Formation 2009 Managing Director Ian Yeowart Founded 2009 | Location York Website www.alliancerail.co.uk Parent organization Arriva UK Trains | |
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Profiles | ||
Alliance Rail Holdings is developing plans to operate passenger trains in the United Kingdom through its subsidiaries Great North Western Railway Company Limited (GNWR), Great North Eastern Railway Company Limited (GNER). and Grand Southern Railway Company Limited (GSR).
Contents
- Great North Western Railway
- Rolling stock
- Previous applications
- Great North Eastern Railway
- Grand Southern Railway
- References
Alliance has undertaken detailed timetabling and economic work to support its applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Alliance is headed by Ian Yeowart, founder and former managing director of Grand Central Railway. A new development team was announced on 12 August 2010. The venture is majority owned by Arriva.
Great North Western Railway
In August 2015, the ORR announced Alliance Rail's application to operate six trains per day between London Euston and Blackpool calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Crewe, Preston, Kirkham & Wesham and Poulton-le-Fylde had been successful. A 10-year access agreement was awarded with operations to commence in May 2018. These services will be operated by fellow Arriva subsidiary Grand Central.
Rolling stock
In 2010, it was proposed that services be operated by dual-mode (diesel + electric) Polaris trains, capable of 140 miles per hour (230 km/h). Sixteen trainsets were expected to be ordered, with a capacity of up to 350 passengers each. However, the Polaris deal was not finalised and Alliance has indicated that it is investigating purchasing Pendolino type train sets from Alstom.
Alliance is looking to use trains that operate at 125 mph with six carriages. A mixture of first and standard class seating is proposed, seating approximately 330 passengers.
Previous applications
In 2010, GNWR lodged an application to operate services between Euston and Bradford Interchange, Whitehaven, Windermere, Southport and Morecambe. However, these were rejected in 2011 by the ORR. An amended application was lodged in 2011.
In June 2014, GNWR successfully concluded negotiations with Network Rail for access paths to run between Euston and Blackpool, Huddersfield and Leeds from 2017 using Pendolino trains. However, in January 2015 and despite Network Rail support, the ORR refused these proposed GNWR services citing capacity issues and failing the not primarily abstractive test, meaning most of its revenue would be at the expense of existing others rather than new custom. An amended application with changes to station served was accepted in August 2015.
Great North Eastern Railway
GNER, resurrecting the name of the defunct Sea Containers subsidiary lodged an application to operate between London King's Cross and Cleethorpes, Bradford Foster Square, Ilkley and Edinburgh from 2018. These were rejected in May 2016.
It also proposed in 2009 to operate services between London King's Cross and Scarborough via the Yorkshire Coast Line, Skegness, Sheffield via Grantham, Grimsby and Middlesbrough, but these were rejected in 2010 by the ORR. It was also proposed in December 2013 that services would run services between Kings Cross and Skipton, but these were withdrawn in 2014 by the ORR.
Grand Southern Railway
In November 2016, Alliance began a consultation for a proposed London Waterloo to Southampton service. It is proposed to operate seven off-peak services from December 2017 calling at Hook, Basingstoke, Winchester and Eastleigh, with two peak services proposed from December 2018. It is proposed to use Class 442s.