Editing Central Trains (section)

== Overview ==
Created out of the Central division of [[Regional Railways]] during the [[Privatisation of British Rail]], Central Trains passed into the private sector on 2 March 1997.<ref name="Knight">{{cite journal|editor-first=Steven|editor-last=Knight|year=1997|title=A comprehensive guide to Britain's new railway|publisher=EMAP Apex Publications|location=Peterborough|issn=1368-437X}}</ref> The franchise was awarded to [[National Express]], who maintained control of the company until its eventual demise in 2007. Central Trains employed over 2,400 staff.<ref name="Key Facts and Figures">{{cite web|url=http://www.centraltrains.co.uk/templates/Page.aspx?id=462 |title=Key Facts and Figures |publisher=Central Trains |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070211171539/http://www.centraltrains.co.uk/templates/Page.aspx?id=462 |archive-date=11 February 2007 }}</ref>

The company invested significantly in rolling stock, with significant orders for new trains placed and the fleet later further grown through the acquisition of trains made surplus by other companies. Despite a reduction in the area covered during the ten years of its existence, the company grew its core fleet from fewer than 300<ref name="Knight" /> passenger vehicles to a total of 379<ref name="Key Facts and Figures" /><ref name="Junction2007">{{cite web|title=Fleet Lists |url=http://www.thejunction.org.uk/dmul.html |publisher=The Junction |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070916212248/http://www.thejunction.org.uk/dmul.html |archive-date=16 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> – a capacity increase of over 28%. It also refurbished a number of its stations, introducing ticket gates, help points and live information boards.

Central Trains also clamped down on vandalism on its trains and [[fare evasion]], including through a controversial poster campaign publicising the names and addresses of passengers who had been fined for not having valid tickets.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5294672.stm|title=Train firm tackles fare dodging|publisher=BBC News|date=29 August 2006|access-date=2 January 2010}}</ref>

The franchise gained a reputation for poor timekeeping: its best performing period between 2000 and 2007 still saw one in six trains five minutes late or more,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6506363.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Train firm's timekeeping improves|date=29 March 2007|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> with punctuality dropping as low as 61% in 2003.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2847151.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Train punctuality plummets|date=13 March 2003|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> The company also suffered from ongoing staff relations problems which led to extensive and long-lasting cancellations of Sunday services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4536628.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=No drivers means no Sunday trains|date=16 December 2005|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6186065.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Driver shortage disrupts trains|date=17 December 2006|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6941763.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Rail travellers face disruption|date=12 August 2007|access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>

Following a government policy announced in 2004, Central Trains was eventually disbanded in November 2007 with its services dispersed amongst [[London Midland]], [[East Midlands Trains]] and [[CrossCountry]].