18 November 2025

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6

expired franchise

replaced
< North London Railways TOU

was replaced by
London Midland >
(London Overground)

start date
2 March 1997
end date
11 November 2007

owned by
National Express Group plc

legal title
North London Railways Ltd

description
A first-generation franchise lasting 7 years and 6 months which inherited the routes of the North London Railways subsector of BR Network SouthEast.

Franchise commitments included the replacement of slam-door diesel units on the Bletchley-Bedford and Gospel Oak-Barking routes.

The original brand was replaced by ‘Silverlink’ in September 1997, with two subsidiary route brands of ’County’ for the main London to Birmingham services and related routes and ‘Metro’ for the local lines in London.

The original termination date of 17 October 2004 was extended by the Strategic Rail Authority for two years to 17 October 2006 on 17 September 2004. The terms of the extended contract included new Class 350 trains for London–Northampton services.

The Department for Transport announced on 18 October 2005 that Silverlink County services would become part of the new West Midlands franchise, and that the Silverlink franchise would be extended to the autumn of 2007. On 14 February 2006 the DfT said that the Mayor of London was to take responsibility for Silverlink Metro services in November 2007.

service area
London Euston–Milton Keynes Central–Northampton–Rugby–Coventry–Birmingham New Street. London Euston–Harrow & Wealdstone–Watford Junction (local service). Watford Junction–St Albans Abbey/Croxley Green. Bletchley–Bedford. Willesden Junction–Clapham Junction. Richmond–Willesden Junction–Stratford (–North Woolwich until December 2006). Gospel Oak–Barking.

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