Arriva Trains Wales

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Image:DMU158836-01.jpg
Franchise(s):	Wales and borders 2003 – 2018
Main Region(s):	Wales
Other Region(s):	West Midlands, North West
Fleet size:	127
Stations:	235 operated
Parent company:	Arriva Group
Web site:	www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk

Arriva Trains Wales (Welsh: Trenau Arriva Cymru) is a train operating company that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches.

The company was formed when Wales and West was split into Wales and Borders and Wessex Trains. Initially both were operated by National Express Group, which presently owns seven of the UK’s 25 operators. Arriva won the Wales and Borders franchise in 2003 and promptly renamed the company Arriva Trains Wales.

They operate almost all services in Wales, with the exception of long distance express services linking London Paddington to Swansea and West Wales via Cardiff (operated by First Great Western) and linking London Euston to North Wales (operated by Virgin Trains). Additionally some local and regional services from South-West England to Newport and Cardiff are operated by First Great Western, and Central Trains operate a Cardiff to Nottingham via Gloucester service.

[edit] Routes

Arriva Trains Wales's main routes are centered on Cardiff and Swansea as well as their major interchange stations in England at Shrewsbury, Chester and Crewe.

The company started services to the new Cardiff International Airport railway station in June 2005. Frequent bus services run to the departure terminal from the station.

The company withdrew its services from Wales to the South West of England in December 2005.

Arriva Trains Wales also operates one service a day Monday - Saturday which is routed via the Swansea District Line which is normally used by freight trains. This is the day service to Fishguard Harbour, normally operated by a 158 in the winter and a Class 50 with Mark 2 Coaching Stock in the summer.

[edit] Main routes

• North Wales Coast Line (Crewe-Chester-Holyhead)
• South Wales Main Line (Newport-Cardiff-Swansea Swanline service)
• Welsh Marches Line (Milford Haven-Cardiff-Newport-Shrewsbury-Crewe-Manchester) and (Cardiff-Shrewsbury-Chester-Holyhead)
• Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury (with all trains continuing to Birmingham)
• Shrewsbury to Chester Line (Shrewsbury-Wrexham-Chester)

[edit] Secondary and rural routes

• Cambrian Line (Shrewsbury-Aberystwyth/Pwllheli)
• Conwy Valley Line (Llandudno-Blaenau Ffestiniog)
• Gloucester-Newport
• Heart of Wales Line (Llanelli-Craven Arms-Shrewsbury)
• West Wales Line (Swansea-Llanelli-Carmarthen-Pembroke/Milford Haven/Fishguard)
• Borderlands Line (Wrexham Central-Bidston)

[edit] Commuter lines (Valley Lines network)

• Butetown Branch Line
• Cardiff City Line
• Coryton Line
• Ebbw Valley Line
• Maesteg Line
• Merthyr Line
• Rhondda Line
• Rhymney Line
• Vale of Glamorgan Line

[edit] Other Services

For special events such as Football or Rugby matches, Arriva is known to operate aditional services to the venue of one or both sides playing. Arriva has arranged in the past a stopping service to Edinburgh Waverley, Liverpool Lime Street and through services to Stratford. Numerous other services have been operated. Arriva usally operates shuttle services to Newport on match days. All of these services over the past have been operated using locos and stock - usually on loan. It is expected to continue in this fashion.

[edit] Major stations

• Cardiff Central
• Cardiff Queen Street
• Chester
• Crewe
• Hereford
• Llandudno Junction
• Shrewsbury
• Swansea
• Newport

[edit] Rolling stock

Arriva Trains Wales currently operate a fleet of 127 Diesel multiple units.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Routes operated	Unit numbers	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 121		diesel multiple unit	70	112	1	Butetown Branch Line	121032	1960
Class 142 Pacer	Image:142081 Cardiff.JPG	diesel multiple unit	75		15	Valley Lines	142002 / 006 / 010 / 069 / 072 - 077 / 080 - 083 / 085	1985
Class 143 Pacer	Image:143607 at Gloucester.JPG	diesel multiple unit	75		16	Valley Lines Cardiff - Carmarthen	143601 /602 / 604 - 610 / 614 / 616 / 622 - 625 (613 was scrapped following a fire)	1985
Class 150 Sprinter		diesel multiple unit	75	120	19	Valley Lines Borderlands Line branch lines	150208 / 245 / 250 / 252 / 256 / 258 - 260 / 262 / 264 / 267 / 278 - 285	1984 - 1987
Class 153 Super Sprinter	Image:Arriva Trains Wales DMU 153362.jpg	diesel multiple unit	75	120	13	Heart of Wales Line Butetown Branch Line Borderlands Line	153310 - 312 / 313 / 320 / 321 / 323 / 326 / 327 / 353 / 361 / 362 / 367	1987 - 1988
Class 158 Express Sprinter	Image:ATW-158820-BristolTM-01.jpg	diesel multiple unit	90	145	37	long-distance services	158782 / 818 - 845 / 848 - 851 / 853 / 859 - 861	1989 - 1992
Class 175 Coradia		diesel multiple unit	100		27	Cardiff - Holyhead Swansea - Manchester	175001 - 011 / 175101 - 116	1999 - 2001

In addition to this, Arriva Trains Wales currently provide some services on the Rhymney Line with locomotives (on hire from EWS) and Mark 2 Coaching Stock.

In addition to the above fleet details, ATW will take delivery of 8 extra class 150 trains in December 2006. . 3 will operate on the Wrexham & Bidston line . 3 will be in service for various routes including the valleys when required . 1 will provide increased capacity for Valley lines . 1 will be spare

Categories: Arriva Group Companies | Transport in Wales | Transport in Shropshire | Post-privatisation British railway companies