Central Trains
| Company type | Train operating company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Regional Railways (Central sector) |
| Founded | March 2, 1997 |
| Defunct | November 11, 2007 |
| Fate | Franchise ceased and services divided among London Midland, East Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , United Kingdom |
Area served | Central England and Mid Wales, United Kingdom |
| Products | Passenger rail services |
| Owner | National Express |
Number of employees | 2400+ |
| Parent | National Express |
Central Trains was a British train operating company under the ownership of National Express, providing local and inter-regional rail services from 2 March 1997 until 11 November 2007.
Overview
Originating from the Central sector of Regional Railways during the privatisation of British Rail, the franchise was granted to National Express, which operated the business until its cessation in 2007. The workforce numbered more than 2,400 employees.
The operator made significant investments in its rolling stock, expanding its principal fleet from under 300 to a total of 379 passenger vehicles—an increase exceeding 28%—by purchasing new trains and acquiring surplus units from other companies. Additionally, station facilities were enhanced with the installation of ticket barriers, assistance points, and real-time information displays.
To combat vandalism and fare evasion, Central Trains implemented measures including a contentious campaign that publicly disclosed the identities and addresses of passengers who were fined.
Despite these improvements, punctuality remained a challenge; even during its most reliable period between 2000 and 2007, approximately one in six trains arrived five minutes or more late, with on-time performance dropping to as low as 61% in 2003. Relations with staff were strained, leading to frequent cancellations of Sunday services.
In line with a government directive issued in 2004, Central Trains was disbanded in November 2007, with its routes divided among London Midland, East Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry.
Network
At its height, Central Trains served 253 stations covering 1,534 miles within the UK rail system, predominantly operating in central England and Mid Wales. During its final years, it managed around 43 million passenger journeys each year, accumulating a total mileage of 930 million.
The range of services included rural and local lines as well as premier express routes initially marketed under the Alphaline brand and later rebranded as Central Citylink. Within the West Midlands region, Central Trains also operated extensive urban rail networks under contract for the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.
Long distance services
Prominent express routes encompassed:
- Birmingham New Street – Liverpool Lime Street
- Birmingham New Street – Stansted Airport
- Cardiff Central – Birmingham New Street – Nottingham
- Liverpool Lime Street – Nottingham – Norwich
Starting in 2003, long-distance and regional express routes were distinguished by the Central Citylink brand to separate them from local services. This branding was incorporated into timetables and promotional materials to highlight improved service standards.
Citylink trains commonly employed Central Trains' modern Class 170 and Class 158 diesel multiple units, which featured air-conditioning, reservable seats, and on-board catering available at passengers’ seats on numerous routes.
All Citylink operations were detailed in Central Trains' Guide 1 timetable, which outlined their distinctive features.
Regional services
- Birmingham New Street – Nottingham via Leicester (service reduced to Leicester from 2004)
- Birmingham New Street – Nottingham via Derby
- Birmingham New Street – Shrewsbury
- Birmingham New Street – Mid Wales and Chester (transferred out in 2001)
- Northampton – Crewe
- Coventry – Lincoln Central via Nuneaton (discontinued in 2004)
- Nuneaton – Coventry (introduced in 2005)
- Nottingham – Skegness
- Doncaster / Lincoln Central – Peterborough via Spalding
- Newark North Gate – Lincoln – Cleethorpes
- Leicester – Lincoln Central (commenced in 2004)
- Derby – Crewe / Nottingham / Matlock
- Nottingham – Mansfield Woodhouse / Worksop
Network West Midlands routes
- Coventry – Birmingham New Street – Wolverhampton (service divided at New Street in 2004)
- Cross City Line: Redditch/Longbridge – Four Oaks/Lichfield Trent Valley
- Snow Hill Lines: Great Malvern/Worcester/Kidderminster – Dorridge/Shirley/Stratford-upon-Avon
- Chase Line: Birmingham – Walsall / Stafford (reduced to Rugeley in 2005)
- Walsall – Wellington via Wolverhampton
- Worcester – Birmingham New Street
Introduction of long-distance routes in the 1990s
During the late 1990s, Central Trains improved its long-distance network by merging previously separate routes into continuous through services, such as the Shrewsbury – Birmingham – Leicester corridor. This enabled extended journeys spanning from Aberystwyth to Grimsby. Additionally, direct connections from Birmingham to Stansted Airport commenced operations in May 1998.
Transfer of Mid Wales services in 2001
In late 2001, routes west of Shrewsbury serving Aberystwyth, Pwllheli, and Chester were reassigned to the newly established Wales & Borders franchise, which also included the transfer of eleven Class 158 trains.
Service adjustments during 2004–2005
Ahead of the franchise division between 2004 and 2005, Central Trains undertook significant route reorganizations. The Leamington Spa to Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon lines were transferred to Chiltern Railways, although peak-time services from Leamington Spa persisted. The frequency on the Birmingham-Stourbridge route was enhanced to a train every ten minutes, increasing service levels to Kidderminster; all trains previously serving Birmingham New Street were rerouted via Birmingham Snow Hill. The Liverpool Lime Street to Stansted Airport service was split at New Street due to ongoing punctuality challenges.
Services running from Birmingham New Street to Nottingham and Derby were separated; the segment between Leicester and Nottingham was incorporated into the Ivanhoe Line and extended onward to Lincoln. In 2004, local services on the Trent Valley line between Stafford and Nuneaton were suspended because of driver shortages and were replaced over a year later by an electric service operating between Northampton and Crewe. Similarly, the Birmingham-Stafford route via Walsall was curtailed back to Rugeley Trent Valley for comparable reasons.
Central Trains discontinued its single daily Northampton service via Birmingham after taking over the Birmingham-Northampton route from Silverlink Trains. Previously operating two trains per hour between Birmingham New Street and London Euston via Northampton, this was reduced to one train per hour terminating at Northampton with limited direct services continuing to London.
The Coventry-Nottingham service via Leicester was halted following engineering work at Nuneaton station that prevented line access; it resumed in 2005 as an hourly shuttle requiring passengers to change at Nuneaton and Leicester.
The local Coventry-Wolverhampton route was divided at Birmingham New Street with the deployment of Class 321 EMUs; some trains operated express between New Street and Birmingham International before serving all stations en route to Coventry. Services extending to Walsall were lengthened to reach Birmingham International with stops at all stations; meanwhile, calls at Adderley Park station were reduced shortly thereafter.
Central Trains maintained train crew depots at:
- Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Snow Hill, Boston, Cambridge, Coventry, Crewe, Leicester, Lincoln, Machynlleth (until 2001), Norwich, Nottingham, Pwllheli (until 2001), Shrewsbury, Stourbridge Junction, Leamington Spa, Wolverhampton, Worcester Shrub Hill
Facilities for maintenance and storage were situated at:
- Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Tyseley, Boston, Cambridge, Coventry, Crewe, Leicester, Lincoln, Machynlleth (until 2001), Norwich, Nottingham, Pwllheli (until 2001), Shrewsbury, Smethwick Soho TMD, Leamington Spa, Wolverhampton, Worcester Shrub Hill
Performance
In its concluding months, Central Trains delivered a commendable level of service despite the complexities of sharing rail lines with several other operators. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) recorded its Public Performance Measure (PPM) at 84.8% during the third quarter of 2007/08, marking an improvement from 82.7% in the previous year. The final Moving Annual Average (MAA) reached 86.6%.
Rolling stock
Central Trains mainly utilized diesel multiple units, with electric trains operating predominantly in the Birmingham area. Early on in the franchise, the company placed an order for 33 new Turbostar trains—air-conditioned and capable of speeds up to 100 mph—to upgrade and expand its fleet, leading to the retirement of all 'slam door' trains from the 1960s and 1970s by the year 2000.
Throughout its tenure, older Class 156 and 158 units were reassigned to other operators such as Wales & Borders and One (National Express East Anglia). Meanwhile, additional Turbostar units along with Class 150 and 158 trains became accessible through transfers from sister company Midland Mainline and other operators. Train configurations were flexible, ranging between two and three carriages to accommodate fluctuating passenger demand.
A directive from the Strategic Rail Authority rerouted rolling stock initially allocated to South West Trains, enabling Central Trains to obtain 30 new Class 350 Desiro units capable of 100 mph. These trains were shared with Silverlink on the West Coast Main Line routes connecting Euston with Northampton and Liverpool via Tamworth.
At the time of privatisation in 1997, Central Trains operated a fleet entirely composed of British Rail legacy trains, including models such as Class 310 and Class 312 which were already being phased out. By the end of its franchise period, Central Trains managed a substantially modernized fleet supplemented by new electric trains shared with Silverlink.
Fleet at start of franchise
The rolling stock at privatisation in 1997 consisted solely of inherited British Rail trains. Some types, including Class 310 and Class 312 units, were already undergoing withdrawal.
| Class | Image | Type | Maximum speed | Quantity | Routes served | Year built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||
| 150 Sprinter | DMU | 75 | 120 | 29× two-car sets, 9× three-car sets | Centro routes; Dorridge/Shirley/Stratford Upon Avon/Leamington Spa to Worcester/Great Malvern/Hereford; plus non-Centro lines including Crewe to Skegness, Derby to Matlock, Nottingham to Worksop. | 1984–1987 | |
| 153 Super Sprinter | 21 | Rural services in Lincolnshire and Mid Wales; Stourbridge branch; Skegness to Crewe; Derby to Matlock; Nottingham to Birmingham New Street/Shrewsbury via Derby. | 1987–1988 | ||||
| 156 Super Sprinter | 20 | Aberystwyth and Chester to Birmingham New Street; Hereford to Birmingham New Street; Birmingham New Street to Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln Central & Grimsby Town; Nottingham to Worksop; Crewe to Skegness. | 1987–1989 | ||||
| 158 Express Sprinter | 90 | 145 | 36 | Norwich to Liverpool; Stansted Airport to Birmingham; Nottingham to Cardiff; Grimsby to Birmingham; Birmingham to Liverpool. | 1989–1992 | ||
| 310 | EMU | 75 | 121 | 10 | Phased out at privatisation; served as backup for newer Class 323 units. | 1966 | |
| 312 | 90 | 145 | 4 | 1976 | |||
| 323 | 26 | Cross City Line. | 1992–1995 | ||||
Fleet at the conclusion of the franchise
By the time the franchise concluded, Central Trains had modernized its rolling stock, incorporating British Rail Class 321 units and newly introduced British Rail Class 350 electric trains, which were operated jointly with its affiliate company Silverlink.
British Rail Class 170#170 Turbostar 100 160 31 two-car and 22 three-car sets Employed on Citylink and general network duties. 1999–2002 British Rail Class 321Electric multiple unit (EMU) 37 (operated jointly with Silverlink) Birmingham to Northampton route. 1990–1991 British Rail Class 323 EMU 90 145 26 units Services on the Cross City Line. 1992–1995 rowspan=2 | British Rail Class 350#350/1 Desiro rowspan=2 | 100 160 30 (shared with Silverlink) Electrified Citylink routes originating from Birmingham. 2004–2005 colspan=5 || Class | Image | Type | Maximum speed | Quantity | Typical routes served | Year built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||
| 150 Sprinter | DMU | 75 | 120 | 18 two-car, 18 three-car sets | Non-electrified West Midlands network routes plus services to Worcester, Malvern, and Hereford. | 1984–1987 | |
| 153 Super Sprinter | 16 | Rural Lincolnshire lines; Coventry to Nuneaton; Stourbridge branch line. | 1987–1988 | ||||
| 156 Super Sprinter | 10 | Medium-distance services across the East Midlands. | 1987–1989 | ||||
| 158 Express Sprinter |
90 145 13 two-car and 8 three-car formations Used for medium-distance journeys and some Citylink operations. 1989–1992 | ||||||
Franchise termination
In October 2004, the Department for Transport revealed plans to consolidate rail franchises, which included dissolving the Central Trains franchise and redistributing its operations. The franchise was initially set to conclude in April 2007 but was extended until November of that year.
Central Trains officially ended service on 11 November 2007, with its operations segmented among three newly established train operators:
- Local and urban West Midlands services combined with former Silverlink Country routes to form London Midland
- The Liverpool–Nottingham–Norwich corridor along with East Midlands local lines merged with Midland Mainline services to create East Midlands Trains
- The Cardiff–Birmingham–Nottingham and Birmingham–Stansted Citylink services integrated with former Virgin CrossCountry routes (excluding Birmingham/Manchester to Scotland) to launch CrossCountry