TOC Focus - First Great Western

Evening all! Liam here for a TOC Focus post on First Great Western.

As the name suggests, First Great Western is owned by FirstGroup plc, who also own First Hull Trains and First Transpennine Express. First Great Western operate High Speed services between London and Penzance, Plymouth, Exeter, Weston Super Mare, Bristol, South Wales & Oxford. The Train Operating Company (TOC) also operates services between London and Worcester, Gloucester, Malvern, Oxford, Reading, Didcot Parkway, Swindon, Greenford, Newbury and Westbury. Other services operated include the Henley Branch, the Windsor Branch and the Basingstoke to Reading branch, as well as services between Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter and Bristol.


©Liam Jenkins

HISTORY

Upon the privatisation of the railways in 1996, FirstGroup took on a 24% share of the Great Western TOC, eventually buying out it's partners shares to own 100% of the Franchises shares. In December 1998, the franchise was fully rebranded as First Great Western (FGW).
Commencing on April 1st 2004, services in the Thames Valley and to Gloucestershire rebranded to First Great Western Link, operating services between London and Stratford Upon Avon, Hereford, Worcester, Great Malvern, Oxford, Reading, Greenford, Didcot Parkway and the Thames Valley.
In 2013, First Great Western and First Great Western Link merged into one TOC and formed First Great Western, operating all services using the Great Western Mainline towards the South West, Oxford Line and more.

FLEET

First Great Western operate a diverse fleet, featuring High Speed 125 Trains, Thames Turbos, Adelantes and Sprinters.
The TOC operate a fleet of 119 High Speed Train (HST) Power Cars. 2 power cars and 7/8 Mk3 Coaches are typically found in each set. Each set can reach speeds up to 125mph, and so are ideal for the services they operate between London and Wales, the West Country and Cornwall.

Operated on the majority of the Thames Valley network is a fleet of 57 Class 165/166 turbo units. These are in 2/3 car formations and feature a typical suburban train interior, with toilets and openable windows. These also operate airport shuttles between Reading and Redhill and; Gatwick Airport.

©Liam Jenkins - Class 166 turbo units
Operated in the South West of England is a fleet of 8 Class 143 Pacers, a fleet of 51 Class 150 Sprinters, 14 Class 153 Super Sprinters and 14 Class 158 Sprinters. These operate services between Portsmouth and Cardiff, Bristol and Exeter and local services in Devon and Cornwall.


©Liam Jenkins - Class 150 Sprinters

©Liam Jenkins - Class 158 Sprinters
In addition, a fleet of 5 Class 180 Adelantes operate services between London and Worcester & Great Malvern.

©Liam Jenkins - Class 180 Adelantes
Finally, a fleet of 4 Class 57/6s operate special 'Riviera Sleeper' services during the night between London Paddington and Penzance/Plymouth.


COMMEMORATION
First Great Western are well known for applying commemorative name plates or liveries to their High Speed Trains, for charitable causes, business causes, or as a sign of respect. Below are a list of HST power cars with name plates or special liveries:
- 43003 - Isambard Kingdom Brunel
- 43004 - First for the Future
- 43012 is vinyled "Bristol 2015 Green Capital"
- 43017 - discoverhannahs.org
- 43020 - MTU Power, Passion, Partnership
- 43022 - From 2016, Duke Of Edinburgh Award Diamond Anniversary.
- 43021 - David Austin - Cartoonist
- 43024 - Great Western Railway Society 1961 - 2011 Didcot Railway Centre
- 43025 - The Institute of Railway Operators
- 43027 - Glorius Devon
- 43030 - Christian Lewis Trust
- 43033 - Driver Brian Cooper
- 43034 - Travelwatch SouthWest
- 43037 - Penydarren
- 43040 - Bristol St Phillips Marsh
- 43041 - Meningitis Trust Support for Life
- 43053 - University of Worcester
- 43056 - The Royal British Legion
- 43070 - The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- 43087 - 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistics Corps
- 43097 - Environment Agency
- 43126 is vinyled "Bristol 2015 Green Capital"
- 43127 - Sir Peter Parker 1924 - 2002 Cotswold Line 150
- 43132 - We Save the Children - Will you?
- 43137 - Newton Abbot 150
- 43139 - Driver Stan Martin
- 43140 - Landore Diesel Depot 1963 Celebrating 50 Years 2013
- 43142 - Reading Panel Signal Box 1965-2010
- 43143 - Stroud 700
- 43144 - Building a Greater West
- 43146 - Building a Greater West
- 43147 - Royal Marines Celebrating 350 Years
- 43149 - University of Plymouth
- 43155 - The Red Arrows 50 Seasons of Excellence
- 43156 - Dartington International Summer School
- 43160 - Sir Moir Lockhead OBE
- 43163 - Visit Plymouth
- 43165 - Prince Michael of Kent
- 43169 - THE NATIONAL TRUST
- 43172 - Harry Patch
- 43175 - GWR - 175TH ANNIVERSARY
- 43179 - Pride of Laira
- 43185 - Great Western
- 43189 - RAILWAY HERITAGE TRUST
- 43198 - Oxfordshire 2007

NAMED SERVICES
First Great Western operate a series of named services during the daytime. A list of which can be found below:
- The Armada (Plymouth-London-Plymouth (and Penzance - Westbound on Fridays only))
- The Atlantic Coast Express (London-Newquay) (Summer timetable only)
- The Bristolian (London-Bristol - Westbound only) (Weston Super Mare-London - Eastbound only)
- The Capitals United (Swansea-London-Swansea)
- Cathedrals Express (Hereford-London-Hereford)
- The Cheltenham Spa Express (London-Cheltenham Spa)
- The Cornishman (Penzance-London-Penzance)
- The Cornish Riviera (London-Penzance - Departure around 10am) (Penzance-London - Departure at 08:44am)
- The Devon Express (London-Paignton) (Westbound only)
- The Golden Hind (Penzance-London-Penzance - Fastest train from Penzance to London)
- The Mayflower (London-Plymouth-London)
- The Merchant Venturer (London-Paignton - Westbound only) (Bristol-London - Eastbound only)
- The Night Riviera (London-Penzance sleeper)
- The Pembroke Coast Express (London-Pembroke Dock) (Summer Saturday timetable only)
- The Red Dragon (London-Carmarthen)
- The Royal Duchy (London-Penzance-London)
- The Saint David (London-Swansea)
- The Torbay Express (London-Paignton-London)
- The Weymouth Wizard (Bristol-Weymouth-Bristol) (Summer Saturday timetable only)


THE FUTURE

As of 20th September, the Great Western franchise will be rebranded to GWR (Great Western Railway), still operated by FirstGroup. In an attempt to boost revenue and railway usage to replicate the opening of the Great Western Railway, FirstGroup have teamed up with Isambard Kingdom Brunel's great-great-great Grandson Isambard Thomas to market the GWR rebrand.The rebrand involves a complete repaint of the franchises units. Class 166s have already been released into service as seen below:

©Liam Jenkins - Newly repainted 166204 at Guildford
Network Rail have announced plans to electrify the Great Western Railway between London and Bristol/Cardiff, allowing faster, higher capacity Electric trains. Class 319s, 321s, 377s and 365s are rumoured to be transferred to First Great Western for suburban usage.

Class 800 Bi-Modal trains will be manufactured at the Hitachi plant in the North East and will be delivered for usage by GWR once the line is electrified.

That's it from me today then! Look out for more posts in the coming week!

Regards:

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