InterCity (British Rail) - InterCity Privatisation - G

InterCity (British Rail) - G

InterCity (British Rail) Privatisation

During the privatisation of British Rail, InterCity's services were divided up into several franchises. Initial plans were for the train operating companies to co-operate to continue providing a consistent InterCity network, but disagreements meant this did not occur. Great Western Trains registered the term as a British trademark and applied it to its HSTs, but the term fell into disuse before Great Western was bought by FirstGroup in 1998.

Occasional services are run using 'Inter-City' branded coaches, usually where additional rolling stock has been hired, but the term is not in official use by train operators. The planned upgrade to many of Britain's former InterCity lines has been termed Intercity Express Programme. The new operators replaced the InterCity branding and liveries with their own branding. One set of Mark 2 carriages remained in InterCity livery until withdrawn by National Express East Anglia in 2005.

Several locomotives and carriages have subsequently been repainted into InterCity livery. Virgin CrossCountry repainted 47826 into InterCity livery in December 2001. Some stations on the West Coast Main Line still retain Swallow motifs in 2017. Abellio ScotRail announced that it is to revive the InterCity name on new services operated by refurbished High Speed Train sets, linking the seven cities in Scotland, from mid-2018.

InterCity East Coast GNER

Then passed to National Express East Coast (NXEC), but returned to temporary public ownership on 14 November 2009, following termination of the NXEC franchise when it was taken over by Directly Operated Railways as East Coast Then operated by Virgin Trains East Coast, and taken back into public ownership by London North Eastern Railway on 24 June 2018.

June 2023

InterCity West Coast Virgin Trains West Coast

Then passed to Avanti West Coast on 8 December 2019.

October 2023

East Midlands Midland Mainline

Then passed to Stagecoach operating as East Midlands Trains. Then operated by East Midlands Railway.

October 2030

Great Western Great Western Trains

Then bought by FirstGroup, renamed First Great Western in 1998, and later Great Western Railway in 2015. Also operates the Night Riviera.

June 2028

Gatwick Express Gatwick Express

Merged into the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise and now a sub-brand

March 2025

Cross Country Virgin CrossCountry

Then passed to Arriva UK Trains operating as CrossCountry.

October 2023

Great Eastern Anglia Railways

Merged into National Express East Anglia, then passed onto Abellio Greater Anglia and renamed again as Greater Anglia in October 2016.

September 2026

Caledonian Sleeper Operated by ScotRail

Operated by Caledonian Sleeper as a standalone franchise since 31 March 2015, formerly a sub-brand of ScotRail from 31 March 1997 to 31 March 2015.

June 2023

InterCity Railtours

The train operating company Locomotive Services Limited has begun to reuse the InterCity name for its numerous programmes of electric-worked or occasional diesel railtours. An Intercity-liveried set of first-class MK2 coaches, including a matching DVT, is used for the trains. The electric locomotives used for the tours are painted in the matching InterCity paint scheme.

Electric locomotives allocated to these trains include British Rail Class 86s, Class 87s & Class 90s. The unique Class 89 No 89001 is planned to be used to haul InterCity trains following the completion of its restoration. Most diesel-worked trains use locos which are not painted in InterCity livery. Although allocated for use on diesel and electric railtours, the coaches have on occasion been hauled by steam locomotives when out on test.

InterCity (British Rail) Overview

InterCity Main Region(s): All

InterCity Other Region(s): All

InterCity Fleet Size: 180

InterCity Stations Called At: 190

InterCity Parent Company: British Rail

InterCity Dates of Operation: 1966–1994

InterCity Successors: Great North Eastern Railway, Midland Mainline, Great Western Trains, Anglia Railways, Virgin Trains, Virgin CrossCountry

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