UK Rail News and Forum Introduction

[Arriva]

Firstly i'd like to introduce myself to the forums and give you a bit of news in the UK

As of December 23rd 2003 Wales and Borders trains cease to exist and had now been taken over by the new franchise Arriva, The company will be called Arriva Trains Wales.

[petertenthije]

Do you happen to know why their franchise was cancelled? Did they perform badly or did it just expire... What will happen to their personnel and rolling stock? Taken over by Arriva?

http://207.44.222.57/images/images2/p/pjgttogb-alphaline-waterloo.JPG.66790.thumb
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=38518

[Arriva]

Well, Wales And Boarders Trains (The company that had the franchise before Arriva) franchise had expired. Arriva has promised new roling stock, routes etc. which made them a better company. Arriva was awarded the franchise and all rolling stock has been tranfered to them. The new franchise is called Arriva Trains Wales and The alphline services are now called Silverlink, or so i understand. Valley Lines service remain the same.

[egll]

Arriva Trains does not have a very good reputation in the UK, their handling of the Trans Pennine Routes has been awful so I hope that things will improve with this new franchise. I spent six years working for Wales & West which was the predecessor to Wales & Borders and still have many friends in the company although they don't seem too happy with the change.

The other half of what's left of Wales & West, Wessex Trains, is still in existance but will soon disappear and be merged partly with Great Western and partly with South West Trains.



Matt

[Arriva]

I recently travelled on there service from my home town to where i live, the condition of the inside of the trains seems to have gone downhill. Not so clean, faulty driving and cab lights. Graffitti, Dirty Trains and to top it all off an overflowing toilet!

[Phil]

Hiya, this is my first post on here. Might recognise me from a few places though :wink:

Arriva have been booted off their Transpennine and Northern services, instead First Group along with some company beginning with A will operate the Transpennine services with some new nifty looking trains. Arriva have been given the old Wales & Borders area which is a shame since I never got to see their new livery in person.

Happy Trails