Great Western Trains (1996–1998): former routes and current operators
Great Western Trains was the original privatised Great Western intercity brand before First Great Western. It should be distinguished from both the historic Great Western Railway and today’s GWR passenger operation.
Reviewed 6 November 2026.
Operator history and changes
The Great Western franchise began in February 1996 under Great Western Holdings. Its principal role was intercity travel from London Paddington to the West of England and South Wales. The name did not cover every local train across the region: Thames Trains and the regional businesses that later became Wessex Trains had separate responsibilities.
FirstGroup acquired the remaining shares in Great Western Holdings in 1998, after already holding an interest in the group. The passenger identity became First Great Western. The network was substantially enlarged in 2006 and rebranded Great Western Railway in 2015. The short Great Western Trains period therefore belongs to the privatisation-era lineage, rather than being a continuation of the nineteenth-century company as the same legal business.
Former routes and principal stations
Historical London, Bristol and South Wales intercity services
The former franchise’s intercity network used Paddington and the Great Western corridor towards Bristol and South Wales.
Historical West of England intercity services
Longer-distance trains also reached Devon and Cornwall. The stations describe the corridor rather than every train’s stopping pattern.
Travelling on these routes today
Use current GWR information for the principal successor intercity routes. If an old guide says simply “Great Western,” establish whether it means the 1990s operator, the historic company or the modern brand. For a local stop between major towns, check the current calling pattern and any connecting train rather than assuming that an intercity service will call there.
Tickets and journey choices
Great Western Trains prices and promotions are archived. Current GWR fares have their own restrictions, availability and reservation arrangements. On a corridor shared with regional or Elizabeth line services, compare the permitted itinerary as well as the price; an earlier common railway geography does not establish modern ticket acceptance.
Accessibility and assistance
Use GWR’s present assistance information and the live station pages for your whole itinerary. Major stations and rural connections require different access checks. Historic train photographs and carriage descriptions from the Great Western Trains period cannot establish the accessible facilities or boarding arrangements of today’s service.
Sources and further information
Use the current operator's information to check the latest timetable, disruption and assistance arrangements for your travel date.