Editing Wales and Borders

{{about|the former train operating company|the current franchise|Wales & Borders franchise}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox rail company
| logo           = Waleslogo.png
| name           = Wales and Borders
| image          = 158823 at Bristol Temple Meads.JPG
| caption        = [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158 ''Express Sprinter'']] at {{stnlnk|Bristol Temple Meads}} in 2003
| franchise      = [[Wales & Borders franchise|Wales & Borders]]<br />14 October 2001 – 6 December 2003
| regions        = [[South Wales]], [[Mid Wales]]
| secregions     = [[West Country]]
| fleet          =
| stations       =
| stationsop     =
| routekm        =
| abbr           = WB
| parent_company = [[National Express]]
| website        =
| linelength     =
| tracklength    =
| notrack        =
| gauge          =
| oldgauge       =
| el             =
| speed          =
| elevation      =
| map            =
|successor=[[Arriva Trains Wales]]|predecessors=[[Valley Lines (train operating company)|Valley Lines]], [[Wales & West]]}}
'''Wales and Borders'''<ref>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03007927 Companies House extract company no 3007927] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014137/http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03007927 |date=19 April 2014 }} Cardiff Railway Company Limited</ref> was a [[train operating company]] in the United Kingdom owned by [[National Express]] that operated the [[Wales & Borders franchise]] from October 2001 until December 2003.

==History==
In October 1996, the [[Valley Lines (train operating company)|Valley Lines]] franchise commenced operating services around [[Cardiff]] and the [[South Wales Valleys]]. In August 2000, the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] decided to re-organise the Valley Lines and [[Wales & West]] franchises.<ref>{{cite web|title=New franchise for Wales and Borders confirmed: competition launched for new franchise|url=https://www.railhub2.co.uk/rh7/archive/arc_article.php?doc=2000-08-08%20SRA-001|date=8 August 2000|publisher=Railhub|accessdate=9 March 2025}}</ref>

Valley Lines became Wales & Borders from October 2001, being operated by National Express, combining its services with most of Wales & West's Welsh services and the [[Cambrian Line]] services from [[Central Trains]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Strategic Rail Authority: Separation of Wales and West|date=13 September 2001|url=https://www.railhub2.co.uk/rh7/archive/arc_article.php?doc=2001-09-13%20SRA-001|publisher=Railhub|accessdate=9 March 2025}}</ref> In September 2003 Wales & Borders took over the [[North Wales Coast Line]] services from [[First North Western]].

==Services==
Wales and Borders operated passenger services in Wales and the West Country as seen in their route map, retaining the [[Alphaline]] branding on longer services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesandborderstrains.co.uk/uploads/documents/106.pdf|title=Wales and Borders Trains |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030614202259/http://www.walesandborderstrains.co.uk/uploads/documents/106.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 June 2003|date=14 June 2003}}</ref> It also operated services to [[Liverpool Lime Street railway station|Liverpool Lime Street]], [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]], [[Birmingham International railway station|Birmingham International]], [[Penzance railway station|Penzance]] and [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]].

On 14 October 2001, the services from [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] to [[Chester railway station|Chester]], [[Cambrian Line|Aberystwyth, and Pwllheli]] operated by [[Central Trains]] were transferred.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20011021194557/http://www.walesandborderstrains.co.uk/ Wales & Borders Trains – more than just a new name for Wales & West in Wales] Wales & Borders introduction</ref>

On 28 September 2003, the services from Birmingham New Street, [[Crewe railway station|Crewe]] and Manchester Piccadilly to [[Llandudno railway station|Llandudno]] and [[Holyhead railway station|Holyhead]] as well as those between [[Borderlands Line|Bidston and Wrexham Central]] and [[Conwy Valley Line|Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog]] operated by [[First North Western]] were also transferred.<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmwelaf/458/45807.htm The Wales and Borders Franchise] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806181949/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmwelaf/458/45807.htm |date=6 August 2017 }} House of Commons Select Committee on Welsh Affairs Third Report 17 March 2004</ref>

==Rolling stock==
Wales and Borders inherited a fleet of [[British Rail Class 142|Class 142]], [[British Rail Class 143|Class 143]] and [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150s]] from Valley Lines and [[British Rail Class 158|Class 158s]] from [[Wales & West]] and [[Central Trains]]. From [[First North Western]] it inherited [[British Rail Class 153|Class 153]] and [[British Rail Class 175|Class 175s]].

Wales and Borders also used [[British Rail Mark 2|Mark 2 carriages]] on [[Rhymney Line]] and [[West Wales Lines|Fishguard Harbour]] services hauled by [[DB Cargo UK|English Welsh & Scottish]] [[British Rail Class 37|EWS Class 37s]] and Mark 2 carriages hauled by English Welsh & Scottish [[British Rail Class 47|Class 47s]] on [[North Wales Coast Line]] services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hondawanderer.com/Class_37_4.htm|title=Martin Loader's Railway Photography – Class 37|website=www.hondawanderer.com|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=9 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809000855/http://www.hondawanderer.com/Class_37_4.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://sulzerpower.com/geocities/nwc/fnwdiagrams.html class 47's on First North Western] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024065916/http://sulzerpower.com/geocities/nwc/fnwdiagrams.html |date=24 October 2012 }} Sulzer Power</ref>

==Depot==
Wales and Borders' fleet was maintained at [[Cardiff Canton TMD|Cardiff Canton]] depot.

==Demise==
On 1 August 2003, the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] awarded the new franchise to [[Arriva UK Trains|Arriva]] with the services operated by Wales & Borders transferring to [[Arriva Trains Wales]] on 7 December 2003.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030803151250/http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/20030801_sra_announce_preferred_bidder.tt2 SRA Announces Preferred Bidder for New Integrated Wales Franchise] Strategic Rail Authority Press Release 1 August 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.arriva.co.uk/arriva/en/media_centre/press_releases/2003/2003-08-01 Arriva selected to operate the news Wales and borders franchise] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130202824/http://www.arriva.co.uk/arriva/en/media_centre/press_releases/2003/2003-08-01/ |date=30 November 2010 }} Arriva Press Release 1 August 2003</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[First North Western]]'''<br />North Western Trains franchise<br>(North Wales Coast services)'''}}
{{s-ttl|rows=3|title=Operator of [[Wales & Borders franchise]]
|years=2001–2003}}
{{s-aft|rows=3|after=[[Arriva Trains Wales]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Valley Lines (train operating company)|Valley Lines]]'''<br />Valley Lines franchise'''}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Wales & West]]'''<br />Wales & West franchise'''}}
{{s-end}}

{{UK TOCs|defunct|state=collapsed}}
{{NEXG}}
{{Transport in Wales|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Mobico Group]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 2001]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2003]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Wales]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Wales]]
[[Category:2003 disestablishments in Wales]]