First North Western

File:First North Western 1.JPG
300px
Franchise(s):	North West Regional Railways 2. March 1997 – 12. December 2004
Main region(s):	North West
Other region(s):	North Wales, London, Yorkshire
Fleet size:	184
Stations:	247
Parent company:	First Group
Web site:	[http:// ]

First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. A subsidiary of First Group, it lost its franchise in 2004.

The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Trains, which was a partnership between Great Western's management and First Group. Eventually First bought the management team out and renamed the company. North Western Trains took over from the British Rail sector North West Regional Railways, which was known for a short time as Network North West.

Their headquarters were in Whitworth St, Manchester city centre. Its train depot was at Newton Heath, between the Caldervale Line and the Oldham Loop Line.

Routes operated

First North Western services are now mainly operated by Northern Rail with Manchester Airport to Windermere/Barrow services are now operated by First TransPennine Express, Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno, Crewe to Holyhead, Bidston to Wrexham and Llandudno to Ffestiniog services operated by Arriva Trains Wales and Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston services operated by Virgin Trains.

The new Class 175 trains were used only on Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno (also one morning journey from Chester to Manchester via Altrincham which formed a service to Llandudno when it arrived at Manchester Piccadilly), Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead, Crewe to Holyhead, Birmingham to Holyhead, Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness, Manchester Airport to Windermere and Manchester Airport to Blackpool North. However Arriva Trains Wales runs the Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno, Holyhead, and Crewe to Holyhead. No services now run between Holyhead and Birmingham.

Rolling stock

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 101		Diesel multiple unit	75	120	6	1956 - 1959
Class 142 Pacer	100px	Diesel multiple unit	75	120	79	1985 - 1987
Class 150 Sprinter	100px	Diesel multiple unit	75	120	27	1985 - 1987
Class 153 Super Sprinter	100px	Diesel multiple unit	75	120	8	1987 - 1988
Class 156 Super Sprinter	100px	Diesel multiple unit	75	120	18	1987 - 1989
Class 158 Express Sprinter	100px	Diesel multiple unit	90	145	8	1989 - 1992
Class 175 Coradia	100px	Diesel multiple unit	100	160	27	1999 - 2001
Class 322	100px	Electric multiple unit	100	160	4	1990
Class 323	100px	Electric multiple unit	100	160	17	1992 - 1993

References

Template:S-start |- style="text-align:center;" |width="30%" align="center" rowspan="2"|Preceded by
Regional Railways
As part of British Rail |width="40%" style="text-align: center;" rowspan="2"|Operator of the North West Regional Railways franchise
1997 - 2004 |width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
Northern Rail
Northern franchise |- |- |width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1"| Succeeded by
First TransPennine Express
TransPennine franchise |- |}
Template:Defunct UK TOCs