Train operating company
A
train operating company (TOC) is a company which operates passenger trains on the
British railway system since
privatisation. Most have franchises let by the government, but some are "open-access" operators which a licence to operate additional services.
The
Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) provides a common voice for the TOCs and provides some centralised coordination, for example the provision of a national timetable and journey planner. The
National Rail brand continues to use BR's double-arrow logo.
On privatisation, the three passenger sectors of BR,
InterCity,
Network SouthEast and
Regional Railways were split between their divisions, being
franchised out to an operator for a time period.
The six Intercity divisions were split between five operators. The East Coast went to
GNER, The West Coast, Cross-Country to
Virgin Trains, the Midland Main Line to
Midland Mainline, the Great Eastern Main Line to
Anglia Trains, Great Western Main Line to
Great Western Trains.
Of these, the GEML was subsequently refranchised to
one (Anglia), while Great Western Trains was taken over by
First Group and became
First Great Western.
At privatisation
After privatisation,
Network SouthEast was divided up into several franchises:
*
c2c - previously
LTS Rail.:London, Tilbury and Southend Line
*
Chiltern Railways:Chiltern
*
First Great Eastern - previously
Great Eastern. Now part of the
One Railway franchise.:Great Eastern
*
First Great Western Link - previously
Thames Trains.:North Downs:Thames
*
Island Line:Island Line
*
Silverlink - previously
North London Railways.:Northampton Line
*
Southeastern - previously
Southeastern (train operating company). Connex South Eastern lost the franchise due to poor reliability and financial problems.:Kent Coast
*
Southern - previously
South Central Trains and before that
Connex South Central.:South London Line:Sussex Coast
*
Thameslink:Thameslink
*
West Anglia Great Northern - now divided into
Great Northern and
West Anglia, of which the latter is part of the
One Railway franchise.:Great Northern:West Anglia
*
South West Trains:Solent & Wessex:South Western Line:West of England Line
Later years
South Wales & West Railway
Valley Lines
Central Trains
Anglia Railways
Regional Railways North East
North West Regional Railways
ScotRail
There are 25 privately-owned TOCs:
*
Arriva Trains Wales *
c2c *
Central Trains *
Chiltern Railways *
First Capital Connect*
First Great Western *
First ScotRail*
First TransPennine Express*
Gatwick Express *
GNER *
Hull Trains (not a franchise)
*
Island Line *
MerseyRail Electrics *
Midland Mainline*
Northern Rail*
one *
Silverlink *
Southern *
South Eastern Trains *
South West Trains *
Virgin Trains Eurostar is also a member of ATOC, though it is not itself a TOC.
*
Grand Central Railway will operate services from Sunderland and Bradford to London King's Cross in 2007 on an open-access basis.
*
Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway will operate services in the near-furure between the locations mentioned.
*
South Western Franchise will consist of
Island Line and
South West Trains services in 2007.
*
West Midlands Franchise*
East Midlands Franchise*
Cross Country Franchise
