▁rights ▁until ▁ 2 0 2 3 . ▁▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Pr ism ▁Rail ▁that ▁operated ▁the ▁L TS ▁Rail , ▁Valley ▁L ines ▁Tra ins , ▁Wales ▁& ▁West , ▁and ▁West ▁Ang lia ▁Great ▁Northern ▁franch ises ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁National ▁Express ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁latter ▁ow ning ▁nine ▁franch ises . ▁The ▁first ▁open ▁access ▁operator , ▁H ull ▁Tra ins , ▁comm enced ▁running ▁its ▁services ▁between ▁King ' s ▁Cross ▁and ▁H ull . ▁▁ 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 0 3 ▁▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Con nex , ▁which ▁had ▁operated ▁two ▁franch ises ▁in ▁the ▁south - east ▁of ▁England , ▁were ▁replaced ▁as ▁the ▁operator ▁of ▁the ▁Network ▁South Cent ral ▁franch ise ▁by ▁G ov ia , ▁who ▁began ▁operating ▁it ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁South ▁Central . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁a ▁new ▁franch ise , ▁the ▁Wales ▁& ▁B orders ▁franch ise ▁was ▁created ▁by ▁the ▁am alg am ation ▁of ▁Valley ▁L ines ▁and ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁services ▁in ▁Wales ▁and ▁the ▁B orders ▁held ▁by ▁Wales ▁& ▁West . ▁The ▁new ▁franch ise ▁was ▁initially ▁operated ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Wales ▁& ▁B orders . ▁The ▁remainder ▁of ▁Wales ▁& ▁West ' s ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁England ▁were ▁renamed ▁W esse x ▁Tra ins . ▁▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁Con nex , ▁having ▁already ▁lost ▁the ▁South ▁Central ▁franch ise ▁in ▁