 | |
 Class 158Express Sprinter atTruro in 2003 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Franchises | Wessex 14 October 2001 – 31 March 2006 |
| Main region | South West England |
| Other regions | South East England,South Wales |
| Fleet | 70 |
| Stations called at | 161 |
| Stations operated | 125 |
| Parent company | National Express |
| Reporting mark | WE |
| Successor | First Great Western |
Wessex Trains[1] was atrain operating company in the United Kingdom owned byNational Express that operated the Wessex Trains franchise from October 2001 until March 2006, when the franchise was merged with the Great Western andThames Trains franchises to form theGreater Western franchise.[2]
In October 1996,Wales & West commenced operating the South West & Wales franchise inWales and theWest Country. It also operated services toLiverpool Lime Street,Manchester Piccadilly,Birmingham International,Southampton Central,Brighton andLondon Waterloo.
In 2001 theStrategic Rail Authority decided to re-organise theValley Lines andWales & West franchises, both being operated by National Express. Wales & West became Wessex Trains from October 2001.[3]
Wessex Trains retained theWest Country services with the Welsh services transferred toWales & Borders although Wessex Trains operated services toCardiff.
Wessex Trains ran the majority of local trains in the South West as seen in their route map, including retaining theAlphaline branding.[4]
Services ran fromGreat Malvern andCardiff toBrighton,Portsmouth,Weymouth andPenzance and on these secondary lines:
Wessex Trains inherited a fleet ofClass 143s,Class 150s,Class 153s andClass 158s fromWales & West.
Wessex Trains leasedClass 31 locomotives fromFragonset to haul a set ofMark 2 carriages from 2002 on services fromCardiff andBristol Temple Meads toBrighton andWeymouth.[5]
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||
| 143Pacer |  | Diesel multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 8 | 1985–1986 |
| 150Sprinter |  | 25 | 1984–1987 | |||
| 153Super Sprinter |   | 13 | 1987–1988 | |||
| 158Express Sprinter |  | 90 | 145 | 12 | 1989–1992 | |
| Mark 2 carriages |  | Passenger carriage | 100 | 160 | 5 | 1969–1975 |
Wessex Trains' fleet was maintained atCardiff Canton andExeter depots.
In 2002 as part of a franchise re-organisation by theStrategic Rail Authority, it was announced that the Great Western, Thames Trains and Wessex Trains franchises would be combined to form theGreater Western franchise. This was part of a Strategic Rail Authority strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from London terminal stations.[6]
Originally it was planned for Wessex Trains to take over the diesel services fromExeter St Davids toLondon Waterloo on theWest of England Main Line operated bySouth West Trains as part of theSouth Western franchise.[6]
On 13 December 2005 theDepartment for Transport awarded the Greater Western franchise toFirstGroup and the services operated by Wessex Trains transferred toFirst Great Western on 1 April 2006.[7]
| Preceded by Wales & West Wales & West franchise | Operator of Wessex franchise 2001–2006 | Succeeded by First Great Western Greater Western franchise |
