14.05.08
New direct rail service launches
The third open access operator, Wrexham & Shropshire, opened for business on Monday 28 April running five direct trains a day between London Marylebone, Shropshire and Wrexham without public subsidy.
From the summer, each new train will consist of three coaches - one first class and two standard class - as well as a locomotive at the standard class end and a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) at the first class end.
For the launch of services, Wrexham & Shropshire hired some Mk3 coaches from Cargo-D. These offer a high quality environment and similar capacity in the interim period until the refurbished coaches, currently being refitted to exacting standards by Axiom Rail Ltd, part of the EWS group, are available.
The Class 67 diesel locomotives, supplied by EWS, are available for immediate use. They have already been painted in the Wrexham & Shropshire livery and modified to ensure consistent and reliable operation with its trains.
The refurbished coaches and DVTs will also display Wrexham & Shropshire’s attractive silver and metallic grey livery. There will be 128 standard class and 30 first class seats on each refurbished train, all designed with maximum comfort in mind. Most seats will have tables and offer great views out of the windows. There will be plenty of room for luggage, with secure storage for bicycles and large items of luggage in the DVT. Plugs for charging laptops or mobile phones will be available next to every seat – free of charge. WiFi internet access will also be available in all coaches from summer 2008. Each train service will have four members of staff on board, with the train manager taking overall responsibility for customer service and safety.
Work is ongoing to complete a new depot at Wrexham General Station which will provide overnight accommodation, storage for on-board catering and office space.
The new service is a joint venture between Renaissance Trains Limited and Deutsche Bahn Regio and restores direct rail links for passengers between London, stations in Shropshire and Wrexham. The company aims to provide passengers with a high quality service at a competitive price and removes the need to change to connecting services.
Wrexham lost its regular direct service to London in 1967. Shrewsbury last had a direct service in 2004; previous to that direct services have been provided intermittently, with no service at all between 1991 and 1998.
Andy Hamilton, Wrexham & Shropshire managing director, said: “Being small sets us apart from our competitors. Our team of just over 50 staff are totally focused on running trains on time and meeting our passengers’ needs. The fact that our service is direct and is competitively priced means we are confident that we will generate a strong market for this service based on our experience of running profitable customer focused rail services elsewhere.”
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