great Western Trains), but when First acquired the shares of the other partners on 30 March 1998 the public name of the franchise then became First Great Western.

The Strategic Rail Authority announced plans for a new franchise in the Great Western territory on 6 November 2002. This would be known as ‘Greater Western’ and combine the Great Western intercity franchise with Thames Trains and Wessex Trains. Its start date was to be 1 April 2006, and the existing FGW franchise was extended by two railway periods (56 days) to allow for this.

$ start date * 4 February 1996 ** $ end date * 1 April 2006 **

start date

end date


owned by
FirstGroup plc (Great Western Holdings Limited)

legal title
Great Western Trains Company Limited

was replaced by
Intercity services London Paddington–Bristol–Weston-super-Mare/Westbury–Exeter–Paignton/Plymouth–Penzance/Newquay, Cardiff–Swansea–Carmarthen, Swindon–Cheltenham Spa/Worcester–Great Malvern.


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