Editing Thames Trains (section)

==Demise==
In April 2003 the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] invited [[FirstGroup]] and [[Go-Ahead Group|Go-Ahead]] to bid for a two-year 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 [[First Great Western Link]] 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>