FIRST NORTH WESTERN

'First North Western' was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. A subsidiary of First Group, it lost its franchise in 2004.

Contents

Description

Routes operated

Fleet

Description

The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Trains which was a partnership between Great Western's management and First Group. Eventually First bought the management team out and renamed the company. North Western Trains took over from the British Rail sector 'North West Regional Railways' which was known for a short time as Network North West.

Routes operated

First North Western services are now mainly operated by Northern Rail with Manchester Airport to Windermere/Barrow services are now operated by TransPennine Express, Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno, Crewe to Holyhead, Bidston to Wrexham and Llandudno to Ffestiniog services operated by Arriva Trains Wales and Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston services operated by Virgin Trains.

Fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 101		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	6	1956 - 1959
Class 142 ''Pacer''		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	79	1985 - 1987
Class 150 ''Sprinter''		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	27	1985 - 1987
Class 153 ''Super Sprinter''		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	8	1987 - 1988
Class 156 ''Super Sprinter''		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	18	1987 - 1989
Class 158 ''Express Sprinter''		Diesel multiple unit	90	145	8	1989 - 1992
Class 175 ''Coradia''		Diesel multiple unit	100	160	27	1999 - 2001
Class 309		Electric multiple unit	100	160	7	1962 - 1963
Class 323		Electric multiple unit	100	160	17	1992 - 1993

Their headquarters were in Whitworth St, Manchester city centre. Its train depot was at Newton Heath between the Manchester to Rochdale via Castleton Line and the Manchester to Rochdale via Oldham Line.
The new Class 175 trains were used only on Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno (also one morning journey from Chester to Manchester via Altrincham which formed a service to Llandudno when it arrived at Manchester Piccadilly), Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead, Crewe to Holyhead, Birmingham to Holyhead, Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness, Manchester Airport to Windermere and Manchester Airport to Blackpool North. However Arriva Trains Wales runs the Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno, Holyhead, and Crewe to Holyhead. No services now run between Holyhead and Birmingham.




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