First Harrogate Trains

First Harrogate Trains[1] was a proposed open access operator with ambitions to run passenger services between Harrogate and London King's Cross via York.[2][3][4][5]

First Harrogate Trains
Franchise(s)Open access operator
Main region(s)Harrogate Line
East Coast Main Line
Parent companyFirstGroup (80%)
Renaissance Trains (20%)
Other
Websitewww.harrogatetrains.co.uk
Route map

Harrogate
Starbeck
Cleethorpes
Knaresborough
Barnetby
Cattal
Market Rasen
Hammerton
Lincoln Central
Poppleton
Sleaford
York
Donnington Parkway
(new station)
Doncaster
Spalding
Retford
Peterborough
Grantham
Huntingdon
Stevenage
London King's Cross

The company proposed to run from Harrogate to London King's Cross with up to four services each way per day.[6] The application to run trains was rejected by the Office of Rail Regulation in February 2009.[7] It cited that the services would not bring enough new patronage and thus rely on abstracting revenue from existing train operating companies.[8]

First Harrogate Trains also applied for four trains per day service from Cleethorpes to London, with an additional four trains per day between Lincoln Central and London Kings Cross, and to open a new station at Donnington Parkway. In 2009, it was rejected by the Office of Rail Regulations.[9][10][11]

Had FHT been successful, it was intended that services would have commenced in the summer of 2009.[12] First Harrogate Trains was a subsidiary of Hull Trains, owned by FirstGroup (80%) and Renaissance Trains (20%).

Rolling stock

The preferred rolling stock to be used was Class 180 Adelante or Class 222 Pioneer trains, the types used by Hull Trains previously.[6][13]

References
  1. Companies House extract company no 6592311 First Harrogate Trains Limited
  2. "Three companies want East Coast paths" Today's Railways UK issue 78 June 2008 page 6
  3. "Hull Trains applies to serve Harrogate four times a day" Rail issue 594 18 June 2008 page 12
  4. Train firm aims to boost London link Harrogate Advertiser 4 July 2008
  5. Poppleton to London direct The Press (York) 1 August 2008
  6. Track Application - page 2 Office of Rail Regulation
  7. ORR announces its decision on East Coast Main Line track access applications Office of Rail Regulation 27 February 2009
  8. "Grand Northern set for Bradford" Rail issue 611 11 February 2009 page 20
  9. Hull Trains - Track Access Rights on the East coast Main Line Archived 25 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine Office of the Rail Regulator 19 March 2008
  10. "Three companies want East Coast paths" Today's Railways UK issue 78 June 2008 page 6
  11. "Hull Trains applies to serve Harrogate four times a day" Rail issue 594 18 June 2008 page 12
  12. Home Harrogate Trains
  13. "Hull Trains unveils Harrogate service" Today's Railways UK issue 85 January 2009 page 10
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