The Thames Trains reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Thames Trains

Thames Trains was a British railway company. It ran regional and suburban trains from London Paddington station to destinations in the home counties west of London, as well as a Reading to Gatwick Airport service.

At privatisation in September 1996 a franchise to operate its trains until 31 March 2004 was granted to the Go-Ahead group. The Strategic Rail Authority have indicated that a two-year franchise from 1 April 2004 will be granted to First Group, who also have the First Great Western franchise which runs long-distance services from Paddington station. SRA policy is now to have one company running train services into one terminus.

Thames Trains operated the train which was the proximate cause of the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster in 1999.

Since 1 April 2004 this franchise has been known as First Great Western Link.

See also

• Rail transport in the United Kingdom.

External Link

• First Great Western Link

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