Editing Midland Mainline (train operating company)

{{Short description|Train operating company}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox rail company
| name           = Midland Mainline
| logo_filename  = MidlandMainline.svg
| image_filename = Class222-MidlandMainline-St.Pancras-20040928.JPG
| widthpx        =
| caption        = Class 222 ''Meridian'' at {{stnlnk|London St Pancras}} in 2004
| franchise      = [[Midland Main Line]]<br>{{start and end date|1996|04|28|2007|11|10|df=y}}
| nameforarea    = region
| regions        = [[East Midlands]]<br>[[Yorkshire and the Humber]]<br>[[Greater London]]
| secregions     = [[East of England]]
| fleet          = 23 [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']] sets<br/>28 [[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|HST]] power cars
| stations       = 27 (7 operated)
| parent_company = [[National Express]]
| abbr           = ML
| predecessor    = [[InterCity (British Rail)|InterCity]]
| successor      = [[East Midlands Trains]]
| website        = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20071005202529/http://www.midlandmainline.com:80/|www.midlandmainline.com}}
}}
{{Midland Mainline|collapse=yes}}

'''Midland Mainline'''<ref>{{cite web |url = http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03007934 |publisher = [[Companies House]] |title = Company no. 3007934: Midland Main Line Limited |access-date = 30 September 2023}}</ref> was a [[train operating company]] in the United Kingdom that operated the [[Midland Main Line]] franchise between April 1996 and November 2007. It was owned by the British transport company [[National Express]].

Midland Mainline took over operations of the franchise from the state-owned operator [[InterCity (British Rail)|InterCity]] in April 1996. Originally intended to run for ten years, a two-year extension was awarded in exchange for greater investment into new rolling stock and the provision of an hourly service to {{stnlnk|Leeds}}. To facilitate the ''Project Rio'' services, 23 HST power cars and associated Mark 3 carriages were transferred from [[Virgin CrossCountry]] to Midland Mainline. During February 2002, Midland Mainline ordered 16 four-carriage and 7 nine-carriage [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']] trains, the first of which entered service in May 2004. These new trainsets allowed for several HSTs to be released to other operators, such as [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|First Great Western]] and [[Great North Eastern Railway]] (GNER).

Midland Mainline ran fast and semi-fast passenger services from London to the [[East Midlands]] and [[Yorkshire]], on the Midland Main Line. Most services ran between London St Pancras and either {{stnlnk|Derby}}, {{stnlnk|Nottingham}} or {{stnlnk|Sheffield}}. Some services extended to {{stnlnk|Burton upon Trent}}, {{stnlnk|Matlock}}, {{stnlnk|Barnsley}}, Leeds, {{stnlnk|York}} and {{stnlnk|Scarborough}}. Midland Mainline operated at 27 stations, of which it managed eight. In June 2007, the [[Department for Transport]] awarded the franchise to rival company [[Stagecoach]]; accordingly, the services operated by Midland Mainline were transferred to [[East Midlands Trains]] on 11 November 2007.

==History==
The Midland Mainline franchise was awarded by the [[Director of Passenger Rail Franchising]] to ''Midland Main Line Limited'' for a period of ten years with operations commencing on 28 April 1996. Shortly after the franchise commenced, the transport conglomerate [[National Express]] launched a bid to acquire Midland Main Line Limited, and thereby the franchise.<ref name = "researchpaper 9771"/> The tentative acquisition was promptly referred to the [[Competition Commission|Monopolies and Mergers Commission]] for review as National Express not only operated an existing rail franchise but also numerous express coach services in the West Midlands. The Commission found that the deal would likely be against the public interest, leading to the [[Board of Trade]] deciding that National Express ought to commit to certain requirements in respect to coast fares and service levels.<ref name = "researchpaper 9771">{{cite web |url = https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP97-71/RP97-71.pdf |title = The Privatised Railway: Research Paper 97/71 |date = 30 May 1997 |first = Fiona |last = Poole |publisher = [[House of Commons Library]] |page = 49}}</ref> National Express consented to several restrictions, including to maintain the service levels of its coach services, to not increase fares above the increase in the [[Retail Price Index]], and to provide verifying information to regulatory authorities so that its level of compliance to this undertakings can be ascertained.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81b58440f0b62302698c3a/national-express-midland-mainline-unds-16-12-97.pdf |title = Undertakings from National Express group accepted in follow-up to MMC |website = assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |date = 17 December 1997}}</ref> 

During May 1999, Midland Mainline was able to extend its sphere of operation following the delivery of additional rolling stock. In August 2000, the Shadow [[Strategic Rail Authority]] awarded a two-year extension in return for National Express committing itself to certain investments in the franchise, which included the ordering of new rolling stock and the running of an hourly service to [[Leeds]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=200008100930022579P |title = Statement re Midland Mainline |publisher = Shadow Strategic Rail Authority |date = 10 August 2000}}</ref>

==Service patterns==
The off peak service pattern, upon conclusion of the franchise in November 2007, consisted of four departures per hour from London St Pancras. There were two fast and two semi-fast trains per hour.<ref name=TimetableMay07>National Rail Timetable 20 May - 8 December 2007 ''Network Rail''</ref> All Midland Mainline services (except [[The Master Cutler]] morning up service) called at [[Leicester railway station|Leicester]] with the fastest journey time to and from London of one hour and nine minutes. The services between London, Luton and Bedford supplemented the high frequency [[Thameslink (train operating company 1997–2006)|Thameslink]] and later [[First Capital Connect]] commuter service.

===Limited services===
[[File:Midland Mainline bus Corby Rail link livery in Kettering, Northamptonshire June 2004.jpg|thumbnail|Midland Mainline rail bus link ran between [[Corby]] town centre and [[Kettering railway station]].]]

Midland Mainline operated a limited service between [[St Pancras railway station|St Pancras]] and [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]], with three early morning departures from Leeds and four evening return trips from St Pancras. This was principally because Midland Mainline's HSTs were maintained at [[Neville Hill depot]]. The timings did not compare favourably with the principal service from [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]] to Leeds along the [[East Coast Main Line]] with the [[Midland Main Line]] having a much slower line speed. The journey time on the Midland route was around three hours and 15 minutes vs two hours and 15 minutes via the East Coast.<ref name=Rail355>{{cite magazine |title = MML serves 6 new stations |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 355 |date = 21 April 2001  |page=}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=May 2023}}<!-- Page was removed as it seems the user who added the first added the cite got the page and issue permeators mixed up  -->

In July 1996, a bus service between [[Kettering railway station|Kettering]] and [[Corby railway station|Corby]] was introduced.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = MML re-launches |magazine = [[The Railway Magazine]] |issue = |date = October 1996 |page = 8}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}}

From May 1999, a small number of through trains from St Pancras to [[Burton upon Trent railway station|Burton upon Trent]] and [[Barnsley railway station|Barnsley]] were introduced as well as stops at [[Belper railway station|Belper]] and [[Meadowhall Interchange|Meadowhall]].<ref name=Rail355/>

From May 2000, through trains between St Pancras and [[Matlock railway station|Matlock]] were introduced, ceasing in December 2004 when [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222s]] were introduced, as they were not allowed on the [[Derwent Valley Line]] branch line.<ref name=Rail384>{{cite magazine |title = Midland Mainline run to Scarborough this summer |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 384 |date = 14 June 2000  |page = 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title = Mistimed, daunting...but still a top table |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 502 |date = 8 December 2004  |page = 36}}</ref> That same month, Midland Mainline also began operating one Saturday service between St Pancras and [[York railway station|York]] via [[Doncaster railway station|Doncaster]]; in summer, it would continue to [[Scarborough railway station|Scarborough]]. On Sunday, a service to York started at [[Leicester railway station|Leicester]], with the return service being via the Erewash Valley Line to Nottingham, where it reversed before proceeding to St Pancras.<ref name=Rail384/>

A small number of trains operated between St Pancras and Sheffield via Nottingham and along the Erewash Valley Line to [[Chesterfield railway station|Chesterfield]] serving [[Langley Mill railway station|Langley Mill]] and [[Alfreton railway station|Alfreton]].<ref name=TimetableMay07/>

==Project Rio==
From May 2003 until September 2004, Midland Mainline operated an hourly service between St Pancras and [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]]; this was at the request of the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] whilst the [[West Coast Main Line]] between [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] and Manchester underwent engineering work using former [[Virgin CrossCountry]] [[InterCity 125|High Speed Trains]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/c12-Project_Rio_160503.pdf |title = Project Rio: Network Licence Conditions 12 and 13 - Consent of the Regulator |publisher = Office of the Rail Regulator |date = 16 May 2003}}</ref><ref name=125Group>[http://www.125group.org.uk/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=9 Privatisation 1993 - 2005] 125 Group</ref> This temporary service was named ''Project Rio'' after the similarity of the route to footballer [[Rio Ferdinand]]'s recent transfer movements. He first transferred from [[West Ham United]] to [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]], then later crossed the [[Pennines]] in a £30{{nbsp}}million record transfer to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].

The service used the Midland Main Line as far as Trent Junction, before taking the [[Erewash Valley Line]] (avoiding [[Derby railway station|Derby]]) to [[Clay Cross]], rejoining the Midland Main Line until Dore South Junction, using Dore Tunnel Curve to join the [[Hope Valley Line]] westwards towards [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]]. South of Leicester, the service ran in the path of the xx:30 semi-fast Nottingham train, with an additional Leicester to Nottingham service introduced using the displaced Class 170 ''Turbostar''.

==Named trains==
* [[The Robin Hood]] on the 06:30 Sheffield to St Pancras via Nottingham, and returning as the 17:00 St Pancras to Nottingham.
* [[The Master Cutler]] on the 06:14 Leeds to St Pancras which runs non stop from Chesterfield, and 16:55 St Pancras to Leeds return.
* [[The Midlands Express]] on the 07:05 Sheffield to St Pancras.<ref name=TimetableMay07/>

==Rolling stock==
[[File:43056 at St Pancras.jpg|thumb|43056 at St Pancras]]
Midland Mainline inherited a fleet of [[InterCity 125|High Speed Trains]] from [[British Rail]]. Enhancements were carried out to the power cars of the HSTs, most notably a revised lighting cluster.{{CN|date=September 2023}}

In April 1997, Midland Mainline ordered 13 (later expanded to 17) [[British Rail Class 170|Class 170 ''Turbostars'']] to operate stopping services.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://production.investis.com/nx/oc/rfi/afa/oc_1997/1997-10-14 |title = 14 October 1997 - Midland Mainline orders more trains |date = 14 October 1997 |publisher = National Express}}</ref> Originally, all were ordered as two-carriage sets before it was decided to increase 10 to three-carriage sets. During May 1999, the first Class 170 entered service with the operator; the type's arrival permitted a new timetable with increased frequencies to be introduced, in which the Class 170s operated the majority of the stops south of Leicester, allowing the HSTs to be better used on the longer-distance services.{{CN|date=September 2023}}

To cover for a shortage of HSTs, Midland Mainline hired two [[FM Rail|Fragonset]] [[British Rail Class 47|Class 47]] locomotives to top and tail a set of [[Eversholt Rail Group|HSBC Rail]] [[British Railways Mark 2|Mark 2]] carriages on a morning service from [[Nottingham station|Nottingham]] to [[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]] and evening return to [[Sheffield station|Sheffield]] from February 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 430 |date = 6 March 2002 |page = 12}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} In October 2002, Midland Mainline was able to replace these, after leasing an additional five HST power cars and two sets of [[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3]] carriages that had been released by [[Virgin CrossCountry]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 447 |date = 30 October 2002 |page = 55}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}}

During February 2002, Midland Mainline ordered sixteen four-carriage and seven nine-carriage [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']] trains based on Virgin CrossCountry's [[British Rail Class 220|Class 220 ''Voyager'']], but with developments to improve passenger comfort and address some of the criticisms aimed at the Voyager.<ref>{{cite web |title = Rail firm orders 23 new trains |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1820168.stm |publisher = [[BBC News]] |date = 14 February 2002 |access-date = 13 September 2012}}</ref> The first of these sets entered service in May 2004.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 489 |date = 9 June 2004 |page = 6}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} The four-carriage sets replaced the Class 170s, which were transferred to [[Central Trains]], while the nine-carriage sets were ordered to operate a new service from London St Pancras to [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]] via Nottingham and the [[Erewash Valley Line]].<ref name=TimetableMay07/> When the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] ruled that there was not enough demand for this service, the nine-carriage sets were left sitting idle<ref>{{cite web |title = New train fleet left sitting idle |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/derbyshire/3965351.stm |publisher = BBC News |date = 29 October 2004 |access-date = 13 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 485 |date = 14 April 2004 |page = 12}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} until eventually they were put into use on the services between Nottingham/Sheffield and London St Pancras from July 2005, releasing one HST for hire to [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|First Great Western]] while it refurbished its fleet and two other HSTs to [[Great North Eastern Railway]] (GNER) to allow that operator to run extra services to Leeds from May 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://railwayuk.50webs.com/about222.html |title = Class 222 Meridian / Pioneer |publisher = Railway UK}}</ref>

As the nine-carriage Meridians were lightly loaded while the four-carriage sets were overcrowded, it was decided in 2006 to reduce all of the nine-carriage sets to eight carriages, the removed carriages then being used to extend seven of the four-carriage sets to five carriages.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = MML creates eight-car Meridians |magazine = [[The Railway Magazine]] |issue = 1268 |date = December 2006 |page = 8}}</ref> A further reconfiguration of the Meridians took place in 2008, shortly after [[East Midlands Trains]] took over Midland Mainline's services, when six of the eight-carriage sets were reduced to seven carriages and the remaining set was reduced to five carriages, allowing all nine of the remaining four-carriage sets to be extended to five carriages.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = EMT continues its shuffle of Class 222 vehicles |magazine = [[Rail Express]] |issue = 145 |date = June 2008 |page = 53}}</ref>

To operate the Project Rio services to [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]], 23 HST power cars and associated Mark 3 carriages were transferred from Virgin CrossCountry in May 2003.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 465 |date = 9 July 2003 |page = 40}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} Whilst these were undergoing overhaul, a First Great Western HST was hired from May 2003 until February 2004. <ref>{{cite magazine |title = |magazine = [[Rail Magazine]] |issue = 463 |date = 11 June 2003 |page = 40}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}}<!-- Page not re-added as it seems user who first added cite got page and issue pramators mixed up --> When Project Rio concluded in September 2004, some sets were transferred to First Great Western and GNER, while others went into storage.<ref name=125Group/>

Midland Mainline's fleet consisted of the following trains at the time they ceased operating:

===Final fleet===
{| class="wikitable"
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
! rowspan="2" |Class
! rowspan="2" |Image
! rowspan="2" |Type
! colspan="2" |Top speed
! rowspan="2" |Quantity
! rowspan="2" |Routes operated
! rowspan="2" |Built
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
!&nbsp;mph&nbsp;
!&nbsp;km/h&nbsp;
|-
|[[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43]]
|[[File:MML43035 at Nottingham 2005-10-14 01.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel locomotive]]
|rowspan="3"|125
|rowspan="3"|200
|31
|rowspan="3"|[[Midland Main Line]]
|1976–1982
|-
|[[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']]
|[[File:MML222009 at Nottingham 2005-11-14 02.jpg|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
|23
|2003–2005
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3 carriage]]
|[[File:British Rail Mk 3 42051 at Kings Cross.jpg|100px]]
|[[Passenger car (rail)|Passenger carriage]]
|
|1975–1982
|}

===Previous fleet===
{| class="wikitable"
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
! rowspan="2" |Class
! rowspan="2" |Image
! rowspan="2" |Type
! colspan="2" |Top speed
! rowspan="2" |Quantity
! rowspan="2" |Routes operated
! rowspan="2" |Built
! rowspan="2" |Left fleet
|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9
!&nbsp;mph&nbsp;
!&nbsp;km/h&nbsp;
|-
|[[British Rail Class 170|Class 170 ''Turbostar'']]
|[[File:170110 and 170117 at Derby.JPG|100px]]
|[[Diesel multiple unit]]
|100
|160
|17
|[[Midland Main Line]]
|1999
|2004
|-
|}

==Stations==
Midland Mainline operated at twenty-seven stations, of which it managed eight:<ref name=TimetableMay07/>
[[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]], [[Wellingborough railway station|Wellingborough]], [[Kettering railway station|Kettering]], [[Market Harborough railway station|Market Harborough]], [[Leicester railway station|Leicester]], [[Derby Midland railway station|Derby]], [[Chesterfield railway station|Chesterfield]] and [[Sheffield railway station|Sheffield]].

Other stations served included:<ref name=TimetableMay07/>
[[Luton Airport Parkway railway station|Luton Airport Parkway]], [[Luton railway station|Luton]], [[Bedford railway station|Bedford Midland]], [[Loughborough railway station|Loughborough]], [[Long Eaton railway station|Long Eaton]], [[Willington railway station|Willington]], [[Burton upon Trent railway station|Burton upon Trent]], [[Beeston railway station|Beeston]], [[Nottingham railway station|Nottingham]], [[Langley Mill railway station|Langley Mill]], [[Alfreton railway station|Alfreton]], [[Dronfield railway station|Dronfield]], [[Meadowhall Interchange|Meadowhall]], [[Barnsley railway station|Barnsley]], [[Doncaster railway station|Doncaster]], [[Wakefield Westgate railway station|Wakefield Westgate]], [[Railway stations in Leeds|Leeds]], [[York railway station|York]], [[Scarborough railway station|Scarborough]].

Stations which used to be served but then had their Midland Mainline services stop before the franchise ended:
[[Duffield railway station|Duffield]], [[Ambergate railway station|Ambergate]], [[Whatstandwell railway station|Whatstandwell]], [[Cromford railway station|Cromford]], [[Matlock Bath railway station|Matlock Bath]], [[Matlock railway station|Matlock]], [[Stockport railway station|Stockport]], [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]].

==Depot==
Midland Mainline's HSTs were maintained at [[Neville Hill depot|Neville Hill]] with the rest of the fleet at [[Derby Etches Park]].

==Demise==
[[File:222017 EMT livery.jpg|thumb|An [[East Midlands Trains]] liveried [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']] at [[Derby railway station|Derby]]]]

As part of a redrawing of the rail franchise map from November 2007, the Midland Mainline franchise was combined with some [[Central Trains]] services into a new East Midlands franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4865310.stm |title = Central Trains franchise extended |publisher = BBC News |date = 2 April 2006}}</ref>

In September 2006, the [[Department for Transport]] (DfT) announced that National Express, [[Arriva]], [[FirstGroup]] and [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]] had been shortlisted to bid for the new franchise.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4649450/Hong-Kong-bid-to-run-Midlands-trains.html |title = Hong Kong bid to run Midland trains |publisher = The Telegraph |date = 19 September 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Davidson |first = Ros |date = 19 September 2006 |title = Virgin prepares for rail franchise battle |url = https://www.theguardian.com/business/2006/sep/19/transportintheuk |newspaper = [[The Guardian]] |access-date = 15 October 2012}}</ref> In June 2007, the DfT awarded the franchise to Stagecoach, with the services operated by Midland Mainline transferring to [[East Midlands Trains]] on 11 November 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/emfranchise |title = Department for Transport announces winner of East Midlands franchise |publisher = Department for Transport |date = 22 June 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071211125313/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/emfranchise |archive-date = 11 December 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2007/06/22-stagecoach-wins-eastmidlands.html |title = Stagecoach wins East Midlands franchise from National Express |website = railnews.co.uk |date = 22 June 2007}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{commons category|Midland Mainline}}
* {{cite magazine |last = Johnston |first = Howard |date = 17–30 June 1998 |title = Midland Mainline makes it happen |magazine = [[Rail (magazine)|Rail]] |issue = 333 |publisher = EMAP Apex Publications |pages = 36–40 |issn = 0953-4563 |oclc = 49953699}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-bef|before=[[InterCity (British Rail)|InterCity]]<br>{{small|As part of [[British Rail]]}}}}
{{S-ttl|title=Operator of Midland Main Line franchise
|years=1996–2007}}
{{S-aft|after=[[East Midlands Trains]]<br>{{small|[[East Midlands franchise]]}}}}
{{s-end}}

{{UK TOCs|defunct|state=collapsed}}
{{NEXG}}

[[Category:Companies based in Derby]]
[[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Mobico Group]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1997]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2007]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in England]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1997]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 2007]]