Silverlink
Silverlink Train Services Ltd was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operated routes in North London and from London to Northampton (and until 2004, to Birmingham via Coventry). It was owned by National Express Group plc.
History
The franchise was awarded to National Express on 7 February 1997, when it was agreed they would take over North London Railways Ltd, a shadow franchise created when the Network SouthEast sector of British Rail began to be prepared for privatisation on 1 April 1994. The franchise began on 3 March 1997 and was due to end on 15 October 2006, but on 11 August 2006 the DfT extended the franchise to finish on 11 November 2007.
The company's name was changed to Silverlink in September 1997. The name is taken from the first of the LNER A4 steam locomotives (a member of which holds the world speed record for steam traction) which was called Silver Link. Ironically, Silverlink trains operated on the route to the north of the old LMS, the LNER's greatest rival.
Performance
Silverlink was categorised as a London and South East operator by the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) and was one of the best performing TOCs in this sector with a PPM (Public Performance Measure) of 90.8% for the last quarter of the financial year 2006/7. This figure is for the whole of the day, as opposed to just peak services for which their performance is lower. The figures are slightly down from last year, but remain above the sector level of 89.0%.
Rollingstock
Metro services were operated by class 313 25kV AC/750 V DC electric multiple units on the electrified routes, with three class 508/3 750 V DC electric multiple units used exclusively on the Euston-Watford Junction service. Class 150 Sprinter diesel multiple units were used on the non-electrified Gospel Oak-Barking route. They replaced elderly class 121 and Class 117 units in 2000.
County services to Northampton were operated by class 321/4 electrical multiple units introduced in 1988. They were joined by new class 350/1 Desiro units built by Siemens AG in summer 2005, which operate as a shared fleet with Central Trains.
The St Albans Abbey line was operated for many years by class 313 electric multiple units, but were usually operated by class 321 units with Silverlink Metro drivers and Silverlink County guards.
The non-electrified County Marston Vale Line used class 150 diesel units. Prior to the year 2000 this rout was also worked by Class 121 and 117 units.
End of Franchise
The Silverlink franchise ended in November 2007. Henceforward, Silverlink's operations were split between Transport for London and the new West Midlands franchise. Therefore, Silverlink County and Silverlink Metro have become Defunct UK Train Operating companies (sub-brands).
Alstom had proposed to withdraw from the Willesden train maintenance depot. Closure would have left the Class 313 trains homeless. On 12 May 2007, Silverlink took over direct running of the depot and its staff for the final six months of its franchise. Alstom will continue to operate four depots on the West Coast Main Line, at Wembley, Oxley, Longsight, and Polmadie.