CrossCountry

Since 2007 CrossCountry has provided passenger services to more of Britain than any other train operator, including Britain’s longest passenger service from Aberdeen to Penzance

CrossCountry runs five high-speed trains (HSTs), 58 Voyager trains and 29 Turbostar trains. The Voyagers, built by Bombardier and maintained at their purpose-built facility in Staffordshire, are formed of four or five coaches and sometimes coupled together to provide longer trains. These trains are the backbone of CrossCountry’s North-South long-distance services.

The HSTs are formed of seven coaches and operate selected services on the Anglo-Scottish route via the East Coast. All five sets are currently being updated to modern specifications for accessibility, including powered external doors and controlled emission tanks for all toilets.

All CrossCountry’s HST will have been modified by the end of 2019, and maintenance for these has now moved from Scotland to GWR’s depot at Laira in Devon.

The Turbostars are formed of two or three coaches, operating in single or multiple formations depending on demand, and operate between Cardiff and Nottingham, Birmingham and Stansted Airport, and Birmingham and Leicester. These are maintained by West Midlands Rail at Tyseley Depot in the West Midlands.

Partnership promoting safety

Since the launch of the partnership between CrossCountry and The UK Scout Association in 2017 the partnership has gone from strength to strength.

Following the release of a special safety film, and an additional safety leaflet, many thousands of Cub Scouts have successfully completed the programme to collect their Personal Safety Badge, making it one of the Scouts most popular badges in the UK.

The partnership’s achievement in promoting safe and responsible behaviour amongst Britain’s youth has also been on the receiving end of several awards, being recognised by both rail industry and external organisations. Most notably, recognition has been given by the Global Good Awards, International CSR Excellence and Peer Awards, against strong competition from some of the largest UK and European brands and internationally recognised businesses.

Support for the regions it serves 

CrossCountry has continued its commitment to delivering activities that benefit the customers and communities it serves.

A partnership with Newcastle College Rail Academy is successfully supporting their work in educating the youth of tomorrow, by promoting the many and widespread careers across the rail sector. CrossCountry has already donated over £50,000 worth of IT equipment to the Academy and led several specialist sessions to provide students with an in-depth overview of Britain’s railways.

CrossCountry also supports seventeen Community Rail Partnerships along its routes, working with them on a range of varied activities to strengthen their work bringing rail and its services closer to the communities where they are based. These have included projects to promote rail travel, and others to enhance local stations and offer local services. A nationwide project with the Association of Community Rail Partnerships has also seen the development of a social enterprise toolkit to show locally-based groups the best ways to set up sustainable and effective businesses to support their work.

Andy Copper, CrossCountry’s Managing Director said: ‘Customers have responded very positively towards our community-based initiatives and we aim to continue our efforts in providing benefits to the towns, cities and regions that our trains serve.

‘The importance of working with communities cannot be overstated. From the earliest days the railways have been the driving force behind social change, expanding the horizons of communities and shaping the economic development of Britain.’