National Express East Coast
In 2009, the company obtained significant losses and decided to bail on the franchise, leaving the government to directly operate the railway under the brand East Coast, and the government in turn decided to terminate National Express's other franchise National Express East Anglia 3 years early. 6 years on, National Express only operates one franchise, from the nine in operated in 2003. It remains to date only the second time an operator has defaulted on its franchise.