Charter Alliance launched for quality specialist passenger rail services

Riviera Trains and EWS Network are pleased to announce the launch of the Charter Alliance, a dedicated provider of reliable and high class specialist passenger rail services.

The Charter Alliance will build upon the strengths of both Rivera Trains and EWS Network in the supply of charter trains to a wide range of customers, including businesses, football clubs, film companies and individual customers. This is an alliance that provides stability and certainty for customers, and creates a service provider with over 20 combined years of consistent and reliable service delivery.

Riviera Trains is the leading provider of charter trains to a wide range of rail touring companies and EWS Network is the most reliable and dedicated operator of specialist passenger services in Britain. The strengths of each company, combined through the Charter Alliance, will build upon the exceptional reputation of both companies to make the strongest and most reliable charter trains provider in Britain. From the initial enquiry to the last passenger stepping off the train and onto the platform, the Charter Alliance will plan and deliver the train service exactly as promised for its customers.

The Charter Alliance will be launched on Sunday 1 April. The first trains to be operated by the Charter Alliance will be four private football specials – two for Bristol Rovers Football Club and two for Doncaster Rovers Football Club. These trains will convey nearly 2,500 travelling supporters to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Barry Cordell, Managing Director of Riviera Trains, said: “The Charter Alliance combines the expertise of both Rivera Trains and EWS Network. This is an exciting development in the charter train market and has opened a range of new and exciting business opportunities.”

Stuart Boner, Managing Director of EWS Network, said: “This is an alliance built on over 20 years of consistent, reliable and quality led service to the wide range of customers in the charter market. By creating the alliance we have both underlined our commitment to deliver an exceptional level of service to this market. Certainty of supply and providing quality services to customers is our objective. We are convinced this mission is now strengthened under the Charter Alliance.”

Notes to Editors:

• For further information please contact Graham Meiklejohn, EWS Media and Public Affairs Manager, on 07801 905363 or graham.meiklejohn@ews-railway.co.uk
• The EWS Network website address is www.ews-network.co.uk
• EWS Network forms part of EWS. Since EWS was established in February 1996, and since then has played a major role in increasing the amount of freight moved on the rail network by 60%.
• Other companies owned by EWS include EWS International (operator of services through the Channel Tunnel), Euro Cargo Rail (a supplier of rail freight services in France and Germany), Engineering Support Group (a consultancy for rail engineering solutions), Railway Approvals Ltd (a company that enables new locomotives and wagons to be approved for operation on Network Rail’s infrastructure), Marcroft Engineering Ltd (an engineering maintenance firm). In addition, Axiom Rail (a supplier of maintenance, refurbishment, leasing solutions and suspension systems), EWS Construction, EWS Energy, EWS Industrial and EWS Network which are trading and brand names.