UK Transport Wiki
Register
Advertisement
This article is about the 1996 company. For the 1833–1947 company, see Great Western Railway. For other uses, see Great Western Railway (disambiguation).

Great Western Railway (GWR) is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that operates the Greater Western railway franchise.

The company began operating in February 1996 as Great Western Trains, as part of the privatisation of British Rail. In December 1998 it became First Great Western after FirstGroup bought out its partners' shares in Great Western Holdings. In April 2006, First Great Western, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains were combined into the new Greater Western franchise and brought under the First Great Western brand. The company adopted its current name and a new livery in September 2015 to coincide with the start of an extended franchise that is due to run until 31 March 2023.

Advertisement