Grand Northern, is an open-access passenger train operating company that has been set up by the parent company of Grand Central Railway with a view to running two separate train services in the United Kingdom. It had proposed services along the West Coast Main Line (WCML) from London Euston to Bradford Interchange via Huddersfield (also calling at Stockport and Alderley Edge), which was withdrawn in August 2008. At the same time, it has proposed a semi-fast service between Doncaster and Bradford Interchange, using the same route that Grand Central proposed using for its King's Cross-Bradford services.

Network Rail had concluded that there would not be enough paths available in the 2008 indicative timetable for the London Euston to Bradford Interchange service to operate as proposed without affecting other services. and suggested that a substantial re-write of the WCML timetable would have been required there was also an issue that the Virgin Trains route between London Euston and Stockport is currently protected from competing services.

In March 2008, Grand Union submitted a track access application for paths along the East Coast Main Line (ECML) for services to Bradford. This application follows the route to Doncaster, before travelling along the ECML to London King's Cross, and calls for up to six services in each direction per day. These services are planned using capable rolling stock, either in the form of further HSTs or Class 180 Adelante trains.

Grand Union hopes to utilise the same new build rolling stock that Grand Central plan to lease from Sovereign Trains in around 2010.

Doncaster-Bradford

• Doncaster
• Pontefract Monkhill
• Wakefield Kirkgate
• Brighouse
• Halifax
• Bradford Interchange

References and notes

External links

• Grand Central letter to the Office of Rail Regulation - includes Grand Union proposal.