WAGN (train operating company)

Infobox Rail companies
bgcolor=6E228B
image_filename=wagn 317 346.jpg
widthpx=300px
franchise=West Anglia Great Northern:
1997 - April 2004
Great Northern only:
April 2004 - 1. April 2006
nameforarea=region
regions=East of England
secregions=Greater London (north and north-east)| fleet=145
stations=55
parent_company=National Express Group

WAGN was a franchise operator of commuter train services on the Great Northern route out of London King's Cross and Moorgate stations. In December 2005, WAGN lost the franchise to run these routes, which was taken over on 1 April 2006 by FirstGroup plc as successful bidders for the new combined Thameslink-Great Northern franchise. FirstGroup operates under the new First Capital Connect brand.

WAGN stood for West Anglia Great Northern and initially, in addition to services from London King's Cross, it also operated services from London Liverpool Street to Chingford, Enfield, Hertford East, Stansted Airport, and Cambridge: these services formed the 'West Anglia' (WA) part of the WAGN brand. In April 2004 West Anglia services were absorbed into the new 'one' franchise operating all services from Liverpool Street, with the Great Northern (GN) lines being retained as the new "Great Northern lines only" WAGN. At this point, WAGN stopped referring to itself as West Anglia Great Northern and instead as simply WAGN, spelling each letter out for automated announcements. The public, however, frequently used the phonetic pronunciation (as "wagon") to refer to the company and its trains.

During the period when timetable reliability was at an all-time low, the expressions ‘We're All Going Nowhere’, ‘We Are Going Now’ , 'We're always going nowhere' and ‘Wait Ages Get Nowhere’ became popular with some more cynical travellers. [BBC "Back To The Floor"] Ironically, the Class 365 units were some of the most reliable trains in Britain with a MDBF of over 60,000 miles.

WAGN was originally owned by Prism Rail, which was subsequently absorbed by National Express Group.

The WAGN train livery was that of a dark shade of purple, with lilac/white doors.

Fleet

References

External links

* [http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.co.uk/ NXEA]
* [http://www.nationalexpress.com/ National Express]
* [http://www.firstcapitalconnect.com/ First Capital Connect]
* [http://www.firstgroup.com/ First]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4523592.stm BBC News, 13 Dec 2005 - Franchise announcement]
s-ttl|rows=2|title=Operator of West Anglia Great Northern franchise
years=1997 - 2004/2006
-