First Capital Connect

First Capital Connect

Overview
Franchise(s)	Thameslink Great Northern 1 Apr 2006 – 13 Sep 2014
Main region(s)	East of England, London, South East England
Stations called at	approx. 129
Stations operated	77
Route km operated	778.9
National Rail abbreviation	FC
Parent company	FirstGroup
Website	www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk
Route map

First Capital Connect was a train company in England. It ran the Thameslink railway line between Brighton and Bedford and it ran services along the East Coast Main Line from King's Cross and Peterborough, Cambridge, and King's Lynn from 1 April 2006 to 13 September 2014.

It was owned by First Group.

On 14 September 2014, the franchise was taken over by Govia Thameslink Railway, and it became part of the larger Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise.

Rolling stock

First Capital Connect took on a fleet of Class 319 units from Thameslink. It also took on a fleet of Class 313, 317 and 365 units from WAGN on the Great Northern routes.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 03		Diesel Locomotive	28	46	1	Shunting	1957–1961
Class 313		EMU	75	120	44	Inner suburban Great Northern (Moorgate - Letchworth Garden City/Hertford North/Welwyn Garden City)	1976–1977
Class 317/1			100	160	12	Fast & Semi Fast Great Northern London King's Cross to Peterborough & Cambridge	1981–1982
Class 317/7					2	Used to provide cover for Class 365 units undergoing refurbishment. Withdrawn at end of franchise.
Class 319					84	Thameslink (Brighton - Bedford, Sutton - Luton and Kentish Town - Sevenoaks)	1987–1988 1990
Class 321					13	Fast & Semi Fast Great Northern London King's Cross to Peterborough & Cambridge	1989–1990
Class 365 Networker Express					40	Fast & Semi Fast Great Northern London King's Cross to Peterborough & King's Lynn via Cambridge	1994–1995
Class 377/2 Electrostar					11	Thameslink (Brighton - Bedford and peak services: Bedford - Ashford International/Rochester) Class 377/2s sub-leased from Southern.	2003–2004
Class 377/5 Electrostar					23		2008–2009

Depots

First Capital Connect operated two depots:

• Bedford Cauldwell - code BF
• Hornsey - code HE

Other websites

Media related to First Capital Connect at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website

Preceded by Thameslink Thameslink franchise	Operator of Thameslink and Great Northern franchise 2006 – 2014	Succeeded by Govia Thameslink Railway Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise
Preceded by West Anglia Great Northern West Anglia Great Northern franchise