Grand Union Railway

Infobox Rail companies
bgcolor=FFFFFF
image_filename=
widthpx=300px
franchise=Open-access operator
Not subject to franchising
logo_filename=Grand Union logo.pngnameforarea=route
regions=Bradford Interchange – London Kings Cross
secregions=Doncaster - Bradford Interchange
fleet=

parent_company=Equishare Partners
website=www.grandcentralrail.co.uk/grand_union.html

Grand Northern [http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1257] , is an open-access passenger train operating company that has been set up by the parent company of Grand Central Railway with a view to running two separate train services in the United Kingdom. It had proposed services along the West Coast Main Line (WCML) from London Euston to Bradford Interchange via Huddersfield (also calling at Stockport and Alderley Edge), which was withdrawn in August 2008. [http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1257] At the same time, it has proposed a semi-fast service between Doncaster and Bradford Interchange, using the same route that Grand Central proposed using for its King's Cross-Bradford services.

Network Rail had concluded that there would not be enough paths available in the 2008 indicative timetable for the London Euston to Bradford Interchange service to operate as proposed without affecting other services. [cite web
url = http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/cons_em_wm_xc_frns-180107.pdf
title = Capacity assessment relating to the East Midlands, West Midlands and Cross Country Franchises
publisher = Office of Rail Regulation
pages = [http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/cons_em_wm_xc_frns-180107.pdf#page=5 p. 5] ] and suggested that a substantial re-write of the WCML timetable would have been required there was also an issue that the Virgin Trains route between London Euston and Stockport is currently protected from competing services.

In March 2008, Grand Union submitted a track access application for paths along the East Coast Main Line (ECML) for services to Bradford. This application follows the route to Doncaster, before travelling along the ECML to London King's Cross, and calls for up to six services in each direction per day. These services are planned using convert|125|mph|-1|abbr=on capable rolling stock, either in the form of further HSTs or Class 180 "Adelante" trains.Citeweb|url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s18-ecml-GCU_280308.pdf|title=Track Access Rights on the East Coast Main Line|date=2008-03-28|accessdate=2008-06-09|publisher=Office of Rail Regulation]

Grand Union hopes to utilise the same new build rolling stock that Grand Central plan to lease from Sovereign Trains in around 2010.

Doncaster-Bradford

*Doncaster
*Pontefract Monkhill
*Wakefield Kirkgate
*Brighouse
*Halifax
*Bradford Interchange

References and notes

External links

* [http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/tar-GrndCntrl_resp-150906.pdf Grand Central letter to the Office of Rail Regulation] - includes Grand Union proposal.