South West Trains

South West Trains[1] (SWT) was an English train operating company owned by Stagecoach, which operated the South Western franchise between 1996 and 2017.

This article is about the former operator of the South Western railway franchise. For the current operator, see South Western Railway (train operating company).

South West Trains
Overview
Franchise(s)South Western
4 Feb 1996 − 31 Jan 2004
1 Feb 2004 − 3 Feb 2007
4 Feb 2007 – 20 Aug 2017
Main region(s)Greater London, Surrey, Hampshire, Isle of Wight & Dorset
Other region(s)Berkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon
Fleet size373
1 Class 73 electro-diesel locomotive
11 Class 158 Express Sprinter sets
30 Class 159 South Western Turbo sets
45 Class 444 Desiro sets
127 Class 450 Desiro sets
91 Class 455 sets
24 Class 456 sets
36 Class 458 Juniper sets
2 Class 707 Desiro City sets
6 Class 483 sets
Stations called at213
Stations operated185 (including Island Line)
Parent companyStagecoach
Reporting markSW
Other
Websitewww.southwesttrains.co.uk
Route map

It operated the majority of commuter services from its Central London terminus at London Waterloo to South West London and was the key operator for outer suburban and regional services in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset. It also provided regional services in Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight through its Island Line subsidiary.

The area of operation was the former South Western division of Network SouthEast, and was also roughly that of the pre-1923 London & South Western Railway (excluding everything west of Exeter). As part of the privatisation of British Rail, SWT was taken over by Stagecoach. In 2004, the franchise was retained by Stagecoach when re-tendered. In 2007, the franchise was merged with the Island Line franchise to form a newly extended South Western franchise, which was won by Stagecoach. When next tendered, the franchise was awarded to South Western Railway which took over the franchise on 20 August 2017.[2]

History

In 1995, the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising awarded the South West Trains franchise to Stagecoach.[3] Operations commenced on 4 February 1996, with South West Trains' first train, the 05:10 Twickenham to London Waterloo, the first privatised scheduled train to operate for 48 years.[4]

In April 2001, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded Stagecoach a new franchise after it beat bids from FirstGroup / NedRailways and Sea Containers.[5] The 2001 franchises awarded were (as promulgated) to run for twenty years but in 2002 the Strategic Rail Authority reduced the duration of franchises and South West Trains was awarded a three-year franchise starting on 1 February 2004.[6]

In December 2005, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that Arriva, FirstGroup, MTR/Sea Containers, National Express and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to tender for the new South Western franchise, which combined the South West Trains and Island Line Trains franchises; National Express later withdrew.[7][8] In September 2006, the DfT awarded the franchise to Stagecoach, the new franchise starting on 4 February 2007, for a period of ten years.[9][10]

In the early days of its franchise, SWT gained notoriety for severe service cuts owing to driver shortages,[11] but it later made significant improvements to the network, including replacing much of the rolling stock, refurbishing stations, making stations accessible to disabled passengers, and improving customer information. During the early 2000s, improvements included the introduction of new rail services and the reopening of Chandler's Ford station in Hampshire.[12]

A smoking ban on all SWT services was introduced from May 2004, partly in response to a fire caused by a cigarette left near a heater under a seat, and also pre-empting the public smoking ban introduced two years later.[13]

On 12 December 2004, the company completely recast its timetable, for the first time in the South West region since 1967, in an attempt to bring service provision into line with changing demand and to take into account the different characteristics of modern rolling stock, with the intention that this would improve reliability and punctuality across the network.

In March 2013, the Secretary of State for Transport announced the DfT were in talks with Stagecoach to extend the franchise until April 2019.[14] However, in July 2015, Stagecoach confirmed talks had failed and the franchise would be relet.[15]

Stagecoach and a FirstGroup / MTR Corporation joint venture were shortlisted on 4 February 2016 to bid for the new franchise.[16] On 27 March 2017, the franchise was awarded to South Western Railway,[17][18] who took over the franchise on 20 August 2017.

Services

South West Trains was the key operator for western Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset, and also served Berkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon. In Greater London, it operated all National Rail services (other than London Overground) in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames and Hounslow, and also served the London Boroughs of Merton, Wandsworth and Lambeth.

Most SWT services ran on electrified lines using the 750 V DC third-rail system. There is a diesel fleet for services on the West of England line to Salisbury, Exeter and Bristol, using the unelectrified track beyond Worting Junction just west of Basingstoke, and for Salisbury to Southampton via Romsey services which also served Eastleigh. SWT operated almost 1,700 train services per day.

From Waterloo, SWT's London terminus, long-distance trains ran to southern England, including the major coastal population centres of Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. There were also trains to Reading, Exeter and Bristol, but these were not the principal fast services from London to those cities, which are operated from London Paddington by Great Western Railway. The majority of its passengers were on suburban commuter lines in inner and south-west London, Surrey, east Berkshire, and north-east Hampshire.

Since privatisation in 1996, the network changed considerably. It no longer served West Croydon, Sutton, 'Coastway' stations between Chichester and Brighton, or the Reading to Basingstoke line. Services to Bristol (introduced in 2004 to replace withdrawn Arriva Trains Wales services), Mottisfont and Dunbridge and Dean were introduced after the start of the franchise. Its longstanding services beyond Exeter to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance, which ran in competition with First Great Western and its predecessors, ceased in December 2009 so as to release stock for the hourly Waterloo to Exeter service.[19]

As with most rail companies, non-folding bicycles were banned from peak-time trains to and from London. However, these restrictions applied only to cyclists boarding or alighting in the area bounded by Hook, Alton, Guildford, Reading and Dorking.[20] The aim was to maximise available passenger space on the most crowded trains.

South West Trains had Quiet Zones, similar to the Quiet Coaches on trains operated by certain other Train Operating Companies. Quiet Zones were available on most outer-suburban services and on some express services and are indicated by notices in the windows and signs on the doors. Passengers in these zones are requested not to use mobile phones to take calls or play music out loud.

Routes

South West Trains operated suburban and long-distance trains. Main destinations included: London Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Barnes, Richmond, Twickenham, Hounslow, Ascot, Staines, Reading, Windsor & Eton Riverside, Kingston, Raynes Park, Motspur Park, New Malden, Chessington South, Surbiton, Leatherhead, Weybridge, Dorking, Effingham Junction, Woking, Guildford, Aldershot, Alton, Farnborough Main, Fleet, Basingstoke, Haslemere, Andover, Winchester, Eastleigh, Southampton Central, Romsey, Salisbury, Fareham, Portsmouth & Southsea, Brockenhurst, Portsmouth Harbour, Bournemouth, Westbury, Bristol Temple Meads, Weymouth, Yeovil Junction and Exeter St Davids.

Main lines
A Class 444 Desiro unit used on longer-distance services on the electrified railway lines.
A Class 455 suburban unit at Wimbledon. These were used on inner suburban services.
A Class 159 South Western Turbo unit at Clapham Junction. These were used for long distance West of England Mainline services to Salisbury and Exeter St Davids.

The seven main lines operated by SWT were:

Suburban services

Suburban services diverged from the above routes. Taken in order westwards from Waterloo, travelling down the SWML, they are:

Other services

Ticketing

Travelcards

London Travelcards were available and widely used for journeys into Greater London beyond any of the South West Trains stations. They were valid on London Buses, Tramlink, Docklands Light Railway, London Underground and national rail services within the London travelcard area. All tickets and (London) Travelcards were available on weekly, monthly and annual bases (such tickets are traditionally known as season tickets), a pre-requisite for which is a passport-sized photograph for a booking hall to issue a nationally valid railcard. All ticket pricing structures are regulated by the Office of Rail & Road.

Daily tickets fell into four categories: Peak 'Anytime', Off Peak, Super Off Peak and Advance (pre-booked, long distance). These were broken down into whether the user requires a Single, Return (valid for one calendar month) or a Day Return.[21]

Smartcards

Oyster pay-as-you-go could be used on services within Greater London.[22] Oyster cards holding season tickets were accepted within the London Travelcard area, in the same way as normal paper Travelcards and season tickets.

In November 2010, the DfT announced that passengers would be able to top up Oyster cards at all stations operated by South West Trains in the London Travelcard area from May 2011. SWT was the last rail company franchise to offer this facility (except at Wimbledon and Richmond stations) for passengers using suburban rail services within the London Travelcard area.[23]

The smartcard scheme for tickets on the national rail system was extended in early 2010 to cover the lines from Weymouth to Basingstoke and from Staines to Wokingham, and on the Isle of Wight, in addition to the current trial area between Staines and Windsor. It was also announced that SWT proposed to reduce operating hours at 24 of its ticket offices.[24]

Penalty fares

South West Trains issued penalty fares for passengers travelling by train without a valid ticket. However, the company had planned to install at least one self-service ticket machine at each of its served stations in the bid to stop fare evasion. In 2009, ticket gates were installed at Waterloo to improve revenue protection.[25]

Megatrain
Main article: Megatrain

Stagecoach, SWT's parent company, sold seats on some off-peak services under the Megatrain brand from Mondays to Saturdays. This used a similar low-cost model to its Megabus service. Megatrain tickets were available on certain services expected to be lightly loaded. Tickets were generally between London Waterloo and other principal stations, and ticket-holders are assigned to a specific train.

Performance

Latest performance figures released by Network Rail for period 5 (2014/15) were 88.2% (Public Performance Measure – PPM) and 88.9% (Moving Annual Average – MAA) for the 12 months up to 16 August 2014.[26]

Rolling stock

Electric

Desiro fleet

The introduction of Desiro rolling stock built by Siemens was to replace the old Class 411, Class 412, Class 421 and Class 423 slam-door trains which were coming to the end of their useful lives, and which did not meet modern health and safety requirements. The Desiro trains have on-board information systems and full air-conditioning. Their faster acceleration is counterbalanced by the need to dwell longer at each station, since they have fewer doors.

The Desiro stock comes in two variants – Class 450 units which have four 20 m cars and are mainly used on suburban and outer-suburban services, and Class 444 units which have five 23 m cars as well as intercity-style door layouts and are used on longer-distance services to Weymouth and Portsmouth Harbour.

British Rail EMUs (Class 455)

South West Trains operated a fleet of Class 455 metro-style commuter trains on services from London Waterloo to Shepperton, Hampton Court, Woking, Guildford, Dorking and Chessington, as well as services on the Kingston and Hounslow loops and occasionally on Windsor line services. These were built for British Rail.[27]

A full refurbishment programme started in 2004 on the fleet of 91 four-car units, and was completed in March 2008.[28] Modifications included a new 2+2 seating layout with high-back seats, CCTV, cycle storage, wheelchair space, doors that open further to allow for faster alighting, and additional passenger information systems.

British Rail EMUs (Class 456)

All 24 Class 456 two-car EMUs were transferred from Southern to SWT, with the first units entering SWT service on 23 March 2014.[29] These early 1990s-built units are compatible with the existing Class 455 fleet and are coupled with these to form ten-car trains, increasing capacity on some local services in and out of Waterloo.[30]

Juniper fleet (Class 458/0 – 458/5)
A Class 458 Juniper pre-modifications at Clapham Junction
A Class 458/5 Juniper post-modifications at Clapham Junction

Thirty of these four-car units were ordered by South West Trains in 1998, to create extra capacity and to replace some of the ageing Class 411 (4-CEP) trains, which at the time were on short-term lease. Deliveries of these trains began in 1998.

The class suffered major technical problems, so in the end, none of the older trains were withdrawn from service at that time. It was six more years, in 2004, before the full fleet was in service. In 2003 and 2004, reliability was so poor that, although they were only six years old, South West Trains decided that the units should be replaced by 2005 with the newer Class 450 Desiro units.[31] Only a handful of units were required each day to help maintain services from Waterloo to Reading, and these had been expected to cease after 31 July 2006, when the lease with the rolling stock company expired. An application by SWT to extend this by six months was refused, as the class did not meet all the requirements of disability legislation.

However, later it was decided that, on or before the start of the new franchise in February 2007, the class would be reinstated and take over all operations on the Waterloo to Reading line, indirectly covering the loss of the Class 442. They have been fitted with new, larger destination screens that comply with the disability legislation, but the trains still fall foul in some other areas, such as the height of the door-open buttons.

All 30 Class 458 trains were split up and the 120 vehicles reconfigured into 36 five-car sets, incorporating 60 extra vehicles from the mechanically similar Class 460 formerly used on Gatwick Express services.[32][33] The five-car sets are now designated Class 458/5 and coupled together to form ten-car trains from 2014.[34][35]

The first two of the five-car sets were delivered in October 2013, and underwent testing ahead of the introduction of the first ten-car train into service in December 2013. Passenger service started in March 2014,[36][37] with the work concluding in 2016, thereby rendering the Class 458/0 extinct.

Diesel
Line of 3 Class 159s, 1 Class 158 and the former route learning Class 960 at Salisbury depot

South West Trains had 11 two-car Class 158 units and 30 three-car Class 159 units (22 Class 159/0 and eight Class 159/1).

The Class 159/1 units were converted at Wabtec, Doncaster from Class 158s, received from First TransPennine Express in exchange for Class 170s. Eleven further two-car Class 158 units were received from First TransPennine Express, which were also refurbished at Wabtec.

Two Class 158 units transferred from Central Trains entered service in July 2005 on the new Bristol Temple Meads service, moving to First ScotRail in February 2007.[38]

The Class 159 has on occasion been used for railtours.[39]

Locomotives

Although South West Trains did not operate locomotive-hauled services, until 2009 it maintained three Class 73 locomotives for recovery duties. Locomotive 73109 had been in service with SWT since the start of the franchise; the other two, 73201 and 73235, were acquired from Gatwick Express in 2005. 73235 was the only one of the three locomotives to be owned by South West Trains at the end of the Franchise.

Rolling stock at end of franchise
Class Image Type Top speed Carriages Number Routes operated Built
mph km/h
Class 73 Electro-diesel locomotive 90 145 N/A 1 Thunderbird Locomotive 1966[40]
Class 158 Express Sprinter
DMU 2 11 London Waterloo – Salisbury / Exeter St Davids (Occasionally) / Bristol Temple Meads
Exeter St Davids – Honiton / Axminster (Weekday service)
Romsey – Salisbury via Southampton Central
Brockenhurst – Lymington Pier (Weekday services)		 1989–1992
Class 159 South Western Turbo
DMU 90 145 3 30 West of England / Heart of Wessex / Wessex Main Lines:
London Waterloo – Salisbury / Bristol Temple Meads / Exeter St Davids / Yeovil Pen Mill / Frome
Portsmouth Harbour – Basingstoke (Morning Service)
Portsmouth Harbour – Southampton Central (Occasionally)

Yeovil Junction – Yeovil Pen Mill (Peak Hours only)

 159/0 1992–1993
159/1 Converted 2006–2007
Class 444 Desiro EMU 100 160 5 45 Main Line Routes:
London Waterloo – Poole / Weymouth

London Waterloo – Portsmouth Harbour (Shared with Class 450s Weekdays and Sundays)
Limited Outer Suburban Routes

 2003–2004
Class 450 Desiro EMU 100 160 4 127 Main Line Routes: London Waterloo – Portsmouth Harbour (Shared with Class 444s weekdays and Sundays)/ Alton / Basingstoke / Poole (Occasionally) / Reading
Southampton Central – Portsmouth & Southsea
Brockenhurst – Lymington Pier (Weekend services)


Outer Suburban Routes: London Waterloo – Windsor & Eton Riverside / Weybridge via Staines-upon-Thames / London Waterloo via Hounslow
Ascot – Guildford
Limited Express and Inner suburban services

 2002–2006
Class 455

EMU 75 120 4 91 Inner Suburban Routes:
London Waterloo – Shepperton / Hampton Court / Woking / London Waterloo via Hounslow /London Waterloo via Strawberry Hill / Dorking / Guildford via Oxshott or Epsom / Chessington South / Windsor & Eton Riverside		 1982–1985
2004–2007 (refurbished)
Class 456 EMU 75 120 2 24 Currently used on suburban services in conjunction with services operated by Class 455 units to make 8 & 10 coach trains.

Ascot – Guildford

 1990–1991
Class 458/5 Juniper EMU 75 120 5 36 Outer Suburban Services:

London Waterloo – Weybridge / Windsor & Eton Riverside via Staines upon Thames

 2013–2016
(1998–2002 as Class 458/0)
(2000–2001 as Class 460)
Class 707 Desiro City EMU 100 160 5 2 London Waterloo – Windsor & Eton Riverside via Staines upon Thames 2016–2017

Isle of Wight Fleet
Class Image Type Top speed Carriages Number Routes operated Built
mph km/h
Class 483 EMU 45 72.5 2 6 Ryde Pier Head – Shanklin 1938
1989 – 1992 (refurbished)

Past fleet

Former units operated by South West Trains include:

 Class   File   Type   Number   Withdrawn   Notes 
Class 170 Turbostar DMU 9 July 2007 8 transferred to First TransPennine Express, 1 to Southern where it was converted to a Class 171[41][42][43]
Class 411 (4Cep) EMU 29 May 2005
Class 412 (4Bep) 7
Class 421 (4Cig) 32 Two were retained for heritage operations on the Lymington Branch Line until May 2010, as 3Cig units. These units have been preserved and lengthened back to 4 coaches. One other unit has been preserved.[44][45]
Class 421 (3Cig) 2 May 2010 421497 preserved to the Mid Norfolk Railway.
421498 preserved by the Epping Ongar Railway.[46]
Class 423 (4Vep) 66 May 2005 423417 preserved by the Bluebell Railway.[47]
Class 442 Wessex Electrics 24 February 2007 Withdrawn in favour of Class 444 Desiro units. Later operated Gatwick Express/Southern services, before being displaced by Class 387.[48]
Class 960 DMU 1 March 2009 Preserved on Swanage Railway[49]
Class 458/0 Juniper EMU 30 2013–15 Converted to 458/5[50]

Wessex Electrics fleet

These Class 442 units were initially dedicated to the Weymouth line but, in the 1990s, began to be operated on the London to Portsmouth direct line also. In preparation for the Class 444 and Class 450 "Desiro" units taking over from the slam-door fleet, the Wessex Electrics were withdrawn from Portsmouth line services and were again wholly dedicated to the Weymouth line.

South West Trains announced that it would be withdrawing these units, and they last ran on 3 February 2007. This move coincided with SWT reinstating all Class 458s for the Waterloo–Reading line. As a result, the Class 444 inherited the Waterloo–Weymouth route and the Class 450 took over some Portsmouth Harbour services, while the Class 442 units went into storage at Eastleigh. From 2008 to 2017,[51] Southern leased these trains for its Gatwick Express service and operated them on services from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport and Brighton. Eighteen Class 442 units will return to the franchise when the changeover to South Western Railway occurs.[52]

Turbostar fleet

In 2000, South West Trains acquired eight 2-car Class 170/3 units to supplement its existing Class 159 fleet. They were used on London to Salisbury services as well as a new Southampton local service, and on Reading to Basingstoke services. They were sometimes pressed into use on Waterloo-Exeter services but, as they were not fitted with end gangways for catering or selective door opening for the short platforms at some stations, this was not a regular route.

From late 2006 to mid-2007, the Class 170 units were gradually transferred to First TransPennine Express in exchange for a larger number of Class 158 units, to expand and standardise the fleet. One unit, 170392, originally built to Southern specifications but taken over by SWT soon after its construction, went to Southern and was converted to a Class 171.

Preserved trains
423417 on display at an Open Day at Eastleigh Works in May 2009, alongside one of the operational 3CIG units.

Of the Classes 411, 412, 421 and 423 slam-door trains, several complete former SWT units have been preserved.

In contrast, just two former Southern units have been preserved – one Class 421 and one Class 423. No complete units from South Eastern Trains have been preserved.

Class 121/Class 960 55028 is preserved on the Swanage Railway.[49]

Liveries

Depots

Wimbledon
Main article: Wimbledon Traincare depot

Wimbledon Traincare depot is located between Wimbledon and Earlsfield stations, on the main line to Waterloo, next to the Wimbledon railway viaduct.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth depot is southwest of Bournemouth station, occupying the approach to the former Bournemouth West station. Until their withdrawal in February 2007, the depot was home to the Class 442 (5Wes) Wessex Electrics. The branch turns off at Branksome station where trains can be seen stopping at platform 2 and reversing into the depot.

Clapham

Clapham Junction depot provides stabling for the Desiro fleet.

Northam
Main article: Northam Carriage Servicing Depot

Northam depot was built by Siemens in 2002 as the home depot for the Desiro fleet as part of a 20-year maintenance contract.[53] It is located south of St Denys station and is near Southampton Football Club's St Mary's Stadium.

Effingham
Main article: Effingham Junction Carriage Holding Sidings

Located next to Effingham Junction station, the depot is used for the berthing of MPVs (Multipurpose Vehicles). It has two pitted roads and a fuel point.

Salisbury
Main article: Salisbury TMD

Salisbury depot provides servicing for South West Trains' diesel fleet.

Fratton
Main article: Fratton Traincare Depot

Fratton Traincare depot is in central Portsea Island, alongside Fratton station. It has a carriage washer and is the fuelling point for the 158s and 159s. The depot has a train shed with two pitted roads for maintenance of rolling stock. Class 444 and 450 units berth overnight. Stabling sidings and bay platforms at Portsmouth & Southsea station are co-ordinated from the depot.

Farnham

Farnham depot, in Weydon Lane, was opened by the Southern Railway at the time of the electrification of the Portsmouth and Alton lines in 1937.[54] It was refurbished for the introduction of modern units when slam-door trains were replaced circa 2005. At the same time, disused quarry and ballast dump sidings behind the carriage shed were removed and a number of outdoor sidings were laid for overnight storage and servicing of units.

See also
  • Commuter rail in the United Kingdom

References
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  2. FirstGroup and MTR welcome South Western rail franchise award Archived 26 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine London Stock Exchange 27 March 2017
  3. Companies House extract company no 2938995. South Western Trains Limited.
  4. First privatised train in 50 years will be a bus The Independent 31 January 1996
  5. "Stagecoach Group Welcomes South West Trains Decision" (Press release). Stagecoach Holdings. 2 April 2001.
  6. "SRA cuts SWT's new franchise plan from 20 years to just three" Rail 13 November 2002 page 4
  7. "Stagecoach Group shortlisted for South Western rail franchise" (Press release). Stagecoach Group. 20 December 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  8. South Western stakeholder briefing. Department for Transport. 4 April 2006.
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  14. "Railway plan puts new focus on passengers". Secretary of State for Transport statement 26 March 2013.
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  16. Two companies shortlisted to compete for the next South Western rail franchise Department for Transport 4 February 2016
  17. First MTR South Western Trains Limited wins South Western franchise Department for Transport 27 March 2017
  18. Improving South Western Railway FirstGroup plc, 27 March 2017
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  20. "Cycle policy". South West Trains. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  21. "Single and Return Tickets". South West Trains. 21 November 2015. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015.
  22. "Passengers to benefit from roll-out of Oyster pay as you go to South West Trains services". South West Trains. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  23. "Top up expansion makes journeys easier for rail users" (Press release). Department for Transport. 12 November 2010.
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  34. "£42m for longer Waterloo trains". Rail. Peterborough. 11 January 2012. p. 7.
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  38. Class 158 scot-rail.co.uk
  39. "UK Railtours". UK Railtours. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  40. Rail UK Diesel/Electric Locomotive Information for 73235
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  44. "Last door slams on SR Mk 1s" Rail issue 645 2 June 2010 page 19
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  54. Railway Gazette, 1937

Media related to South West Trains at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
Network SouthEast
As part of British Rail		 Operator of South West franchise
1996–2007		 Succeeded by
South West Trains
South Western franchise
Preceded by
Island Line
Island Line franchise		 Operator of South Western franchise
2007–2017		 Succeeded by
South Western Railway
Preceded by
South West Trains
South West franchise
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