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(Redirected from Cross Country)
'CrossCountry' is a new train operating company that will operate the Cross-Country rail franchise from November 2007. The franchise will be formed through the amalgamation of the current Virgin Cross Country (VXC) franchise, which operates inter-city services that do not terminate in London, with elements of Central Trains. The franchise is due to begin operating in November 2007.
On 10 July 2007, the Department for Transport announced that Arriva plc had won the rights to the franchise.[1]
CrossCountry propose to operate an hourly Plymouth - Edinburgh service, via York and Newcastle, for the duration of the franchise.
The new franchise will be responsible for most of the existing VXC services, most of which utilise Birmingham New Street as their hub. These services include:
★ Birmingham - Reading / The South
★ Birmingham - Bristol - South West
★ Birmingham - North East - Scotland
★ Birmingham - North West (routes through the north-west to Scotland are being dropped)
★ Birmingham - Manchester
The franchise will also have responsibility for the Cardiff - Nottingham and Birmingham - Stansted Airport services currently run by Central Trains "Citylink", and the Hereford - Nottingham regional service currently run by Central Trains.
The Reading - Brighton route is not specified in the ITT (Invitation To Tender) document as issued by the DFT, but shortlisted bidders are asked to put forward a cost efficient proposal to operate this route in addition to what has been specified. A route that is being transferred to Virgin West Coast is from Birmingham through the northwest to Edinbugh/Glasgow via Preston. This means there will be no direct trains from the south or south-west of England to Glasgow or any part of north-west England beyond Manchester. (Map of the new cross country franchise)
VXC's current services between Manchester and Glasgow/Edinburgh will be transferred to First TransPennine Express from December 2007, subject to contracts being agreed,[2] and the current services between Birmingham and Glasgow/Edinburgh will be transferred to Virgin West Coast also from December 2007.[3] A new open-access operator, Glasgow Trains, has proposed running services between Glasgow and Liverpool/Nottingham.
Latest reports suggest that the Birmingham - Leicester service may be operated by the new CrossCountry due to staffing difficulties. It has also been proposed that this train extend to Cardiff giving Leicester direct links to the south west (this would run from Birmingham to Cardiff instead of the Nottingham service).
A new regional service has been proposed, which would run from Nottingham through to Oxford via Leicester and Coventry. This service would integrate the Coventry - Nuneaton service, which is currently proposed to be operated by the new West Midlands franchise.
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced on 19 September 2006 that four parties had pre-qualified for new franchise[4]:
★ Arriva Trains Cross Country Limited (Arriva Group)
★ First Cross Country Limited (First Group)
★ NXC Trains Limited (National Express Group)
★ Virgin Voyager Trains Ltd (Virgin Rail Group)
On 12 May 2007 the DfT removed First Cross Country Limited's bid from the list, with the other three bidders remaining.[5]
On 10 July 2007 announced that Arriva Trains Cross Country Limited was awarded the new Cross Country rail franchise. The new franchise will start on 11 November 2007
Virgin Cross-Country currently operates Class 220 and Class 221 DEMUs. From December 2007, 21 Class 221 will be transferred to the West Coast Main Line franchise where they will operate the North Wales route and the West Midlands to Scotland services. CrossCountry will also use some of the British Rail Class 170 ''Turbostars'' from Central Trains.
CrossCountry have anounced that they will re-introduce 5 upgraded High Speed Trains[6], however it is currently unclear as to where these HSTs will come from as there are very few spare HST vehicles.
1. Department for Transport announces winner of New Cross Country franchise
2. TPE set to run services to Edinburgh and Glasgow
3. Virgin Rail Group disappointed at New CrossCountry
4. Department for Transport announces pre-qualified bidders for 3 new franchises
5. FirstGroup's franchise bid hits buffers Douglas Friedli
6. CrossCountry Highlights
★ Central Trains Remapping
★ Briefing Document
★ Crosscountry Trains
★ Arriva corporate website
|-
'CrossCountry' is a new train operating company that will operate the Cross-Country rail franchise from November 2007. The franchise will be formed through the amalgamation of the current Virgin Cross Country (VXC) franchise, which operates inter-city services that do not terminate in London, with elements of Central Trains. The franchise is due to begin operating in November 2007.
On 10 July 2007, the Department for Transport announced that Arriva plc had won the rights to the franchise.[1]
| Contents |
| Services |
| Routes |
| Possible route changes |
| Bids |
| Rolling Stock |
| Current fleet |
| References |
| External links |
Services
CrossCountry propose to operate an hourly Plymouth - Edinburgh service, via York and Newcastle, for the duration of the franchise.
Routes
The new franchise will be responsible for most of the existing VXC services, most of which utilise Birmingham New Street as their hub. These services include:
★ Birmingham - Reading / The South
★ Birmingham - Bristol - South West
★ Birmingham - North East - Scotland
★ Birmingham - North West (routes through the north-west to Scotland are being dropped)
★ Birmingham - Manchester
The franchise will also have responsibility for the Cardiff - Nottingham and Birmingham - Stansted Airport services currently run by Central Trains "Citylink", and the Hereford - Nottingham regional service currently run by Central Trains.
The Reading - Brighton route is not specified in the ITT (Invitation To Tender) document as issued by the DFT, but shortlisted bidders are asked to put forward a cost efficient proposal to operate this route in addition to what has been specified. A route that is being transferred to Virgin West Coast is from Birmingham through the northwest to Edinbugh/Glasgow via Preston. This means there will be no direct trains from the south or south-west of England to Glasgow or any part of north-west England beyond Manchester. (Map of the new cross country franchise)
Possible route changes
VXC's current services between Manchester and Glasgow/Edinburgh will be transferred to First TransPennine Express from December 2007, subject to contracts being agreed,[2] and the current services between Birmingham and Glasgow/Edinburgh will be transferred to Virgin West Coast also from December 2007.[3] A new open-access operator, Glasgow Trains, has proposed running services between Glasgow and Liverpool/Nottingham.
Latest reports suggest that the Birmingham - Leicester service may be operated by the new CrossCountry due to staffing difficulties. It has also been proposed that this train extend to Cardiff giving Leicester direct links to the south west (this would run from Birmingham to Cardiff instead of the Nottingham service).
A new regional service has been proposed, which would run from Nottingham through to Oxford via Leicester and Coventry. This service would integrate the Coventry - Nuneaton service, which is currently proposed to be operated by the new West Midlands franchise.
Bids
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced on 19 September 2006 that four parties had pre-qualified for new franchise[4]:
★ Arriva Trains Cross Country Limited (Arriva Group)
★ First Cross Country Limited (First Group)
★ NXC Trains Limited (National Express Group)
★ Virgin Voyager Trains Ltd (Virgin Rail Group)
On 12 May 2007 the DfT removed First Cross Country Limited's bid from the list, with the other three bidders remaining.[5]
On 10 July 2007 announced that Arriva Trains Cross Country Limited was awarded the new Cross Country rail franchise. The new franchise will start on 11 November 2007
Rolling Stock
Current fleet
Virgin Cross-Country currently operates Class 220 and Class 221 DEMUs. From December 2007, 21 Class 221 will be transferred to the West Coast Main Line franchise where they will operate the North Wales route and the West Midlands to Scotland services. CrossCountry will also use some of the British Rail Class 170 ''Turbostars'' from Central Trains.
CrossCountry have anounced that they will re-introduce 5 upgraded High Speed Trains[6], however it is currently unclear as to where these HSTs will come from as there are very few spare HST vehicles.
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||
| Class 43 ''High Speed Train'' |  | Diesel locomotive | 125 | 200 | 10 | Cross Country Route | 1976 - 1982 |
| Class 170 ''Turbostar'' |  | Diesel multiple unit | 100 | 160 | 29 | Cross Country Route | 1999 - 2002 |
| Class 220 ''Voyager'' |  | Diesel-electric multiple unit | 125 | 200 | 34 | Cross Country Route | 2001 |
| Class 221 ''Super Voyager'' | | Diesel-electric multiple unit | 125 | 200 | 23 | Cross Country Route | 2001 |
| Mark 3 coach | Passenger Rolling stock | 125 | 200 | 40 | Cross Country Route | 1975 - 1988 | |
References
1. Department for Transport announces winner of New Cross Country franchise
2. TPE set to run services to Edinburgh and Glasgow
3. Virgin Rail Group disappointed at New CrossCountry
4. Department for Transport announces pre-qualified bidders for 3 new franchises
5. FirstGroup's franchise bid hits buffers Douglas Friedli
6. CrossCountry Highlights
External links
★ Central Trains Remapping
★ Briefing Document
★ Crosscountry Trains
★ Arriva corporate website
|-
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