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Grand Central is anopen-accesstrain operating company in the United Kingdom. A subsidiary ofArriva UK Trains, it has operated passenger rail services since December 2007.
The company was founded in April 2000 as 'Grand Central Railway Company'. Following multiple applications for track access rights, it launched its operations on theEast Coast Main Line betweenSunderland andLondon King's Cross in December 2007. Services betweenBradford Interchange and London King's Cross commenced in May 2010. In November 2011, Grand Central was acquired by Arriva UK Trains.
Grand Central has also put forward various proposals for operating additional services in the future. One such service, fromLondon Euston toBlackpool North via theWest Coast Main Line, was scheduled to begin in 2021, but the initiative was cancelled as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic.
The origins of Grand Central can be traced back to theprivatisation of British Rail during the mid-1990s. Several bids were submitted under the Grand Central name by Ian Yeowart and a consortium of ex-British Rail managers to operateMidland Mainline andRegional Railways North East franchises.[2][3][4][5][6][7] However, none of the bids it made resulted in a franchise being awarded. In light of this, during March 1998, the company was formallydissolved.[2]
In April 2000, a new company, 'Grand Central Railway Company',[8] was founded to pursueopen-access opportunities.[9] One year later, it was publicly proposing to obtain second handIntercity 125 sets with which to run its own services.[10]
During June 2003, Grand Central applied to theOffice of the Rail Regulator (ORR) to operate a two-hourly open-access service fromNewcastle toBolton via theCaldervale Line andManchester Victoria usingInterCity 125 trains fromVirgin CrossCountry.[11][12] In June 2004, this track-access application was rejected.[13][14][15][16][17]
While establishing its operations, Grand Central reached out to the coach operatorFraser Eagle Group for assistance; during March 2006, Fraser Eagle opted to acquire a 79% shareholding in the venture.[18][19] In response to the acquisition,Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) threatened to sever business ties with Fraser Eagle Group, with which it had active contracts to provide rail replacement buses.[20][21]
In February 2005, Grand Central applied to the ORR to operate four daily services fromSunderland toLondon King's Cross and four daily services fromBradford Interchange to London King's Cross usingClass 67 locomotives hauling fiveMark 3 carriages and aDriving Van Trailer.[22][23][24][25] In March 2006, the ORR granted Grand Central access rights for three daily Sunderland to London King's Cross services.[26][27][28] After unsuccessfully attempting to have the process reversed at an ORR hearing, the franchised operator GNER sought ajudicial review of the decision to grant Grand Central access rights, but this was rejected by theHigh Court in July 2006.[29][30][31]
During March 2007, it was announced that Fraser Eagle had sold its 79% shareholding in Grand Central for £10 million to a pair of former managers ofPrism Rail, who were backed by aprivate equity group.[32][33][34]
Operations were originally due to start in May 2007, however, delays in the procurement and refurbishment of rolling stock were reportedly encountered.[35][36][37]
On 18 December 2007, operations commenced between Sunderland and London King's Cross. While awaiting delivery of all of the rolling stock, Grand Central initially operated only one Sunderland – King's Cross and one York – King's Cross service in each direction.[38][39][40] During March 2008, the full timetable was introduced.[41] Mechanical problems with the InterCity 125 fleet led to services being regularly cancelled, as well as a reduced service being operated between May and July 2008.[42][43]
During March 2008, Grand Central applied to the ORR to operate three daily services from Bradford Interchange to London King's Cross.[44][45] In January 2009, it was granted access rights for three daily Bradford Interchange to King's Cross services until December 2014 and a fourth Sunderland to London King's Cross service until May 2012.[46][47] During August 2009, the fourth daily Sunderland–London service started.[48][49]
In February 2010, the ORR announced that all access rights had been extended until December 2016.[50]
On 23 May 2010, Grand Central services between Bradford Interchange and King's Cross began.[51][52][53][54][55] It had been hoped that the service would start in December 2009, but difficulties in securing rolling stock caused delay.[56]
In November 2011, Grand Central was bought out byArriva UK Trains for an undisclosed amount.[57][58][59] At the time of the takeover, Grand Central had 123 employees, a turnover of £18.9 million and debts of £44 million.[60]
Since December 2011, Bradford services have made an additional stop atMirfield.[61] During December 2012, a fifth service was operated on the Sunderland to London route; however, on account of pathing difficulties, it initially started at Hartlepool.[62] In December 2013, a fourth daily Bradford to London King's Cross service began.[63]
In August 2014, Grand Central was granted an extension of its operating rights until December 2026.[64][65][66]
From 3 April 2020, Grand Central temporarily suspended all services due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[67] A spokesperson for the company said "Grand Central has decided to suspend services and hibernate the company to protect their financial viability during this time of reduced passenger numbers." As Grand Central is not afranchisedtrain operating company (TOC), it is not subject to the same government financial package as other franchised services.[68] The company resumed operations on 26 July 2020, initially operating a limited service of five return journeys per day, to increase over subsequent months.[69]
Following the second lockdown announced by the UK government, Grand Central announced on 3 November 2020 that it would once again suspend all services from 6 November.[70] After the second lockdown ended, Grand Central resumed service on 3 December 2020 with a limited timetable and a reservation-only policy on all its services.[71] After the third lockdown's announcement, Grand Central announced on 6 January 2021 that it would once again be suspending all services from 9 January to 1 March 2021.[72]
Grand Central connects Yorkshire and the North East to London with two routes.
Six daily services on the North East to London route operate betweenSunderland andLondon King's Cross calling atHartlepool,Eaglescliffe,Northallerton,Thirsk andYork. One train per day calls atPeterborough in both directions. On Sundays, five trains operate in both directions. This route is known as theNorth Eastern service.[73] Grand Central has in the past given names to two trains on this route.[citation needed] Contrary to tradition in British named train services, these were individual one-way trips rather than pairs. In the 2008 timetable, the nameThe Zephyr was given to the early morning (06:41) departure from Sunderland, while the evening (16:50) train from London was calledThe 21st Century Limited. As of the 2012 timetable, these names are no longer used by the company.
Four daily services which run on the Yorkshire to London route operate betweenBradford Interchange and London King's Cross calling atLow Moor,Halifax,Brighouse,Mirfield,Wakefield Kirkgate, andDoncaster. Some services also call atPontefract Monkhill and/orPeterborough. This is known as theWest Riding (orWest Yorkshire) service.[73]
| Service | Route | tpd | Calling at | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Eastern | London King's Cross toSunderland | 6 |
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| West Riding | London King's Cross toBradford Interchange | 4 |
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In December 2017, Grand Central announced plans to bid for a service from London King's Cross toCleethorpes in early 2018 for a date in 2020. It would involve the existing Bradford Interchange service extended to ten coaches from London to Doncaster then dividing with five coaches going to Cleethorpes viaScunthorpe,Barnetby,Habrough andGrimsby.[75] The other five coaches would be the existing service to Bradford Interchange. This proposal would require permission for a split of trains as it has not been used on the East Coast Main Line before.[76] In February 2018, Grand Central announced plans for an additional call atCrowle.[77] The company planned to operate four trains per day from 2020.[78] However, in July 2018, the Office of Rail and Road announced new access charges which would affect the business case for the new service, leading to Grand Central announcing that it would delay bidding until 2019.[78]
In March 2018, Grand Central announced that it had applied for six services from London to Sunderland, up from five now, and six services from London to Bradford Interchange, up from four now, which would use Adelante trains.[79]
In May 2018, Grand Central announced plans to add an additional evening service before 22:00 between York and London. This service would be ten carriages long.[80]
Grand Central applied for an additional early morning service and an evening service from London to Wakefield; it was rejected because it did not meet the economic criteria.[81][82] However, in May 2018, Grand Central reapplied for the service.[83] This would see one train per day in each direction between London King's Cross and Wakefield.
Grand Central applied in April 2025 for a direct service between Newcastle and Brighton calling at Durham, Darlington, Northallerton, York, Doncaster, Sheffield, Derby, Burton-on-Trent, Birmingham New Street, Warwick Parkway, Banbury, Oxford, Reading, Wokingham, Guildford, Redhill, Gatwick Airport, and Haywards Heath.[84]
The proposed service could start in December 2026.
Grand Central also previously expressed interest in operating services between York and Chester, between Bradford and London, between Lincoln and London, and between Blackpool and London.
During February 2005, Grand Central lodged an application with the Office of Rail Regulation to operate a three times a dayYork toChester via theCaldervale Line service withClass 158s. This service would have called atLeeds,Wakefield Kirkgate,Brighouse,Rochdale,Manchester Victoria andWarrington Bank Quay.[22][85]
In September 2006, Grand Central announced a proposal to run services from Bradford Interchange viaHuddersfield and theWest Coast Main Line toLondon Euston. This service would have called atHalifax,Brighouse,Huddersfield,Stalybridge,Guide Bridge,Stockport,Crewe,Lichfield Trent Valley,Tamworth andNuneaton.[86][87][88] The proposal was dropped due toVirgin Trains'Moderation of Competition protection preventing any other operators from operating on the West Coast Main Line.[89]
In June 2010, followingEast Coast deciding not to proceed with plans for a proposed two hourly service betweenLincoln and London King's Cross, Grand Central expressed an interest in running services, but was rejected. This service would have called atNewark North Gate andGrantham.[90]
In November 2010, Grand Central applied to the ORR to operate a new service running four times a day in each direction betweenBlackpool North and London Euston via theWest Coast Main Line, calling atPoulton-le-Fylde,Kirkham & Wesham,Preston,Hartford,Tamworth andNuneaton. Grand Central sought to run these services from May 2012, usingClass 67 locomotives hauling nineMark 3 carriages and aDriving Van Trailer running at up to 110 mph (177 km/h), until such time as the Blackpool North - Preston line was electrified.[91][92] In March 2011, the Office of Rail Regulation rejected the application on the basis the service would beprimarily abstractive, meaning it would generate most of its revenue by drawing custom away from existing operators rather than bringing new custom to the rail network.[93]
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Sister companyGreat North Western Railway originally re-applied for paths with formerLondon North Eastern RailwayInterCity 225 sets to begin a service between Blackpool North and London Euston from September 2019. As these are not able to tilt, their speed is restricted to 110 mph (180 km/h).[94][95]
In June 2018, the ORR approved the new application for a seven-year track-access agreement for five direct services from Blackpool North to London Euston, calling at Poulton-le-Fylde, Kirkham and Wesham, Preston, Nuneaton andMilton Keynes Central from September 2019.[96][97] An option for a sixth service in the future was available. The new service would have used theMark 4 coaches as planned, but withClass 90 rather than Class 91 locomotives.[98]
In June 2019, the proposed services were transferred from GNWR ownerAlliance Rail Holdings to Grand Central. The services were due to begin in spring 2020, but were postponed until spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[99] However, in September 2020, Grand Central announced that it had decided not to proceed with the introduction of the service following a collapse in projected patronage.[100]
Grand Central's application to the ORR in February 2005 had proposed usingClass 67 locomotives hauling fiveMark 3 carriages and aDriving Van Trailer.[22] As the paths were only granted on the basis of 125 mph stock being used, other stock had to be sourced. It was then proposed to use a fleet ofBombardier Transportation five-carriageClass 222 units, similar to those already in use withMidland Mainline andHull Trains.[27][101] Difficulty in securing these led to Grand Central deciding to useHigh Speed Trains.[102]
In October 2006, sister companySovereign Trains purchased sixClass 43 power cars and 18 Mark 3 carriages fromPorterbrook.[103] The Class 43s, that all hadbuffers fitted when they were modified in the late 1980s for use withClass 91 locomotives during the electrification of theEast Coast Main Line, were sent for overhaul atDevonport Management Limited,Plymouth.[104][105] The Mark 3s were overhauled at Marcroft Engineering,Stoke-on-Trent. Eighteen of the Mark 3 coaches were formerVirgin Trains West Coast loco-hauled carriages that required rewiring in order to work with the power cars due to different electrical requirements.[106][107]
Due to delays encountered during the overhauls, Grand Central investigated leasing spare InterCity 125 sets fromMidland Mainline.[108] However, nothing came of this and it was not until December 2007 that enough stock had been delivered for operations to commence. The full fleet was in service by March 2008.[109][110][111]
Problems encountered with the rolling stock, including all six of the power cars being out of traffic at the same time, saw Grand Central hire Class 67 locomotives from the freight haulage companyEnglish Welsh & Scottish (EWS),Class 47s fromRiviera Trains, andClass 57s fromVirgin Trains to haul Riviera Trains'Mark 2 carriages on shuttles from Sunderland to York in summer 2008 as well as InterCity power cars from Midland Mainline.[112][113][114][115]
In March 2010, the InterCity 125s were sold toAngel Trains which funded an overhaul including re-powering the Class 43 atBrush Traction withMTU 16V4000R41 engines.[116][117][118][119]
To operate the fourth Sunderland service, a pair ofClass 180s were leased from Angel Trains in 2009,[120][121][122][123] followed by another three to operate the Bradford services in 2010.[124][125] Before entering service, 180112 was namedJames Herriot in July 2009.[126] The remaining two units, 180105 and 180114, entered service later in 2009.[127] Grand Central secured two further Class 180s, 180101 and 180107, bringing the total number to five.[128] The Class 180 fleet operate both Sunderland and Bradford services, with the InterCity 125 trains usually only operating services to Sunderland, although they have operated to Bradford on occasions.[129]
Grand Central withdrew its HST fleet at the end of 2017, with a transfer toEast Midlands Trains for the three six-car sets. The company received five additional Class 180Adelante sets fromGreat Western Railway (GWR), made available due to the rollout of theIntercity Express Programme.[130]
Initially, Grand Central adopted an all black livery with doors painted gold (first class) and silver (standard class). When the Class 180 was introduced, an orange band was introduced.[131]
In June 2023 it was announced that Grand Central would be leasing two Class 221 units (numbers 221142 and 221143) for use on services betweenLondon King's Cross andBradford.[132]
In April 2025, Grand Central announced that it had ordered nine five-car trains fromHitachi Rail. These trains would be able to run on overhead lines, battery or diesel and were to be introduced in 2028.[133]
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||||
| 180Adelante |  | DMU | 125 | 200 | 10 | 5 | London King's Cross –Sunderland /Bradford Interchange | 2000–2001 |
 | ||||||||
| 221Super Voyager | .jpg) | DEMU | 2 | 5 | London King's Cross -Bradford Interchange | 2001–2002 | ||
Grand Central were to procure sets for services between Blackpool North and London Euston, made up of six Mark 4 coaches hauled by a Class 90 locomotive, and tailed by a driving van trailer, however these were returned off-lease due to the cancellation of the route.[134] The rolling stock had already been overhauled and training runs had commenced before the service was cancelled in September 2020.[135]
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||
| 90 | .jpg) | Electric locomotive | 110 | 177 | 5[136] | 2 + 6 |
| Mark 4 |  | Passenger carriage | 140 | 225 | 30 | |
| Driving Van Trailer | Driving Van Trailer | 5 | ||||
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Carriages | Qty. | Routes operated | Built | Left fleet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||||
| InterCity 125 trains (HSTs) | |||||||||
| 43 | .jpg)
| Diesel locomotive | 125 | 201 | 6 | 6 | London King's Cross –Sunderland | 1976-82 | 2017 |
| Mark 3 |  | Passenger carriage | 18 | ||||||
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Grand Central's fleet is maintained atHeaton andCrofton depots. Between the 2011 Arriva takeover and the fleet's retirement in 2017, heavy maintenance on the InterCity 125 was performed atArriva TrainCare,Crewe.[137]
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