List of UK Train Operating Companies

The Following comprise the UK Franchised Train Operators:

Train Operator	Owning Group	Terms
Arriva Trains Wales	Arriva plc	Franchise start: 7 December 2003, Term 15 years. Now responsibility of Welsh Assembly. Efficiency reviews every 5 years.
Chiltern Railways	DB Regio, part of Deutsche Bahn AG	Franchise start: February 2002, Term 20 years (to December 2021).
c2c	National Express Group plc	Franchise start: May 1996, Term 15 years. Continuation of up to two years possible by mutual agreement (less likely now than was once thought possible).
CrossCountry	Arriva plc	Franchise start: November 2007, Franchise end 31st March 2016 (with final 2½ years conditional on meeting performance targets).
East Coast Trains	Directly Operated Railways Ltd, a wholly owned government subsidiary	This company stepped in in 2009 following the early withdrawal of National Express plc. The company is being operated by HM Government until such time as it can be refranchised.
East Midlands Trains	Stagecoach Group plc	Franchise start: 11 November 2007, Term 7 years 4 months (to 1st April 2015). Last 1½ years subject to performance review and agreement.
First Capital Connect	First Group plc	Franchise start: 1 April 2006, Term 6 years (last two subject to performance) with possible 3-year extension depending on performance and wider issues about Thameslink upgrade.
First Great Western	First Group plc	Franchise start: 10 April 2006, Term 7 years with possible 3-year extension subject to performance and agreement.
First TransPennine Express	Joint venture between First Group plc and Keolis SA (itself partly owned by SNCF)	Franchise start: 1 February 2004, term to December 2012. 2-year extension possible by mutual agreement, or 28 weeks at DfT discretion.
Island Line	Stagecoach Holdings plc	See South West Trains franchise
London Midland	Govia Ltd - a joint venture between Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis SA (itself partly owned by SNCF).	Franchise start: 11 November 2007, Franchise end: 19 September 2015. Last 2 years subject to performance review and agreement.
London Overground (Franchise managed by Transport for London)	London Overground Rail Operations Ltd, a subsidiary of DB Regio (part of Deutsche Bahn AG) and MTR Corporation (Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway Corporation).	Franchise start: 11 November 2007, Term: 7 years with possible 2-year extension. This franchise is let and operated by Transport for London.
Merseyrail (Franchise managed by Merseyside PTE)	Serco plc with Ned Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen), trading as Merseyrail Electrics (2002) Ltd.	Franchise start: 20 July 2003, Term: 25 years. This franchise is let and operated by Merseyside PTE.
National Express East Anglia (with Stansted Express)	National Express Group plc	Franchise start: 1 April 2004, Term: 10 years, with last three subject to performance review.
Northern Rail	Serco plc with Ned Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen)	Franchise start: 12 December 2004, Term: 6 years 9 months. A 2-year extension is possible subject to performance review, but Northern Rail not bound by it.
Scotrail	First Group plc	Franchise start: 17 October 2004, Term: 7 years with 3-year extension option, which was exercised during 2008. Franchise now managed by Transport Scotland on behalf of Scottish Government.
SouthEastern	Govia (joint venture between Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis SA (itself partly owned by SNCF).	Franchise start: 1 April 2006, Term 6 years to March 2012 with possible 2-year extension to March 2014 subject to performance review and at SouthEastern's option.
South West Trains	Stagecoach Holdings plc	Franchise start: 4 February 2007, Term 7 years. a 3-year extension is possible subject to performance review and at SWT's option. Franchise now includes former Island Line (Isle of Wight).
Southern (with Gatwick Express)	Govia (joint venture between Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis SA (itself partly owned by SNCF).	Franchise start: May 2003, Franchise will end on 30 September 2009. It has been re-awarded to Govia until July 2014 with possible 1-year extension subject to performance.
Virgin Trains	Virgin Rail Group Ltd (with Stagecoach as minority [49%] shareholder)	Franchise start: March 1997, Term 15 years. a 28 week extension is possible at DfT discretion.

The Following are Open Access Passenger Operators:

Eurostar	Eurostar is the trade name used by SNCF, SNCB and Eurostar UK Ltd, who jointly operate high speed services via the Channel Tunnel route. Eurostar UK Ltd is owned by London & Continental Railways (who refurbished St Pancras and built the UK high speed line), but does not itself operate trains, a management contract being in place with InterCapital & Regional Rail Ltd (a consortium of National Express, SNCF, SNCB and British Airways).
Grand Central	Private investment team
Heathrow Connect	BAA plc (who supply trains and drivers) and First Group plc
Heathrow Express	Owned by BAA plc
Hull Trains	Majority owned by First Group plc. Other investors include directors of Renaissance Trains.
London Underground	London Underground Ltd (a subsidiary of Transport for London) operates some services over Network Rail tracks, largely using 'grandfather' rights.
Wrexham & Shropshire	Wrexham, Shropshire & Marylebone Railway Company is a joint venture between DB Regio (owner of Chiltern Railways) and directors of Renaissance Trains Ltd.

First GB Railfreight	GB Railfreight was created by GB Railways Ltd around 2001 to exploit some market opportunities. GB Railways was subsequently acquired by First Group. The company has grown considerably and the company now has a significant market share.
Direct Rail Services	Direct Rail has its origins in 1995 in haulage of materials for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and in 2005 became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Nevertheless they provide services for hire for a wide range of customers.
English Welsh & Scottish Railway	EWS has its origins in 1996 rail privatization when it acquired four divisions of the former British Rail freight business. EWS is now owned by DB Schenker, a partnership of DB Railways (Deutsche Bahn) and Schenker logistics. It is the largest UK freight operator and its locomotives are also hired in by other operators and Network Rail from time to time.
Freightliner	Freightliner has its origins in British Rail's development of the liner train concept which propelled trainload freight forward at expense of wagonload traffic. It is no surprise to see it still the largest operator of UK container traffic, especially to and from ports.
Freightliner Heavy Haul	Freightliner Heavy Haul is a separate division of Freightliner providing trainload movement between inland locations, by no means the majority of which is container based.
Fastline Freight	A newish operator (part of Jarvis) carrying container traffic and heavy trainload traffic such as power station coal.
Colas Rail	A small operator initially devoted to developing timber traffic.