LOROL
Encyclopedia
London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL), initially known as MTR Laing, is a train operating company
contracted to operate the London Overground
train service on the National Rail
network, under the franchise control of Transport for London
. The company is a 50:50 joint venture
between the Hong Kong
metro rail operator MTR Corporation
and the German
rail operator DB Regio
(a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG).
In December 2007, Henderson Group
, the parent company of John Laing plc, announced the sale of the Laing Rail division (which comprised half of LOROL, Chiltern Railways
and a stake in the Wrexham & Shropshire open-access railway operator), and in April 2008, Deutsche Bahn announced it had bought Laing Rail.
In 2005 LOROL (then MTR Laing) bid unsuccessfully for the Thameslink
/Great Northern
franchise; the franchise was awarded to First Group, which branded its services First Capital Connect
.
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
contracted to operate the London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
train service on the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network, under the franchise control of Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
. The company is a 50:50 joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
metro rail operator MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong...
and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rail operator DB Regio
DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
(a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG).
Operations
The formal contract to operate the Overground was signed on July 2, 2007, and LOROL commenced operation on 11 November 2007. The contract lasts seven years, with the option of a two-year extension.History
LOROL was formed in 2007 as MTR Laing, a joint venture between MTR and Laing Rail. In preparation for the launch of the Overground, MTR Laing renamed itself London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL).In December 2007, Henderson Group
Henderson Group
Henderson Group plc is a global investment management company with its principal place of business in the City of London. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. It is also listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as a member of the ASX200 index...
, the parent company of John Laing plc, announced the sale of the Laing Rail division (which comprised half of LOROL, Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
and a stake in the Wrexham & Shropshire open-access railway operator), and in April 2008, Deutsche Bahn announced it had bought Laing Rail.
In 2005 LOROL (then MTR Laing) bid unsuccessfully for the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
/Great Northern
Great Northern Route
The Great Northern Route is the name of the suburban rail services run on the southern end of Britain's East Coast Main Line and associated branches. Services operate to or from and in London...
franchise; the franchise was awarded to First Group, which branded its services First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
.