Editing Silverlink (section)

==History==
The North London Railways franchise was awarded to [[National Express]] on 7 February 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/nx/mc/mc_rfi/mc_afa/mc_1997/1997-02-07|title=NX Awarded North London Railways Franchise|date=7 February 1997|publisher=[[National Express]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928064008/http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com/nx/mc/mc_rfi/mc_afa/mc_1997/1997-02-07|archive-date=28 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> National Express commenced operating the franchise on 3 March 1997.

After initially trading as '''North London Railways''', in September 1997 the franchise was rebranded as Silverlink.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/nas66623.htm|title=UK Activity Report - National Express|date=30 September 1997|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222024255/http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/nas66623.htm|archive-date=22 February 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The franchise was due to finish on 15 October 2006, but on 11 August 2006 the [[Department for Transport]] granted an extension until 10 November 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riagb.org.uk/news/DfT%20Silverlink.pdf|title=Silverlink franchise extended to November 2007|date=11 August 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923201522/http://www.riagb.org.uk/news/DfT%20Silverlink.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2006|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Upon its closure, its London metro services were taken over by [[London Overground]] and the remainder were merged with [[Central Trains]]' western services to form [[London Midland]].