Lumo In Discussions To Operate Glasgow Services
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from FirstGroup.
These four paragraphs give more details.
FirstGroup, the leading private sector transport operator, today announces that its popular open access rail service Lumo is in discussions with Transport Scotland and Network Rail to extend some of its London-Edinburgh trains to and from Glasgow.
Having identified opportunities to extend a number of daily journeys to and from Glasgow in the timetables for 2025 and beyond, work will now continue with Transport Scotland and track infrastructure manager Network Rail to agree final route options and timings ahead of an application for access rights to the Office of Rail and Road (‘ORR’), the industry regulator.
If successful, the new services could be in operation from next summer.
Lumo’s proposed new offering will improve links for customers travelling between Newcastle and Glasgow, giving people a choice of services without needing to change trains. In addition, a significant number of users of Lumo’s current London-Edinburgh trains go on to travel through to Glasgow via other connections, and through this move, Lumo aims to offer a direct through service for these customers.
I have a few thoughts.
There Appears To Be A Need For An Affordable London And Glasgow Service
This is the last sentence of my extract from the press release.
In addition, a significant number of users of Lumo’s current London-Edinburgh trains go on to travel through to Glasgow via other connections, and through this move, Lumo aims to offer a direct through service for these customers.
This looks to be a service, that has been suggested by an analysis of passengers’ tickets.
Which Station Will Lumo Use In Glasgow?
Consider.
- The current LNER service between London King’s Cross and Glasgow, uses Glasgow Central station and it takes 66 minutes between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central stations.
- LNER’s service also calls at Haymarket and Motherwell.
- ScotRail services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street take about 49-50 minutes.
I suspect, that Lumo will take the faster route.
Newcastle And Glasgow Is A New Route
Currently, all passengers between Glasgow and Newcastle have to change at Edinburgh.
This will be the first direct train in my memory, except for LNER’s single daily service between London and Glasgow Central, which stops at Newcastle.
What About The Football?
Glasgow is very much about football.
Would it be possible to use Lumo to see a match starting at 15:00 on a Saturday afternoon, if you lived in London?
- The 05:48 train from King’s Cross on a Saturday arrives in Edinburgh at 10:07.
- Trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow take fifty minutes, so I feel it would be reasonable to be able to get to Glasgow by 10:57.
This time would be more than early enough to have a few swift halves and see the match if it started at 15:00.
But would it be possible to get back to London after the match?
- The last train leaves Edinburgh at 17:55 and arrives in King’s Cross at 22:26.
- Applying the fifty minute journey time between Edinburgh and Glasgow means it will leave at 17:05.
- It appears that from Ibrox and Celtic Park to Glasgow Central or Glasgow Queen Street station is about twenty minutes.
On the current timetable, it would appear to be possible, but tight.
One alternative would be to take the Caledonian Sleeper back to London. But it doesn’t appear to run on a Saturday night.
Coaches do run and an overnight coach costs around twenty pounds.
It looks like if Lumo ran a service about 18:00 on a Saturday to London, it wouldn’t run empty.
Will Lumo Need More Trains?
In the press release, FirstGroup plc Chief Executive Officer Graham Sutherland, is quoted as saying.
Once preferred route options and timings have been agreed, discussions will continue with Network Rail and the ORR to secure the required approvals. The journeys would be operated within the existing Lumo fleet of all-electric trains and it is anticipated that the additional services could begin in summer 2025.
That looks to me, that they will not be obtaining more trains before next summer.
In Ten-Car Hull Trains, I noted that some of Hull Trains services were now running as ten-car trains.
If the passenger demand is there for ten-car trains to Hull, which is almost exactly half the distance of Edinburgh, I would expect that in the future, Lumo will be running some services as ten-car trains.
In Extra Luggage Racks For Lumo, which is based on an article in the November 2023 Edition of Modern Railways, an alternative view on more trains is taken.
The Modern Railways article finishes with this paragraph.
Lumo celebrated its second birthday in late October and was also set to mark the carriage of its two-millionth passenger. It is understood Lumo is interested in augmenting its fleet, such has been the success of the service; while many operators favour bi-mode units, Lumo is proud of its all-electric credentials so straight EMUs are still preferred, although the possibilities of including batteries which could power the trains may be pursued (the ‘803s’ have on-board batteries, but only to provide power to on-board systems if the electricity supply fails).
I find this development very interesting.
As London King’s Cross and Edinburgh and Glasgow are all electric routes, in normal service batteries should not be needed, but sometimes trains have to use the diversion via Lincoln, which I have estimated is 86.5 miles.
As an electrical engineer, I’ve always believed that the emergency batteries in the Class 803 trains are very similar to the traction batteries that Hitachi are developing for the Class 802 trains.
A traction battery, that was capable of handling the diversion would stop Lumo having to cancel occasional services.
Conclusion
An extension to Glasgow looks like it could be a simple and profitable way to extend the current Lumo service.
But it might need some extra trains in the future.
A Lumo service to Glasgow, might be helped by a seven-day service on the Caledonian Sleeper, so passenger could go North on Lumo and South on the Sleeper to get a full day in Glasgow.
The Anonymous Widower 
They need to stick an order into Hitachi for a few more trains before Newton Aycliffe runs out of work and the price goes up
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | February 28, 2024 |
I have a feeling that Hitachi have a problem with the batteries and they will be crucial to the next orders of trains.
Look at the Class 230 prototype and the range, that has achieved according to the GWR press release. They are talking about 120 miles with the Class 230 on battery.
If Stadler can do it and Vivarail can do it, then it might be reasonable to assume Hitachi can do it.
In this post, I estimated that Hitachi’s 800 trains could do around 120 miles.
120 miles blows the world right open.
Crewe and Holyhead can be electrified with short lengths of wires at Llandudno and Holyhead.
There can be battery trains all the way to Penzance.
But what you come up with, is something so radical, no-one will believe it. But First Group do, which is why they bought Vivarail.
Hitachi’s problem, is to ascertain just how good the battery technology is that they’ve got. If it’s as good as Vivarail’s is, they will get lots of orders probably starting with Hull Trains, who would battrify their current fleet, so they would be zero-carbon all the way to Beverley.
Now that’s what I call levelling up.
Comment by AnonW | February 29, 2024 |
I love the romantic notion “This time would be more than early enough to have a few swift halves and see the match if it started at 15:00.” This is most definitely NOT Glaswegian [drinking] culture.
In reality “Old Firm” (Celtic – Rangers) matches kick off early precisely so that their supporters do not get “bevvied up” before the match! This is to reduce the risk of homicides in the crowd.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | February 29, 2024 |
Surely though, Celtic and Rangers do play other teams. I wonder which Scottish team plays in blue, other than of course Scotland.
Comment by AnonW | February 29, 2024 |
Rangers [of course], Ross County and St. Johnstone (Perth) in the premiership.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | March 1, 2024
Hi
I’d post this publicly but wordprsss not letting me
In the LNER days you could get direct train from Glasgow to Newcastle and beyond to London. It was a really useful service and allowed me to catch up with friends from the east coast easily. Also my brother who studied in London usually opted for the east coast when going home yo Glasgow as it was nicer and more reliable than the west coast.
I think Lumo have a great plan here.
Lawrence
Sent from my iPhone
Comment by lawrenceedwardwilsonhotmailcom | February 29, 2024 |
Thanks! It did get published and I’m replying from the site.
With your Glaswegian heritage and transport company experience, I suspect that Lumo will be pleased with your post.
Comment by AnonW | February 29, 2024 |
You forgot to mention that LNER are looking to drop their remaining Glasgow connections from this year at some point. Can’t remember if it’s at the June or December timetable change. So, this will play into Lumo’s hands nicely. If they can get the right paths then I’m sure they would do very well out of it. Although tbh, it’s not a service I would use personally as I don’t like being crammed into regularly full carriages.
Comment by thelordbruton | February 29, 2024 |
I’m not large and found the train reasonably comfortable.
Comment by AnonW | February 29, 2024 |