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C2C

The correct title of this article is c2c. The initial letter is capitalized because of technical restrictions.
For other uses of the term, see C2C.
Image:C2c logo.PNG
Franchise(s): c2c
May 1996 - 2011
Main Route(s): Fenchurch Street
to Shoeburyness via Basildon
Other Route(s): to Grays via Rainham
to Pitsea via Ockendon
Fleet size: 74 Class 357 Electrostar sets
Stations: 26 (24 managed)
Parent company: National Express Group
Web site: www.c2c-online.co.uk

c2c is a train operating company that provides train services, on a franchise basis, on the London, Tilbury & Southend line from Fenchurch Street in the City of London to East London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area including Basildon, Chafford Hundred (for Lakeside), Tilbury and Southend.

Contents

Management

c2c is a National Express Group company. The franchise began in May 1996 and expires in 2011. It was initially awarded to Prism Rail and was marketed as LTS Rail. [1] Prism Rail was purchased by National Express in September 2000 and the franchise was rebranded as c2c in 2002. The name could be conceived to represent city to coast, reflecting the nature of the route, however from the outset the operator has said it does not officially stand for anything in particular. [2] All stations on the route are managed by c2c with the exception of Fenchurch Street which is managed by Network Rail and West Ham which is managed by London Underground.

Ticketing

Unlike other rail operators in the London area, c2c allow Oyster card (including pay as you go) to be purchased at and used between Fenchurch Street, Limehouse, West Ham, Barking and Upminster. Travelcards charged to Oyster (but not pay as you go) can also be used at Dagenham Dock and Rainham.

Services

The typical off peak service consists of eight trains per hour (tph) arriving and departing Fenchurch Street:

  • 4tph to Shoeburyness via Basildon
    • of which 2tph do not stop at Limehouse, West Horndon or Pitsea
  • 2tph to Grays via Rainham
  • 2tph to Southend Central via Ockendon

During peak times there is a much increased service and some stopping services terminate short at Laindon or Grays while others run fast as far as Benfleet. Two late weekday evening services in each direction serve Stratford and Liverpool Street instead of running via West Ham, Limehouse and Fenchurch Street.

At weekends 1tph via Ockendon terminates at Pitsea instead of Southend Central. On Sundays the not-stopping service does not run and the Grays via Rainham service is reduced to a 1tph shuttle from Barking. A consultation exercise is underway throughout 2006 before a recast of the timetable in December 2006.

The London Underground District Line also serves Upminster, Barking, West Ham and Tower Hill (for Fenchurch Street). Tickets are fully interchangeable between the two operators. The District Line runs alongside the c2c tracks from Bow to Upminster with c2c services providing the fast, and the District Line the stopping, service. Cross-platform interchange is provided at Barking between the two services.

Performance

In 2005, c2c was named the most punctual rail service in Britain, with 95.3% punctuality. [3]

List of stations served

c2c from west to east
      Fenchurch Street LU
      Limehouse DLR   Liverpool Street LU
      West Ham LU   Stratford DLR LU
      Barking LU
  Dagenham Dock     Upminster LU
  Rainham   Ockendon  
  Purfleet   Chafford Hundred  
    Grays  
    Tilbury Town   West Horndon
    East Tilbury   Laindon
    Stanford-le-Hope   Basildon
      Pitsea
      Benfleet
      Leigh on Sea
      Chalkwell
      Westcliff
      Southend Central
      Southend East
      Thorpe Bay
      Shoeburyness

External links

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Current scheduled passenger train operators in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Domestic: Arriva Trains Wales - c2c - Central Trains - Chiltern Railways - First Capital Connect
First Great Western - First ScotRail - First TransPennine Express - Grand Central Railway1
GNER - Heathrow Connect - Hull Trains - Island Line - Merseyrail - Midland Mainline
Northern Rail - Northern Ireland Railways2 - 'one' - Silverlink - Southeastern - Southern
South West Trains - Virgin Trains
International: Enterprise 2 - Eurostar
Airport Link: Gatwick Express - Heathrow Express - Stansted Express3
Sleeper: Caledonian Sleeper4 - Night Riviera5
1 Starts December 2006 – 2 Operated on the Irish railway network - 3 Operated by 'one'
4 Operated by First ScotRail – 5 Operated by First Great Western