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First Great Western Link
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{{short description|English train operating company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox Rail companies |name = First Great Western Link |bgcolor = |image_filename = 166217 at Reading.JPG |caption = [[British Rail Class 166|Class 166 ''Networker Turbo'']] at {{stnlnk|Reading}} in 2004 |image_size = 300px |franchise = Thames<br>1 April 2004 β 31 March 2006 |logo_filename = FGWLink.svg |nameforarea = region |regions = [[Greater London]], [[Southeast England]] |secregions = [[East Midlands]], [[Southwest England]], [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] |abbr = FK |fleet = 62 |stations = 95 |parent_company = [[FirstGroup]] |website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20051126055106/http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link/home/index.php www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link]|predecessor=[[Thames Trains]]|successor=[[First Great Western]]}} '''First Great Western Link''' (FGWL)<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/04804687 Companies House extract company 4804687] First Great Western Link Limited</ref> was a [[train operating company]] in England owned by [[FirstGroup]] that operated the Thames franchise from April 2004 until March 2006. ==History== In April 2003 the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] invited [[FirstGroup]] and [[Go-Ahead Group|Go-Ahead]] to bid for a two-year extension to the Thames franchise that would coincide with the end date of the [[First Great Western]] franchise, after which both would become part of the [[Greater Western franchise]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180921225924/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/go-ahead-facing-thames-tussle-7280512.html Go-Ahead facing Thames tussle] ''[[Evening Standard]]'' 10 April 2003</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title= SRA invites First Group to bid for Thames extension |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=460 |date= 30 April 2003|page=11}}</ref> In November 2003 the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the new franchise to First with the services operated by [[Thames Trains]] transferring to FGWL on 1 April 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031104_preferred_bidder_announced_for_thames_franchise.tt2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031202235927/http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20031104_preferred_bidder_announced_for_thames_franchise.tt2 |archive-date=2 December 2003 |title=Preferred Bidder Announced for New Thames Trains Franchise |publisher=Sra.gov.uk |date=2 December 2003 |access-date=22 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title= Go-Ahead loses Thames Trains as SRA hands franchise to First |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=474 |date= 12 November 2003|page=26}}</ref> On 12 June 2005 [[Heathrow Connect]] was introduced as a joint venture between FGWL and [[Heathrow Airport Holdings|BAA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/67 |title=Heathrow Connect |date=12 June 2005 |work=Always Touch Out |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807224122/http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/67 |archive-date=7 August 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title= Take off! New Heathrow Connect targets airport staff |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=516 |date= 22 June 2005|page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title= Heathrow Connect service begins |magazine= [[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1252 |date= August 2005|page=76}}</ref> BAA supplied the [[British Rail Class 360|Class 360]] rolling stock and on-board staff. FGWL received the revenue for journeys between Paddington and [[Hayes & Harlington railway station|Hayes & Harlington]], and BAA the revenue for journeys between Hayes & Harlington and [[Heathrow Central railway station|Heathrow Airport]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190624163616/https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/heathrow-connect-close-to-takeoff.html Heathrow Connect close to takeoff] ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' 1 June 2004</ref> ==Services== FGWL ran services along the [[Great Western Main Line]] from [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]] to [[Didcot Parkway railway station|Didcot]] with services continuing to north to [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]], [[Bicester Town railway station|Bicester Town]], [[Hereford railway station|Hereford]] and [[Stratford-upon-Avon railway station|Stratford-upon-Avon]]. It also operated services on the [[Greenford branch line|Greenford]], [[Slough to Windsor & Eton Line|Windsor & Eton Central]], [[Marlow branch line|Marlow]], [[Henley branch line|Henley]] and [[Bedwyn railway station|Bedwyn]] lines and on the [[Reading to Basingstoke Line|Reading to Basingstoke]] and [[North Downs Line|North Downs]] lines. The Stratford-upon-Avon service was transferred to [[Chiltern Railways]] in December 2004 with FGWL ceasing to operate beyond [[Banbury railway station|Banbury]]. *[[Great Western Main Line]] (Local services between [[London Paddington station|London Paddington]] and [[Didcot Parkway railway station|Didcot Parkway]]). *[[Cherwell Valley Line]] ([[Didcot Parkway railway station|Didcot Parkway]] - [[Oxford railway station|Oxford]]) *[[Cotswold Line]] ([[Oxford railway station|Oxford]] - [[Hereford railway station|Hereford]]) *[[North Downs Line]] ([[Reading railway station|Reading]] - [[Redhill railway station|Redhill]]) *[[Berks and Hants Line|Reading to Plymouth Line]] ([[Reading railway station|Reading]] - [[Bedwyn railway station|Bedwyn]]) *[[Reading to Basingstoke Line]] ([[Reading railway station|Reading]] - [[Basingstoke railway station|Basingstoke]]) *[[Slough to Windsor & Eton Line]] ([[Slough railway station|Slough]] - [[Windsor and Eton Central railway station|Windsor and Eton Central]]) *[[Oxford to Bicester Line]] ([[Oxford railway station|Oxford]] - [[Bicester Town railway station|Bicester Town]]) *[[Marlow Branch Line]] ([[Maidenhead railway station|Maidenhead]] - [[Marlow railway station|Marlow]]) *[[Henley Branch Line]] ([[Twyford railway station]] - [[Henley-on-Thames railway station|Henley-on-Thames]]) *[[Greenford Branch Line]] ([[London Paddington station|London Paddington]] - [[Greenford station|Greenford]]) ==Rolling stock== FGWL inherited a fleet of [[British Rail Class 165|Class 165]]s and [[British Rail Class 166|166]]s from Thames Trains. A franchise commitment was to use five [[British Rail Class 180|Class 180 ''Adelantes'']] from sister company [[First Great Western]] on [[Cotswold Line]] services from December 2004,<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Thames to see 125mph trains from First by next December |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=|date= 2004|page=}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} releasing five Class 165s for transfer to [[Chiltern Railways]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title= Thames 165s on their way to Chiltern |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=487 |date= 2004|page=}}{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}}<!-- Issue 487 was not dated 24 November 2004 so were removed as well as page --> </ref> Because of the short nature of the franchise and the fact that the Class 165s and 166s had only recently been repainted, the Thames Trains livery of white, blue and green was retained with FGWL branding applied.<ref>{{cite magazine |title= First reveals branding for Thames Turbos |magazine= [[Rail Magazine]] |issue=486 |date= 28 April 2004|page=14}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |+ Fleet at end of franchise |- ! rowspan="2" |Class ! rowspan="2" |Image ! rowspan="2" |Type ! colspan="2" |Top speed ! rowspan="2" |Number ! rowspan="2" |Built |- !mph !km/h |- |[[British Rail Class 165|Class 165/1 ''Networker Turbo'']] |[[File:165137 at Reading.JPG|100px]] | rowspan="2" |[[diesel multiple unit]] | rowspan="2" |90 | rowspan="2" |145 |36 |1990β1992 |- |[[British Rail Class 166|Class 166 ''Networker Turbo'']] |[[File:166202 at Evesham.JPG|100px]] |21 |1992β1993 |} ==Depot== FGWL's fleet was maintained at [[Reading TMD]]. ==Demise== On 6 November 2002 as part of a franchise reorganisation by the [[Strategic Rail Authority]], it was announced that the Great Western, Thames Trains and [[Wessex Trains]] franchises would be combined to form the [[Greater Western franchise]]. This was part of a Strategic Rail Authority strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from a single [[London station group|London terminal]]. This was expected to improve efficiency and reliability.<ref>[http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200211060700514089D SRA Announces New Franchise for the West] Strategic Rail Authority Press Release 6 November 2002</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=FGW, Thames & Wessex to become one |magazine=[[Rail Magazine]]|issue=448|date=13 November 2002|page=5}}</ref> In December 2005 the [[Department for Transport]] awarded the new Greater Western franchise to First with the services operated by FGWL transferring to [[First Great Western]] on 1 April 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/greater-western-franchise|title=Greater Western Franchise|publisher=Department for Transport|format=Invitation to tender|date=2 February 2006}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category-inline}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051126055106/http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/link/home/index.php Company website] {{s-start}} {{s-bef|before=[[Thames Trains]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Operator of Thames franchise |years=2004β2006}} {{s-aft|after='''[[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|First Great Western]]'''<br />{{small|[[Greater Western franchise]]}}}} {{s-end}} {{UK TOCs|defunct|state=collapsed}} {{FirstGroup}} [[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:FirstGroup railway companies]] [[Category:Railway companies established in 2004]] [[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2006]] [[Category:2004 establishments in England]] [[Category:2006 disestablishments in England]]
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