LOROL

Infobox Company
name = London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL)

type = Private company
foundation = 2007
location_city = London
area_served = Greater London, UK
industry = Rail transport
services = Train operations
parent = MTR Corporation/Deutsche Bahn
divisions =
homepage = http://www.lorol.co.uk

London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL) is a British train operating company which is responsible for the operations of London Overground, one of the metro rail systems managed by Transport for London in London, United Kingdom.

The company is a 50:50 joint venture between the Hong Kong metro rail operator MTR Corporation and the German rail operator Deutsche Bahn. [cite web
title = About Us
publisher = LOROL
date = April 2008
url = http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/About-Us/
accessdate = 2008-08-04]

Operations

The formal contract to operate the London railway was signed on July 2 2007, and LOROL commenced the operation of London Overground services on 11 November 2007. The contract is due to last seven years, with the option of a two-year extension.cite web
title = MTR Laing beats Go-Ahead unit Govia to win North London rail franchise
publisher = Hemscott
url = http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=45163729017190
accessdate = 2007-06-19]

History

LOROL was originally formed in 2007 as MTR Laing, a joint venture between MTR and Laing Rail. In preparation for the launch of London Overground, MTR Laing renamed itself as London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL).

In December 2007, Henderson Group, the parent company of John Laing plc announced the sale of the Laing Rail division (which comprised half of LOROL, Chiltern Railways and a stake in the Wrexham & Shropshire open-access railway operator), and in April 2008, Deutsche Bahn announced it had bought Laing Rail. [cite web
url=http://www.lorol.co.uk/lorol/News/Deutsche-Bahn-acquires-LOROL/
title=Deutsche Bahn acquires LOROL
date=2008-04-01
publisher=LOROL
accessdate=2008-08-04]

In 2005 LOROL (then MTR Laing) bid unsuccessfully for the Thameslink/Great Northern franchise; the franchise was awarded instead to First Group, who branded their services First Capital Connect. [cite web
title = DfT announces winner of Greater Western and Thameslink/GN franchises
publisher = DfT
date = 2005-12-13
url = http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/gwtgw/dftannounceswinnerofgreaterw3328
accessdate = 2007-07-10 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.lorol.co.uk LOROL official site]
* [http://www.mtr.com.hk MTR corporate site]
* [http://www.laing.com John Laing group corporate site]