Silverlink Trains: All Images

Silverlink Train Services Ltd, owned by National Express Group, operated routes in North London and from London Euston to Northampton (and until 2004, to Birmingham via Coventry). The franchise was awarded to National Express on 7th February 1997, when it was agreed they would take over North London Railways Ltd, a shadow franchise created when the Network South East sector of British Rail began to be prepared for privatisation on 1 April 1994. The franchise began on 3rd March 1997 and was due to end on 15th October 2006, but on 11th August 2006 the DfT extended the franchise to finish on 11th November 2007. The company's name was changed from North London Railways to Silverlink in September 1997. Silverlink trains had two sub-brands: Silverlink County which operated services between London Euston and Northampton, Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey, and between Bletchley and Bedford; and Silverlink Metro which operated services between Stratford and Richmond, Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction, London Euston to Watford Junction via Queen's Park and Willesden Junction, and Gospel Oak and Barking. The Silverlink franchise ended in November 2007 its two operations split, Silverlink County services were merged with part of Central Trains to form the new West Midlands franchise, London Midland and Silverlink Metro services (the North London Line, the West London Line, the Watford DC Line and the Gospel Oak to Barking line) have come under the control of Transport for London under the banner of the London Overground.