Following multiple applications for track access rights, it launched its operations on the East Coast Main Line between Sunderland and London King's Cross in December 2007.

One such service, from London Euston to Blackpool North via the West Coast Main Line, was scheduled to begin in 2021, but the initiative was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several bids were submitted under the Grand Central name by Ian Yeowart and a consortium of ex-British Rail managers to operate Midland Mainline and Regional Railways North East franchises.

[10] During June 2003, Grand Central applied to the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) to operate a two-hourly open-access service from Newcastle to Bolton via the Caldervale Line and Manchester Victoria using InterCity 125 trains from Virgin CrossCountry.

[18][19] In response to the acquisition, Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) threatened to sever business ties with Fraser Eagle Group, with which it had active contracts to provide rail replacement buses.

[22][23][24][25] In March 2006, the ORR granted Grand Central access rights for three daily Sunderland to London King's Cross services.

[26][27][28] After unsuccessfully attempting to have the process reversed at an ORR hearing, the franchised operator GNER sought a judicial review of the decision to grant Grand Central access rights, but this was rejected by the High Court in July 2006.

[29][30][31] During March 2007, it was announced that Fraser Eagle had sold its 79% shareholding in Grand Central for £10 million to a pair of former managers of Prism Rail, who were backed by a private equity group.

[42][43] During March 2008, Grand Central applied to the ORR to operate three daily services from Bradford Interchange to London King's Cross.

[citation needed] Contrary to tradition in British named train services, these were individual one-way trips rather than pairs.

In the 2008 timetable, the name The Zephyr was given to the early morning (06:41) departure from Sunderland, while the evening (16:50) train from London was called The 21st Century Limited.

[73] In December 2017, Grand Central announced plans to bid for a service from London King's Cross to Cleethorpes in early 2018 for a date in 2020.

During February 2005, Grand Central lodged an application with the Office of Rail Regulation to operate a three times a day York to Chester via the Caldervale Line service with Class 158s.

[22][85] In September 2006, Grand Central announced a proposal to run services from Bradford Interchange via Huddersfield and the West Coast Main Line to London Euston.

This service would have called at Halifax, Brighouse, Huddersfield, Stalybridge, Guide Bridge, Stockport, Crewe, Lichfield Trent Valley, Tamworth and Nuneaton.

[90] In November 2010, Grand Central applied to the ORR to operate a new service running four times a day in each direction between Blackpool North and London Euston via the West Coast Main Line, calling at Poulton-le-Fylde, Kirkham & Wesham, Preston, Hartford, Tamworth and Nuneaton.

[94][95] In June 2018, the ORR approved the new application for a seven-year track-access agreement for five direct services from Blackpool North to London Euston, calling at Poulton-le-Fylde, Kirkham and Wesham, Preston, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes Central from September 2019.

[100] Grand Central's application to the ORR in February 2005 had proposed using Class 67 locomotives hauling five Mark 3 carriages and a Driving Van Trailer.

It was then proposed to use a fleet of Bombardier Transportation five-carriage Class 222 units, similar to those already in use with Midland Mainline and Hull Trains.

[106][107] Due to delays encountered during the overhauls, Grand Central investigated leasing spare InterCity 125 sets from Midland Mainline.

[112][113][114][115] In March 2010, the InterCity 125s were sold to Angel Trains which funded an overhaul including re-powering the Class 43 at Brush Traction with MTU 16V4000R41 engines.

The company received five additional Class 180 Adelante sets from Great Western Railway (GWR), made available due to the rollout of the Intercity Express Programme.

[131] In June 2023 it was announced that Grand Central would be leasing two Class 221 units (numbers 221142 and 221143) for use on services between London King's Cross and Bradford.

[132] Grand Central were to procure sets for services between Blackpool North and London Euston, made up of six Mark 4 coaches hauled by a Class 90 locomotive, and tailed by a driving van trailer, however these were returned off-lease due to the cancellation of the route.