Riviera Trains Ltd was formed in 1996, with the intention of creating a charter train set of Mk1 coaching stock.

In the early days the train was made up of 4 x TSO's, an RMB, BSK and 2 x CK vehicles. It was based at Cranmore, East Somerset Railway.

In 1996 Regional Railways North West hired the TSO vehicles for their summer timetable to operate as strengthening vehicles on the locomotive hauled Birmingham-Holyhead diagram services. These trains were powered by EWS Class 37/4 locomotives.                          

In March 1997, Riviera Trains moved from Cranmore via Old Oak Common, to what was to become their new operational base, Crewe Carriage Shed. This depot was strategically located in the middle of the West Coast Mainline. Further expansion took place with additional FO and TSO vehicles joining the fleet.

This same year, the TSO vehicles again operated the North Wales Coast summer timetable services between Birmingham and Holyhead.

In the spring of 1999, Silverlink Trains experienced major problems with the reliability of older DMU passenger stock on the Bedford to Bletchley - Marston Vale line. They requested the use of two locomotive hauled train sets. Riviera Trains provided the coaching stock along with Fragonset, contributing several of their Class 31 locomotives. The diesel hauled services restored reliability on the Marston Vale line and proved to be very popular with passengers!

During 2000 Riviera Trains purchased their first mainline diesel locomotives; 37029 and 47705 for charter train use and ad-hoc hire.

In January 2001 an opportunity presented itself to acquire all 12 of the HSBC Mk2a "charter train" vehicles, known as ‘The Girls’ or locally ‘Tom’s Tarts’, latterly based in Cardiff Canton for Valley lines services. Combined with additional Mk2 FO vehicles becoming available, this enabled the coaching stock fleet to expand to cover the increased requirements for charter train requirements and "Special Event" trains.

The first of the ex Virgin Mk2e/f Cross-Country vehicles started to be handed back to HSBC Rail in the summer of 2002. Riviera Trains took the opportunity to immediately obtain quality central door lock fitted vehicles, for long term future use. Locomotive 47705 left Crewe for Brush works at Loughborough to become "spares donor" for the Porterbrook Virgin Class 57/3 project. When 47849 was found to not to be a suitable donor locomotive, 47705 stepped into its place and later became 57303 "Alan Tracy".

Towards the end of 2002, Riviera took delivery of two Class 47/8 locomotives from Porterbrook Leasing; 47839 & 47853. After repairs and maintenance had been carried out at EWS Toton Depot, 47853 moved light engine to Crewe Carriage Shed; while in the December 47839 went into the Toton paint shop to be repainted into Riviera's house colours of Oxford blue. The locomotive moved early in January 2003 to join 47853 at Crewe, forming the basis of what was to later become a small fleet of Class 47 locomotives.

2003 was a year of consolidation, running charter trains and continuing to develop the sporting event trains for Wales & Borders. In July 2003 a sudden request from Valley Lines was received to provide 4 sets of 4 Mk2f vehicles, replacing older vehicles that were no longer available for their use. With the help of EWS, all 16 vehicles were delivered to Cardiff Canton Depot within 36 hours of the request being made!

In early 2004, Virgin Cross-Country appointed EWS/Riviera to be the provider of the additional summer Saturday holiday locomotive hauled trains to the West Country. The need for additional coaching stock meant taking MK2f vehicles out of store from Shoeburyness and Kineton MOD depots. In the month of June, the very last Wolverhampton - Euston MK2f service vehicles became available, directly out of service from Oxley, and all moving to Crewe Carriage Shed. During the summer months Riviera provided 44 x Mk2f vehicles, with maintenance spares, providing Virgin Cross Country with 40 trains hauled by EWS Class 67 locomotives, operating services from Newcastle & Preston to Paignton and return.

Following the success of the Virgin summer Saturday train services, EWS/Riviera where asked to provide a 'Voyager' standby set consisting of an EWS Class 90 locomotive, 5 x Riviera MK2f vehicles along with a DVT to work the Manchester Piccadilly - Birmingham New Street diagrams.

The opportunity was taken to acquire two complete Class 47 locomotives from Harry Needle, following sale from EWS. Shortly after purchase in July 2004, 47839 & 47853 collected 47769 from Toton Depot and moved the locomotive to Bury (East Lancs Railway) for repairs. Riviera’s locomotive engineering team returned 47769 to use within 5 days of arrival! Later in the same month 47575, formally part of the EWS heritage pool, was collected from Motherwell Depot and moved to Barrow Hill for repair and repaint. It retains its 'Parcels' Red livery.

With the ongoing poor availability of Arriva Trains Wales North Wales Coast Class 175 units, Riviera Class 47/8 locomotives and coaching stock returned for 2 weeks of hire, working service trains between Manchester and Holyhead. This later extended to working Crewe - Holyhead diagrams into early 2005. Two weeks became a thirty-two week service!

Towards the end of 2004, with the identified need to obtain additional train heat locomotives, Riviera purchased seven working Class 47/8 locomotives, 47805, 47812, 47815, 47829, 47843, 47847 and 47848 from Porterbrook Leasing. These locomotives previously worked with Freightliner Heavy Haul and First Great Western Trains.

2005 was another very busy year with Riviera and EWS continuing to provide Virgin Cross Country with the Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly standby set. During the autumn leaf fall season, two standby sets where provided for a number of weeks to allow Virgin and their train maintainer Bombardier to sort out the Voyager power unit problems.

With a large number of sporting events being played in Cardiff, while the new Wembley Stadium was being built, Riviera continued to provide Arriva Trains Wales with additional train sets to move their extra passengers. The charter train business continued to grow with additional and interesting operations involving heritage diesels, VIP trains and filming work.

In December 2005 the call was again received to provide coaching stock for a daily loco-hauled diagram on the North Wales coast between Holyhead and Manchester. This time however, using spare Virgin West Coast Class 57 locomotives and Riviera Class 47/8 locomotives, covering the empty stock moves for maintenance. This short term contract managed to run until July 2006 and provided Arriva Trains Wales with a reliable service using quality coaching stock.

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