First Great Western

First Great Western is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup and which operates services on the Great Western Main Line. It was formed after the purchase of Great Western Trains by First Group. The name is derived from the earlier Great Western Railway.

First Great Western has two major depots: Old Oak Common, two miles from Paddington, and St Phillips Marsh, near Bristol Temple Meads.

The company operated the only surviving Motorail service, as part of the London Paddington-Penzance "Night Riviera" overnight sleeper service.

First Great Western shares a management team with First Great Western Link, a separately franchised train operating company that runs local services on the Great Western Main Line and associated lines.

Rolling Stock

• Class 43 - High Speed Train
• Class 57 - Used for Sleeper and Motorail
• Class 180 - "Adelante"

Crashes

• 19 September 1997 - A First Great Western and a freight train collide at Southall.
• 5 October 1999 - A First Great Western and a Thames Trains train collide at Ladbroke Grove
• 6 November 2004 - A First Great Western train travelling from London Paddington to Plymouth hit a stationary car with the driver inside at an automatic level crossing, located close to the rural Berkshire village of Ufton Nervet (See Ufton Nervet rail crash).

External link

• First Great Western

See also: First Great Western, 1997, 1999, 19 September, 2004, 5 October, 6 November, Automobile, Bath