- Thames Trains
Infobox Rail companies
bgcolor=FFFFFF
image_filename=165137 at Reading.jpg
widthpx=300px
franchise=Thames
logo_filename=Thames Trains logo.png
nameforarea=Region
regions=Thames Valley
secregions=West Country
fleet=62 (Classes 165 and 166)
franchise=Thames Trains
October 1996 - March 2004
stations=Similar number to that of
First Great Western Link
parent_company=Go-Ahead Group
website=www.thamestrains.co.uk
websitename=www.thamestrains.co.ukThames Trains was a British railway company franchised (from September
1996 , following theprivatisation of British Rail , until31 March 2004 ) to run regional and suburban trains fromLondon Paddington station to destinations in thehome counties west ofLondon , toWorcester ,Hereford andStratford-upon-Avon , and the Reading toGatwick Airport service.With effect from
1 April 2004 , the now-defunctStrategic Rail Authority (SRA) transferred the franchise for these services toFirst Group , which also held the Great Western franchise (branding it asFirst Great Western ) running long-distance services from Paddington station. First rebranded the franchise asFirst Great Western Link , which ran for two years. Both franchises were merged into theGreater Western franchise on1 April 2006 , in accordance with the SRA policy of having only one company running train services into any one London terminus. The new franchise, which also incorporates the formerWessex Trains franchise running regional services in the South-West of England, was also awarded to First Group, which runs it as First Great Western.Thames Trains operated the train which was involved in the
Ladbroke Grove rail crash in October1999 .Fleet
ee also
*
First Great Western Link
*Rail transport in the United Kingdom External links
* [http://www.firstgreatwesternlink.co.uk/ First Great Western Link]
s-ttl|title=Operator of Thames franchise
years=1996 - 2004
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