Managing Director, Grand Union Trains

Ian Yeowart

Ian Yeowart has been in the forefront of delivering improved rail provision for passengers during his time with British Rail, and within the privatised system by delivering a number of new rail services through ‘open access’.

Ian founded and developed Grand Central in 1999, which operates new and competitive rail services from Sunderland and along the East Coast through York to London King’s Cross, and from West Yorkshire through Doncaster to London King’s Cross. Ian also founded Alliance Rail Holdings in 2009, whose GNWR services were given permission in 2018 to operate from Blackpool to London Euston along the West Coast.

Ian now leads Grand Union Trains, which received approval for new train services between Carmarthen and London Paddington and Stirling and London Euston which are soon to become operational as part of Lumo.

Grand Union is now developing plans for new services to link Wales and Scotland and also to re-introduce passenger rail services on the ‘Waterside Line’ by the New Forest for the first time since 1966.