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First Great Western Link

Franchise(s):	Thames April 2004 - 31. March 2006
Main Region(s):	Thames Valley
Other Region(s):	North Downs, Cotswolds
Fleet size:	62
Stations called at:	95
Parent company:	First Group
Web site:	www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

First Great Western Link was a train operating company owned by First Group that provided train services, on a franchise basis, from Paddington Station to destinations such as Greenford, Slough, Reading, Didcot, Oxford, Goring and Streatley, Henley-on-Thames, Newbury, Bedwyn, Hereford, Worcester and Banbury. Train services are also provided from Reading to Gatwick Airport (via Guildford and Dorking), and from Reading to Basingstoke. The company also used to operate services to Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon, but these were transferred to Chiltern Railways and the First Great Western Link route curtailed at Banbury.

Prior to April 2004 the franchise was held by the Go-Ahead Group, trading as Thames Trains. First Great Western Link shared a management team with First Great Western, a separately franchised train operating company that ran inter-city services on Great Western Main Line and associated lines.

On 12 June 2005 Heathrow Connect was introduced as a joint venture between First Great Western Link and BAA plc.

From 1 April 2006 First Great Western, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains were merged into the Greater Western Franchise. Three companies - First Group plc, National Express Group PLC and Stagecoach Group - were shortlisted to run this new franchise. On 13 December 2005 it was announced that First Group had won the franchise. The services operated by First Great Western Link are now operated by First Great Western. A new livery was rolled out across the fleet during late 2006.

Routes

• Great Western Main Line (Local services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway).
• Cherwell Valley Line (Didcot Parkway - Oxford)
• Cotswold Line (Oxford - Hereford)
• North Downs Line (Reading - Redhill)
• Reading to Plymouth Line (Reading - Bedwyn)
• Reading to Basingstoke Line (Reading - Basingstoke)
• Slough to Windsor & Eton Line (Slough - Windsor and Eton Central)
• Oxford to Bicester Line (Oxford - Bicester Town)
• Marlow Branch Line (Maidenhead - Marlow)
• Henley Branch Line (Twyford railway station - Henley-on-Thames)
• Greenford Branch Line (London Paddington - Greenford)

Fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 165/1 Network Turbo		diesel multiple unit	90	145	36	1990 - 1992
Class 166 Network Express Turbo		diesel multiple unit	90	145	21	1992 - 1993

External links

• First Great Western Link
• Passenger's Nightmare:-The Song of the First Great Western