Wessex Trains

It also operated services to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham International, Southampton Central, Brighton and London Waterloo.

In 2001 the Strategic Rail Authority decided to re-organise the Valley Lines and Wales & West franchises, both being operated by National Express.

Wessex Trains leased Class 31 locomotives from Fragonset to haul a set of Mark 2 carriages from 2002 on services from Cardiff and Bristol Temple Meads to Brighton and Weymouth.

[3][full citation needed] Wessex Trains' fleet was maintained at Cardiff Canton and Exeter depots.

This was part of a Strategic Rail Authority strategy to reduce the number of train operating companies providing services from London terminal stations.

A Wessex Trains Class 153 Super Sprinter at Plymouth in 2003.
A Class 150 Sprinter in West Country advertising livery. Many of these units were named after local attractions.
A Class 143 Pacer in advertising vinyls for the City of Bristol in 2005.