CrossCountry facts for kids

CrossCountry (officially called XC Trains Limited) is a British company that runs trains. It is owned by Arriva UK Trains. CrossCountry operates a special agreement called the CrossCountry franchise.

In 2006, the government's Department for Transport (DfT) decided to change how train services were run. They combined parts of two older train companies, Central Trains and Virgin CrossCountry, to create the new CrossCountry franchise. On 10 July 2007, Arriva was chosen to run these new services.

CrossCountry is special because it does not manage any train stations itself. Other train companies look after the stations, even if CrossCountry trains stop there. The company's agreement to run trains has been extended several times. It is now set to continue until 15 October 2027.

When CrossCountry first started, it used trains from the older companies. These included 34 four-car Class 220 Voyagers and 44 Class 221 Super Voyagers. It also got 29 Class 170 Turbostars. To carry more passengers, CrossCountry also added ten Class 43 power cars and forty Mark 3 carriages. Some of the Super Voyagers were moved to another train company.

The Voyager and Super Voyager trains were updated. They removed the shop areas to add more seats and luggage space. The Mark 3 carriages were also improved for modern travelers. Some Super Voyager and Turbostar trains were made longer to carry even more people.

CrossCountry's main hub is at Birmingham New Street station. It runs long-distance passenger trains all over Great Britain. However, its trains do not go into Greater London. CrossCountry operates the UK's longest direct train journey. This trip goes from Aberdeen in Scotland all the way to Penzance in Cornwall. This journey takes about 13 hours and 15 minutes.

Some services were changed when CrossCountry started. New services were also added, like a daily train from Nottingham to Bournemouth. CrossCountry has also chosen four stations as good places to change trains. These are Cheltenham Spa, Derby, Leamington Spa, and Wolverhampton.

History of CrossCountry Trains

How CrossCountry Started

In June 2006, the Department for Transport (DfT) decided to change how some train lines were managed. They created a "New Cross Country" service. This new service took over the existing InterCity Cross Country trains run by Virgin CrossCountry. However, it did not include services on the West Coast Main Line. Some services from the Central Trains company were also added.

In October 2006, four companies were invited to bid for the new contract. These were Arriva, FirstGroup, National Express, and Virgin Rail Group. On 10 July 2007, the DfT announced that Arriva had won the contract. CrossCountry officially started running trains on 11 November 2007. It took over services from Virgin CrossCountry. It also took over the Cardiff Central to Nottingham and Birmingham New Street to Stansted Airport services from Central Trains.

Changes to Train Routes

After CrossCountry took over, it continued to run the old train schedule for a few weeks. On 9 December 2007, a new timetable began. The Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central services were given to Virgin Trains West Coast. The Manchester Airport to Edinburgh and Glasgow services went to First TransPennine Express.

The government did not require CrossCountry to keep services past Guildford after December 2008. So, trains to Gatwick Airport and Brighton stopped running. Because of these changes, no CrossCountry trains now go into Greater London.

In December 2008, a new daily train service started from Nottingham to Bournemouth. From December 2010, some trains from Newcastle were extended. They now went from Reading to Southampton Central. In May 2011, some services were extended from Edinburgh to Glasgow.

Around mid-2020, CrossCountry reduced its services a lot. This was because fewer people were traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 15 June 2020, passengers and staff had to wear face coverings on public transport in England. This included CrossCountry trains.

Extending the Train Contract

The original contract for CrossCountry was supposed to end on 31 March 2016. However, in August 2013, it was extended until December 2019. Later, in September 2018, the plan to find a new company to run the trains was canceled. This was to allow time for new ideas about how train services should be managed. In July 2019, the contract was extended again, until October 2020.

In September 2020, it was announced that special agreements made during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom would be extended. All old train contracts in Great Britain were ended. In October 2020, the government confirmed that CrossCountry's contract was extended for three more years, until 15 October 2023. In September 2023, it was extended again for four more years, until 15 October 2027. There is even a chance for another four-year extension after that.

This new deal includes updating the current trains. It also allows for possibly adding more trains. Regular services linking Cambridge and Stansted Airport will return. By December 2024, daily services between Cardiff Central and Edinburgh Waverley will also be back.

Staff Actions and Agreements

Sometimes, there have been disagreements between CrossCountry and its staff. In November and December 2017, some train managers and conductors went on strike. This was about how their work shifts were planned, especially for Sundays. More strikes were planned but were canceled when an agreement was reached in January 2018.

Later that month, another union, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), also planned strikes. This was because CrossCountry staff were offered a smaller pay rise than staff at other companies owned by Arriva. These strikes were also canceled after CrossCountry agreed to match the pay rise demands.

CrossCountry was one of several train companies affected by the national railway strikes in the UK. These were the first national rail strikes in 30 years. CrossCountry workers voted to take action over pay and working conditions. Because many staff were involved, CrossCountry could only run a very small number of trains on strike days.

CrossCountry Services

CrossCountry runs trains for medium and long distances. These services do not go into the London area. The main center for their network is Birmingham New Street. Services are generally of two types:

• Inter-City: These are long-distance, fast trains. They connect the South of England with the North of England or Scotland, usually through Birmingham. Voyager trains typically run these routes.
• Regional: These are medium-distance trains that stop more often. They connect Birmingham with other cities in the Midlands. Some also go to Wales and East Anglia (like Cambridge and Stansted Airport). Turbostar trains usually operate these services.

CrossCountry's website shows these two types of services. For example, they have separate timetables for each.

Main Services

As of December 2023^[update], here are some of the main train services on weekdays:

Route map (June 2019)

These services together mean that trains run more often between Birmingham and these big cities:

• Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport, and Manchester: two trains every hour.
• Derby: at least three trains every hour.
  • Sheffield, York, Darlington, and Newcastle: at least one train every hour through Leeds.
  • Nottingham: two trains every hour.
• Leicester: two trains every hour.
• Leamington Spa, Oxford, and Reading: two trains every hour (one of which goes through Coventry).
• Cheltenham: three trains every hour.
  • Bristol: two trains every hour.

On Sundays, the train schedule is mostly similar to weekdays. However, trains usually start later in the morning or afternoon. They might also stop at slightly different stations.

Special Train Journeys

Class 221 Super Voyager at Manchester Piccadilly going to Bournemouth.

CrossCountry ran some special services from Bournemouth to Weymouth. This was for the Sailing events at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. There were two trains each way from Monday to Saturday, and one each way on Sundays. These trains went directly to Weymouth from Bournemouth.

Stations Only Served by CrossCountry

CrossCountry does not manage any stations. However, there are some stations where CrossCountry is the only train company that stops there. For example, five stations (Burton-on-Trent, Hinckley, Narborough, South Wigston, and Willington) are managed by East Midlands Railway. Three other stations (Coleshill Parkway, Water Orton, and Wilnecote) are managed by West Midlands Trains.

At Tamworth station, CrossCountry trains only use the high-level platforms. The whole station is managed by West Midlands Trains. Similarly, at Worcestershire Parkway, CrossCountry trains use the low-level platforms. This station is managed by Great Western Railway.

To make travel easier, CrossCountry has chosen four stations as good places to change trains. These are Cheltenham Spa, Derby, Leamington Spa, and Wolverhampton. Changing trains at these smaller stations can be quicker. For example, if you're going from Cardiff to Edinburgh, you could change at Cheltenham. Both your trains might even use the same platform there. This is easier than changing at a big, busy station like Birmingham New Street.

CrossCountry Trains

Class 170 Turbostar 170109 at Gloucester

Class 220 Voyager 220011 at St Erth, on its way from Penzance to Manchester Piccadilly

HST power car 43301 at Newcastle

CrossCountry trains only use diesel fuel. This is because none of the routes they travel on have electric power lines above the tracks.

When CrossCountry started, it received trains from the companies that came before it. These included 34 four-car Class 220 Voyagers and 44 Class 221 Super Voyagers from Virgin CrossCountry. It also got 29 Class 170 Turbostars from Central Trains.

Some of the Super Voyager trains were later moved to Virgin Trains West Coast. CrossCountry also bought ten Class 43 power cars and forty Mark 3 carriages. These were older trains that were updated. The Class 43 power cars had new engines installed. The Mark 3 carriages were also refurbished to be more modern.

Between 2008 and 2009, both the Voyager and Super Voyager trains were updated. This work involved removing the shop area. This allowed for more luggage space and extra seats for passengers. Later, in 2011, the train interiors were refreshed. The seats were recovered in new fabrics.

In November 2017, as part of a contract extension, two old Super Voyager driving cars were brought back into use. These were combined with a carriage from an existing five-car train to create an extra four-car train. In 2021, six of the two-carriage Class 170 trains were made longer. This happened because extra carriages became available from another train company.

Trains CrossCountry Uses Now

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Built
				mph	km/h
Bombardier Turbostar	170		DMU	100	160	7	2	1998–2002
						22	3
Bombardier Voyager	220 Voyager		DEMU	125	200	34	4	2000–2001
	221 Super Voyager					4	4	2001–2002
						20	5

Future Trains

In September 2023, it was announced that seven Class 221 "Super Voyagers" would join CrossCountry. These trains will come from Avanti West Coast. In March 2024, it was announced that five more Class 221 Super Voyagers would also transfer from Avanti West Coast. All 58 of CrossCountry's current Voyager trains will be updated. The regional Turbostar trains will also be refurbished.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Built
			mph	km/h
221 Super Voyager		DEMU	125	200	12	5	2001–2002

Trains CrossCountry Used to Have

The last InterCity 125 trains stopped running on 18 September 2023. The very last service was the 4:27 PM train from Plymouth to Leeds.

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Built
				mph	km/h
InterCity 125	43		Diesel locomotive	125	200	12	2+7	1976–1982
	Mark 3		Passenger carriage			40		1975–1988

See also

In Spanish: CrossCountry para niños