First North Western

First North Western was a train operating company in the United Kingdom serving North West England. It operated from 1997 to 2004.

The company when first privatised was known as North Western Trains and was owned by Great Western Holdings, a partnership between Great Western's management, First Group and 3i. North Western Trains took over from the British Rail sector North West Regional Railways, which was known for a short time as Network North West. Eventually First acquired the remaining shares and renamed the company. Their headquarters were in Whitworth St, Manchester. Its train depot was at Newton Heath, between the Caldervale Line and the Oldham Loop Line.

Routes operated
First North Western services are now mainly operated by Northern Rail with Manchester Airport to Barrow-in Furness /Blackpool North services now operated by First TransPennine Express. Transpennine Express also took over the Manchester Airport to Windermere service, but made the service infrequent as of 8 December 2007.

Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno/Holyhead, Chester to Crewe, Crewe to Holyhead, Bidston to Wrexham and Llandudno to Ffestiniog services are now operated by Arriva Trains Wales and the former First North Western route of Birmingham to Holyhead is now a service operated by both Arriva Trains Wales. North Western Trains also operated some services from Manchester to London for short time. However, Virgin Trains now have competition protection on that route and now run a more frequent and faster service than previously.

Rolling stock
Most of First North Western’s rolling stock was former British Rail trains. (New operator Northern Rail still have mainly former British Rail trains.) One new trains type were built for First North Western the 175s, which have since been transferred to Arriva Trains Wales.

The Class 175 replaced the old 101s and ran the following services: Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno (also one morning journey from Chester to Manchester via Altrincham which formed a service to Llandudno when it arrived at Manchester Piccadilly), Manchester Piccadilly to Holyhead, Crewe to Holyhead, Birmingham to Holyhead, Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness, Manchester Airport to Windermere and Manchester Airport to Blackpool North. Arriva Trains Wales runs the Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno, Holyhead, and Crewe to Holyhead.