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|predecessor = [[Great North Eastern Railway|GNER]]
|successor = [[East Coast (train operating company)|East Coast]]
|website =[https://web.archive.org/web/20091002215412/http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/ nationalexpresseastcoast.com]
}}
{{NXEC route}}
'''National Express East Coast''' ('''NXEC'''){{#tag:ref|Legal name NXEC Trains Limited.<ref>{{cite report |url=http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/05876737 |format=Companies House extract |title=NXEC Trains Limited 05876737 |work=Register of Companies |publisher=Companies House |access-date=8 October 2012 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073628/http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/05876737 |url-status=live}}</ref>}} was a [[train operating company]] in the United Kingdom, owned by [[National Express]], that operated the [[InterCity East Coast]] franchise on the [[East Coast Main Line]] between London, Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland from December 2007 until November 2009.
During December 2006, the previous franchisee [[Sea Containers]], operating via its subsidiary [[Great North Eastern Railway]] (GNER), was stripped of the franchise after failing to meet overly-generous payments. During August 2007, National Express was awarded the franchise via a competitive tender; its bid was criticised for having offered similarly onerous payments to GNER. Within months of commencing operation in December 2007, NXEC became known for its cost-cutting measures and a noted drop in service level. The company became unable to meet its payment obligations, having forecast greater ridership than actually experienced while fuel costs had risen considerably. By early 2009, National Express was in talks with the government over possible financial assistance with the franchise. Months later, in light of National Express'
==History==
===Background===
The original [[InterCity East Coast]] franchise was awarded to the [[Bermuda]]-based transport and container leasing company [[Sea Containers]], which operated it from April 1996 until April 2005 via its subsidiary [[Great North Eastern Railway]] (GNER).<ref name = "grail rail2015">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.railmagazine.com/operations/franchises/from-poisoned-chalice-to-holy-grail |title = From poisoned chalice to Holy Grail? |date = 7 January 2015 |magazine=Rail Magazine|department=Franchises}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=10 April 1996 |page=10 |issue=276 |title=Sea Containers wins East Coast Main Line franchise |magazine=[[Rail
Sea Containers emerged as the victor, being awarded a new seven-year franchise by the [[Department for Transport]], commencing in May 2005, along with an option for a three-year extension dependent on performance targets being met.<ref>{{cite
In July 2006, rumours began circulating that Sea Containers would be prepared to sell its GNER franchise in an effort to stave off resorting to [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] proceedings to secure itself from its creditors.<ref>{{cite news |first=Alastair |last=Dalton |title=Sea Containers 'ready to sell GNER' to avoid bankruptcy |url=http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1036082006 |date=17 July 2006 |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |location=Edinburgh |access-date=17 July 2006 |archive-date=30 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070330152403/http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1036082006 |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2006, Sea Containers filed for [[bankruptcy]] protection under the US [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 process]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2006/oct/16/money |title=Sea Containers files for Chapter 11 protection |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309143701/http://www.theguardian.com/business/2006/oct/16/money |archivedate=9 March 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 October 2006 }}</ref> During December 2006, the [[Department for Transport]] announced its intention to strip Sea Containers of its franchise, although GNER continued to
===Tender and award===
In February 2007, the Department for Transport announced that [[Arriva]], [[FirstGroup|First]], [[National Express]] and [[Virgin Rail Group]] had been shortlisted to lodge bids for the new franchise.<ref>{{cite news |title=Four in East Coast rail shortlist |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6378159.stm |date=20 February 2007 |work=BBC News Online |access-date=18 October 2012 |archive-date=22 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222081041/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6378159.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2007, the Department for Transport awarded the Intercity East Coast franchise to National Express, leading to the creation of National Express East Coast (NXEC) shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract |publisher=[[Department for Transport]] |title=National Express awarded contract for growth on InterCity East Coast |access-date=14 August 2007 |date=14 August 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071219165508/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/icecf1/nxecawardedcontract |archive-date = 19 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="BBC6945367">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6945367.stm |title=National Express wins rail route |date=14 August 2007 |access-date=1 July 2009 |work=BBC News Online |archive-date=22 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222000026/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6945367.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>
Under the terms of its franchise agreement, National Express committed to paying a £1.4-billion premium to the Department of Transport over a time span of seven years and four months. However, numerous rail analysts at the time promptly voiced concerns that the company had paid too much for the franchise, and had effectively repeated GNER's mistake in order to secure the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://adamsmith.org/blog/transport/on-the-buses-200909044062/|title=On the buses|first=Nigel|last=Hawkins|publisher=Adam Smith Institute|date=4 September 2009|access-date=18 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805170748/http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/transport/on-the-buses-200909044062|archive-date=5 August 2012}}</ref> According to industry periodical ''Rail'', even the Department of Transport had classified National Express' bid as having "medium risk", although this would not be made public until years later.<ref name = "grail rail2015"/> Professor Felix Schmid of the University of
National Express's bid had included the stated ambition to increase capacity on its services, specifically to add up to 25 extra services each weekday from December 2010 along with a direct London-Lincoln train that would be operated at two-hourly intervals.<ref name = "grail rail2015"/> However, there was no mention of any new trains for achieving this capacity increase; instead, a number of recently withdrawn [[British Rail Mark 3]] coaches that had been previously operated by [[Virgin West Coast]] would be transferred over to NXEC's control.<ref name = "grail rail2015"/> Other promised improvement included the introduction of free [[Wi-Fi]] for passengers travelling in standard class, the provision of an additional 2,000 car parking spaces in close proximity to a number of its major stations, and a general reduction in journey times.<ref name = "bbc dec2007"/>
===Operations===
On 9 December 2007, NXEC commenced operations. Prior to this, the company's management had decided that, rather than incorporate (wholly or in part) the existing GNER branding, a fresh brand would to be adopted, including a distinct new livery intended to embody modernity; this would be rolled out over a two
By 2009, NXEC was under increasing financial pressure due to various factors, including compounding rises in fuel prices and the poor economic climate of the time, commonly known as the [[Great Recession]]. In contrast to the company's projected revenue increases during its franchise, NXEC's actual operating income (generated primarily from ticket sales) had decreased by 1 percent during the first half of 2009.<ref name="BBC8128430">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8128430.stm |title=Q&A: National Express and East Coast line |date=1 July 2009 |access-date=1 July 2009 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=30 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130005414/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8128430.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>
Line 78 ⟶ 79:
===Principal routes===
====
The service between King's Cross and Leeds was generally half-hourly, with all trains serving Wakefield Westgate, most trains serving Peterborough and Doncaster and some serving Stevenage, Grantham, Newark and Retford.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
Line 87 ⟶ 88:
===Other routes===
====London/
There were four trains per day serving Aberdeen departing Leeds at 07:10 and King's Cross at 10:30 (''[[Northern Lights (passenger train)|The Northern Lights]]''), 14:00 and 16:00 and Aberdeen at 07:52, 09:52 (The Northern Lights) and 14:50 for King's Cross and 18:16 for Edinburgh with a journey time from King's Cross of just over seven hours. These services were operated by HSTs, as the [[Edinburgh–Aberdeen line]] was not electrified.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
====
The ''[[Highland Chieftain]]'' ran between Inverness and King's Cross with a journey time of just over eight hours, departing Inverness at 07:55 and King's Cross at 12:00. This service was operated by a HST, as the [[Edinburgh to Dunblane Line|Edinburgh – Dunblane]] and [[Highland Main Line|Dunblane – Inverness]] lines were not electrified.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
====
The ''[[Hull Executive]]'' ran between Hull and King's Cross, departing Hull at 07:00 and King's Cross at 17:20. This service was operated by a HST as the Temple Hirst Junction – Hull Line was not electrified.
====
There was a 06:55 departure from Skipton and Keighley to King's Cross with an 18:03 return. This was an extension of a Leeds – King's Cross service. Though the line was electrified, the service was operated using a HST because the electrical infrastructure on the line was insufficient to support a Class 91 locomotive and the Class 333 EMUs that operate the local services. The Saturday running of the southbound service was the only NXEC southbound service from Leeds not to call at Wakefield Westgate. This service departed from Leeds and headed along the [[Leeds and Selby Railway|Leeds
====
There was a 06:30 service from Bradford Forster Square to King's Cross with a 17:33 return. This was an extension of a Leeds – King's Cross service and was operated by an InterCity 225 set.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
====
There was a Monday-Saturday 07:28 departure from Harrogate to King's Cross. However, there was no return journey. This was operated by an InterCity 125.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
===Named trains===
NXEC operated the following [[Lists of named passenger trains|named passenger trains]]:
* ''[[Hull Executive|The Hull Executive]]''
* ''[[Northern Lights (passenger train)|The Northern Lights]]''
* ''[[Highland Chieftain|The Highland Chieftain]]''
* ''[[Flying Scotsman (train)|The Flying Scotsman]]''
===Proposed routes===
====
A franchise commitment was to introduce a fifth service out of King's Cross each hour, operating to Lincoln and York on alternate hours from December 2010. It was reportedly proposed for NXEC to lease four [[British Rail Class 90|Class 90]] locomotives and additional Mark 3 coaches for use on the Leeds and York services, while HSTs were intended for use on the Lincoln services.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=|magazine=Rail Magazine |issue=573 |date=29 August 2007 |page=8 }}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=May 2023}} These plans were later shelved, while five Class 180s were leased instead. It was anticipated that one early morning train would start from Cleethorpes, serving Grimsby Town and Market Rasen, with one evening service to Lincoln extended to Cleethorpes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/6947419.stm |title=London route 'will boost county' |work=[[BBC News]] |date=15 August 2007 |access-date=16 August 2007 |archive-date=12 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812023746/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/6947419.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Rolling stock==
NXEC inherited from GNER a fleet of [[InterCity 125]] High Speed Train sets made up of [[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43]] power cars and [[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3 carriages]], and [[InterCity 225]] sets made up of [[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]] locomotives and [[British Rail Mark 4|Mark 4 carriages]] and [[Driving Van Trailer#Mark 4 DVT|Driving Van Trailer]]s. The HSTs were part way through an overhaul program, the power cars being overhauled by [[Brush Traction]] at Loughborough and re-engined with [[MTU Friedrichshafen|MTU 16V4000]] engines, and the carriages being refurbished by [[Wabtec#Wabtec Rail UK|Wabtec Rail]] at Doncaster. This programme was completed in 2009.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
NXEC offered free [[Wi-Fi]] to passengers in both first and standard class.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/en/Onboard-Our-Trains1/In-your-carriage/WiFi---Internet-Facilities/ |title=NationalExpress > WiFi |work=National Express |access-date=9 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.
To operate proposed new services from 2010, five [[British Rail Class 180|Class 180 ''Adelante'']] units were leased. These were never operated in revenue-earning service with NXEC, although three were sublet to [[Northern Rail]] during October 2008.<ref>{{cite magazine
During 2009, a HST that had been on lease while the fleet was refurbished, was returned to [[Porterbrook]] and sent to [[First Great Western]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
Line 129 ⟶ 130:
|+ Fleet at end of franchise
|-
! rowspan="2" | Class
! rowspan="2" |Image
Line 141:
! km/h
|-
|
|-
|[[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43]]
|[[File:NXEC HST King's Cross AB1.JPG|100px]]
Line 149 ⟶ 150:
|30
|rowspan="2"|{{plainlist|
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*Leeds
}}
|1976–1982
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3 carriage]]
Line 162 ⟶ 163:
|[[Passenger car (rail)|Passenger carriage]]
|117
|1975–1988
|-
|colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|'''[[InterCity 225]] trains'''
|-
|[[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]]
|[[File:91111 at Kings Cross 4.jpg|100px]]
Line 172 ⟶ 174:
|31
|rowspan="3"|{{plainlist|
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
*London King's Cross
}}
|1988–1991
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 4|Mark 4 carriage]]
Line 184 ⟶ 186:
|[[Passenger car (rail)|Passenger carriage]]
|302
|1989–1992
|-
|[[Driving Van Trailer#Mark 4 DVT|Driving Van Trailer]]
Line 209 ⟶ 211:
|[[British Rail Class 180|Class 180 ''Adelante'']]
|
|[[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]]
|125
|200
|5
|London King's Cross
|2000–2001
|}
Line 238 ⟶ 240:
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Defunct train operating companies in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:East Coast Main Line]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Railway companies established in 2007]]
[[Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2009]]
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