Wales & West
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Franchise(s) | Wales & West 13 October 1996 - 13 October 2001 |
| Main region(s) | Wales, South West |
| Other region(s) | West Midlands, North West |
| Route km operated | 2525 |
| National Rail abbreviation | WW |
| Parent company | Prism Rail |
Wales & West was a train operating company in the United Kingdom that operated the South Wales & West franchise from 1996 until 2001.
The franchise was operated by Prism Rail from October 1996 until July 2000, when the firm was taken over by National Express. The company ceased to operate trains in October 2001, following a reorganization of rail franchises.
Originally privatized under the name South Wales and West Railway, the company operated a network of local and middle-distance services in South Wales and the south west of England. These ranged from rural services in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire to urban commuter services in the Bristol area.
Longer-distance services operated under the Alphaline brand provided regular links to North Wales and the north west of England, as well as to the South Coast and London Waterloo.
Wales and West received considerable government subsidy. The first full financial year (1997/98) was supported by a payment of £70.9 million, with expenditure due to reduce to £38.1 million for its final trading year of 2003/4. The provisional claim from British Rail for the year 1996/97 had been £84.8 million, including an administered profit of £4.8 million.
Wales & West inherited a fleet of Class 143, Class 150, Class 153 and Class 158s from British Rail. Wales & West also hired-in some locomotive-hauled trains on occasion.
Wales & West's fleet was maintained at Cardiff Canton and Exeter depots.
Wales & West carried out various enhancements to their 78-vehicle Class 158 fleet including new carpets, internal repainting and upgrades to air conditioning equipment. Seating was replaced throughout, with a revised layout offering a greater proportion of seats at tables and fewer airline-style seats.
One member of the Class 158 fleet was used to trial additional safety features. This included an airline-style lighting strip along the carriage aisle leading to the exits and illuminated arrows above internal doorways. In time, most of the company's trains also received an automated system of pre-recorded safety announcements.
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