The most UNRELIABLE operator? | Failed franchises #19: Central Trains

Hello & welcome to the nineteenth episode of Failed Franchises. In this series I look at train companies that have failed at their franchise agreements or have been criticised by passengers & industry alike to decide whether or not an operator is a failure or not. Today is the also the fourth episode of my Midland Mainline operators series where I look at the privatised operators of the MML as well as my first episode of my WCML operators miniseries where I look at the local operators of the West Coast Mainline!
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Soi Buakhao: / @soibuakhaoroutemasterbus
Any views mentioned in this video are of my opinion and my opinion only. I am impartial and will never be swayed by a company to not tell the truth, however will sometimes speak from my own viewpoint. I always attempt to use sources that are from sites that I personally trust; BBC, Sky News etc. and I will always attempt to portray the whole picture of the subject in my videos. If you feel I haven't, or if I've mistakenly missed something - do let me know in the comments, on my Discord or my Twitter/Instagram & I'll be sure to look into it! Thanks for watching!
References (including accredited sources):
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Central Trains website
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[@Vanmanyo]

Hey! If you did enjoy this video and aren't subscribed (over 75% of you are not!), please do consider subscribing as it means a huge deal for me so I would hugely appreciate it thank you :D Also do check out my discord server and my socials in the description. Finally, a huge thanks to those who have allowed me to use their footage for todays video - whom without this video would not be possible to make; Mark Appleby: www.youtube.com/@markappleby3282 Public Transport UK | Catch One Today: www.youtube.com/@video47 SimonTrains: www.youtube.com/@@Sim0nTrains Soi Buakhao: www.youtube.com/@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus

[@AberdonaiBrum101]

Overall a nice documentary,A operator I haven’t known a lot about,Educational but entertaining.

[@AFCManUk]

Heh... I remember the old Central Trains TV advertisement, with the tagline "Central Trains . . . GO!" We often replaced it with, "Central Trains. . .SLOW!" or "Central Trains . . . WOAH!" :D

[@cjmillsnun]

or "Central Trains. NO"

[@EuroDC1990]

Definitely a failed franchise, partly due to their own lack of investment and partly down to a very badly drawn franchise map combining lots of services that really shouldn't have gone together. It still boggles my mind that Liverpool to Norwich is EMT when it should either be a proper intercity service run by CrossCountry or split to become TPE Liverpool to Nottingham (potentially using the Dore curve to avoid Sheffield and instead traveling via Derby to improve Manchester to Derby/Nottingham journey times) and EMR Sheffield to Ely (splitting there with half to Norwich and half to Cambridge). Unfortunately it seems like Central Trains were trying to run intercity trains as regional express trains, regional expresses as local trains. A problem that often persists to this day.

[@edmonddaramy-williams625]

I agree with your analysis on the Liverpool to Norwich route. It has far too many station stops as well. I'd also agree that splitting services at Ely (or better, Peterborough) is the best way to serve East Anglia from the North. Cambridge-bound services could terminate at Stansted and then proceed to Colchester and Ipswich once HS5 is completed at some point this century.

[@andrewbowen4544]

Another failed franchise featuring National Express again. They should stick with coaches and buses but then again those are failing too.

[@DKS225]

I have to second that comment. You give NatEx a rail franchise and there's a 90% Guarantee that they would stuff it up.

[@konadesu]

You should see their busses, can't wait until TFWM takes them under control

[@BBS7523]

@@konadesutheir not as bad as the trains were, but extremely underwhelming time keeping

[@davepearson3992]

​@konadesu afraid its a franchise system not council run so the same operators will run the buses

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Totally agree with you.

[@mattingham83]

Worth noting that the trains on the Trent Valley/Birmingham to Stafford were withdrawn due to the four-tracking of the line. I worked at CT from 2002 through to the end, and things had got better by the end of the franchise. We did what we could with the resources available. It is worth noting that CT couldn't just turn around and order a whole raft of trains, for example: you have to factor in the DfT who were funding the franchise through subsidy. And rather than pay to have a load of new staff, as is the case with pretty much all franchises since privatisation, it is cheaper to pay the overtime. Which doesn't work when people don't want to work it... The silly thing was that the lessons from the through running of trains at Birmingham New Street wasn't learned, and WMT's timetable in 2018 proved rather catastrophic.

[@Vanmanyo]

Thank you Matt! Hope you found the video interesting nonetheless 😆

[@mattingham83]

@@Vanmanyo Oh definitely. Brought back memories, some good and some bad! It was an interesting time working there, and I do miss some aspects. My first day at work CT cancelled my train to Birmingham, then there was a massive power failure in Birmingham city centre. Was also the day Virgin XC lauched their new Operation Princess. Maybe it was an omen… I tried to have a good rapport with a lot of the customers I dealt with - they knew things weren’t going right all the time, and the way I saw it was that you had to be honest and frank with them.

[@Vanmanyo]

@@mattingham83 haha sounds like you had an eventful first day to say the least!

[@DKS225]

The Central Trains route map is rather extensive. On all points of the compass all converging on Birmingham as well as one of my favourite branches The Cambrian Coast.

[@greateasternj69]

Finally a video on my favourite early privatisation era train operating companies. Use to see CT operating out of Ely to Norwich during my youth, and I used to sometime rid on their service to see my aunt with my mum when she used to live in Norwich. I actually really liked the livery they used on their trains, especially the Class 170s as it made them look like they had blue coloured hair on the roofs of their cab. From what I've heard and read online, I can clearly see that CT weren't the most reliable operator, especially within their main region, having to deal with strikes, delays and other problems. And I think I can see why, looking at their network map even as far back as when they first started. While their network was extensive, and while they did have competition within certain areas at the time. Such as in East Anglia with Anglia Railways, and some areas in the East Midlands with one of the early Northern franchises and in Wales's and the borders of it. They pretty much had too much of a monopoly within their main operating region, that being the Midlands as a whole. So, CT were essentially Northern 1.0 only worse than the later Northern franchises, and people in the North thought Northern trains was bad and had too much of a monopoly that led to delays, the midlands suffered the same crap as well earlier on.

[@craigymarsh941]

Please do a failed franchise video about Wessex Trains.

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Indeed. And Wales & West.

[@mattm430]

Learnt a few new things from this so thanks for doing it. However I don't think you can blame Central Trains for the lack of new rolling stock - this was generally dictated by the DfT

[@Vanmanyo]

Completely valid point!

[@stalbanstransport]

Great videos. This is fear occupies my Friday nights

[@Vanmanyo]

Thank you so much I really appreciate it ☺️☺️ am very glad you enjoy them and can fill your evenings! Definitely good to watch whilst playing a game or multitasking!

[@stalbanstransport]

@@Vanmanyo yep. I eat my food and play games while watching your videos

[@gavlptvbk8665]

I’m not sure you can blame the poor punctuality on ‘ageing rolling stock,’ it was less than 20 years old during the franchise and most is still in service today.

[@JackGourdon-je4ze]

nice video Van!

[@kevanhubbard9673]

Central were ok,well on the routes I used.I had a girlfriend in Liverpool and I use to go on the Birmingham Liverpool CT service a lot and rarely had a problem.I also did the Hereford Birmingham route a fair bit and don't recall any notable problems.Mind it didn't use them in the East Midlands much so i can't really comment on how they ran.In my view the main problem came after CT when London Midland hadn't employed enough train drivers and no doubt the MD/CEO said,"nuffink to do with me Guv go and see the Department of Transport!"

[@Trainorama]

skegness mentioned!!!

[@Vanmanyo]

Not something to be celebrated

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Did Central Trains ran to Skegness? I don’t remember if they did ran to Skegness. I do know that EMR operates to Skegness from Nottingham and Lincoln.

[@FormallyknownasE100]

Lovely these! Caledonian / Scotrail would be great

[@StuAnderson90]

I feel responsible I asked for this vid.. not a good era for the railway 😢

[@Vanmanyo]

Thank you for asking - will be a good series I hope 😃 Yes central did not seem that great...

[@StuAnderson90]

@@Vanmanyo having lived through it, it was terrible you went to the station in hope rather than expectation, One thing you didn't touch on is the reason why staff wouldn't work sunday's although i never worked for the company i was reliably informed CT managers was was so bad that even the staff didn't believe in the company, so they worked to rule only.

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Central Trains which merged with Silverlink Trains did operate some good services across The Midlands stretching from Norwich in East Anglia to Cardiff in South Wales. Would be nice to see it Central Trains did come back.

[@Andrewjg_89]

I remember Central Trains and used them a couple times when I used to live in Norfolk. But I have heard that they weren’t as good.

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

I have seen Central Trains at Norwich and also at Ely and Peterborough.

[@mjt8199]

It was doomed to fail from the start.

[@Mrmayhembsc]

I only used Central Trains a few times from either from stamford/peterborough back in the day and my merory is the stunk to high heaven. WAs till EMT and CC took over the route I start regularly taking the routes

[@alanshelly7068]

They even came down to Lowestoft on the east coast

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Never knew that Central Trains went all the way to Lowestoft. You sure?

[@alanshelly7068]

@Anonymoususer_2023 oh yes buddy

[@RandomUsername3040]

Class 323’s slowing getting replaced by 730’s as I’m from Scotland we do not get 323’s up here so good video

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Northern are getting the remaining Class 323s from West Midlands Railway and some to be stored.

[@martyncarroll5035]

Lemington Spa!!!!

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

Leamington Spa.

[@olivergeorge4394]

4.2k in 1 day… fell off mate

[@Vanmanyo]

prigozhin