Aberdeen For £76.85 On A Walk-Up Basis On LNER
Yesterday, I was chatting with a friend, who had had trouble getting a reasonably priced ticket of any sort to Aberdeen.
- In the end she’d taken the Caledonian Sleeper, as she needed to get to Aberdeen early.
- I asked her, if she’d tried the LNER walk-up tickets, where you get what they haven’t sold, at a better price than the full price.
- I talked about these tickets in An Affordable Trip To Doncaster.
She hadn’t heard of them.
So this morning, I went to King’s Cross to look at LNER’s offers for travel to Aberdeen.
- I would have been able to get a Super Off Peak Single with my Senior Railcard for £76.85 on any one of four trains, each with a single change.
- Now back home, I am certain, that I could have gone both ways for £76.85 each way.
But I suspect that the intelligent machines at King’s Cross could have sold me a Super Off Peak Return for a better price than £153.70.
If I want to book at the beginning of September, I can do it for £132.45 from a reputable ticket site.
Do We Need More Anglo-Scottish Rail Services?
I have spent nearly sixty years analysing data and as the walk-up tickets seem to bottom out for Aberdeen at £76.85 and some trains are labelled as Sold Out, I feel that we need to add more capacity in Anglo-Scottish services.
- My friend’s difficulty in booking an Aberdeen ticket would seem to indicate that.
- Are travellers between London and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling deserting the airlines in favour of zero- or at least lower-carbon rail travel?
I believe some AI is needed.
Are Anglo-Scottish Travellers Travelling By Rail Instead Of Flying To Cut their Carbon Footprint?
Google AI gave me this answer.
Yes, a significant and growing number of Anglo-Scottish travellers are choosing rail over flying between London and Scottish cities like Edinburgh, motivated partly by the fact that train travel emits up to 90% less carbon than the equivalent short-haul flight.
Travel Trends and Shift to Rail
Majority preference: On the Edinburgh-to-London corridor, rail has overtaken air as the preferred choice, with over 57% of travellers taking the train rather than flying.
Public sector leadership: Government bodies and public sector organizations have actively adopted “think rail first” policies, driving a steep decline in domestic work-related flights to London.
New operators: The arrival of budget-friendly rail competitors like Lumo alongside established operators like LNER has increased capacity and lowered average advance ticket costs, making the shift easier.
Why Travellers Choose Trains
Lower emissions: A train journey from London to Edinburgh accounts for roughly 12.5kg of CO2e per passenger compared to over 165kg of CO2e via a commercial flight.
Door-to-door convenience: City-centre to city-centre train connectivity bypasses airport security queues, baggage drops, and long transfers to and from outlying airports.
Productivity: On-board Wi-Fi and stable table space allow for continuous work that is difficult to maintain during a cramped short-haul flight.
I would only fly from London to Scotland, if I wanted to write about the flight.
My Interim Conclusion
It would be my conclusion, that we need more Anglo-Scottish rail services.
But how?
East Coast Digital Programme
The East Coast Digital Programme has its own web site.
As a Graduate Control Engineer, I suspect, it will bring the following benefits.
- Continuous running at 140 mph on some sections of the East Coast Main Line, as opposed to the current maximum of 125 mph.
- The 14 mile Selby Diversion was built in 1983 by British Rail, with a maximum speed of 160 mph to avoid the Selby coalfield. Trains at 125, 140 and 160 mph will take 6.72, 6 and 5.25 minutes.
- Will we see more 160 mph running? I wouldn’t be surprised,as in 1989 on Stoke Bank between Peterborough and Grantham, an InterCity 225 was recorded at a speed of 162 mph.
- The high speed capabilities of the InterCity 225 were again demonstrated via a 3 hours and 29 minutes non-stop run between London and Edinburgh on 26 September 1991.
- Trains can be flighted, where one train sets the speed and others follow. Think cycling pursuit at 140 mph with 10-car trains.
- As I indicated in Hopes Railway Station In Picturesque Village Could Become ‘Gateway’ To Northumberland Coast, strategic stops could be added to improve connectivity.
- Proven ideas from other lines with full digital signalling will be able to be applied to the East Coast Main Line.
- Journey times will be reduced.
In the 1960s, the sections, that I worked in at ICI, were applying digital control to complex chemical plants and this gave large productivity benefits.
West Coast Digital Programme
I believe that what can be applied to the East Coast Main Line can also be applied to the West Coast Main Line.
Could There Be Better Transport Connections Between Leeds/Bradford and Glasgow/Edinburgh?
Hopes Railway Station In Picturesque Village Could Become ‘Gateway’ To Northumberland Coast
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.
This is the sub-heading.
A rail company boss said there was a “real opportunity” for the station to have a bigger role
These three paragraphs add more details.
A key railway boss has provided hope that one of Northumberland’s quietest railway stations could finally see more trains pulling in. Chathill Station on the East Coast Mainline is close to two of the county’s most popular tourist destinations in Seahouses and Bamburgh.
Despite the excellent location it is one of the county’s least-used stations. Just 1,580 passengers were recorded between April 2024 and March 2025 – although this was up 25% on the previous 12 months.
Locals have been urging rail companies to make more stops in the village. Now, the boss of operator First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo services, has visited the station and claimed there is a “real opportunity” to strengthen its role. Lumo provides services on the East Coast between King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly, passing through Chathill.
It seems that Lumo must think it is worthwhile stopping at Chathill.
Chathill: The Station That The Nation Forgot
This feature has the same title as this section.
It is well worth a read and gives a good background to the history of Chathill station and the other stations on the East Coast Main Line, and the former branch to Seahouses.
Could Modern Digital Signalling Be The Key For Lumo?
Lumo runs between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street six time per day, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket and Falkirk High.
Note.
- Stevenage calls only pick up Northbound and put down Southbound, so have Lumo developed procedures to get passengers on and off the train, as fast as possible?
- The East Coast Main Line is also under control of full digital signalling at Stevenage, so is that used to expedite the stop?
- Going North the trains seem to have a time where they leave Stevenage like 0606 and in reality they might arrive at 0604 and leave at 0606. So do they go as fast as traffic will allow between Kings Cross and Stevenage, using the digital signalling and the Mark 1 eyeball to keep tabs on the train in front?
- Going South a similar procedure seems to be used.
A typical stop at Stevenage seems to take between one and two minutes.
I have just checked Morpeth and all Lumo services seem to stop at Morpeth and they seem to take between one and two minutes.
It looks to me, as a Graduate Control Engineer, that full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line might allow a couple extra stops to be added to Lumo’s timetable.
Will East Coast Main Line Digital Signalling Allow 140 mph Running?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
Yes, the digital signalling being installed via the East Coast Digital Programme is a key technical enabler for future 140 mph (225 km/h) operation on parts of the East Coast Main Line.
This will surely, allow trains to pick up enough time on 140 mph sections of the line, to give enough time for the extra stops.
How Much Time Will 140 mph Running Save?
A quick calculation shows that if a train ran at 140 mph instead of 125 mph for a hundred miles, there would be approximate five minutes saved.
I suspect this would allow two extra stops.
Could An Extra Stop Be Made At Reston?
This OpenRailwayMap shows Chathill and South-East Scotland.
Note.
- The orange track going up the coast is the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
- Chathill station is marked by the blue arrow in the South-East corner of the map on the East Coast Main Line.
- The East Coast Main Line crosses the Firth of Forth on the Forth Bridge to the West of Edinburgh.
- The yellow track coming down from the Edinburgh area is the Borders Railway to Galashiels and Tweedbank.
- Two former railways lead between Tweedbank and Berwick-upon-Tweed and Reston stations on the East Coast Main Line.
- Important stations, that are North of Chathill, are Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston, Dunbar and East Linton.
- Berwick-on-Tweed and Dunbar are well-served by LNER, with Reston getting one train per day.
I could see Lumo stopping at Reston, just as they share business at Morpeth with LNER.
Are There Any Plans To Connect The Borders Railway To Berwick-On-Tweed?
Looking at the map, I just had to ask Google AI the question in the title of this section.
I received this reply.
Official feasibility and business case studies are instead focused on extending the current Tweedbank terminus south toward Hawick and Carlisle along the old Waverley Route.
Grassroots Proposals
Tweed Valley Campaign: A volunteer group called the Tweed Valley Railway Campaign has lobbied to restore a link running east from St Boswells toward Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Local Benefits: Proponents argue an east-west connection would link the Borders directly to the East Coast Main Line, helping tourism and commuters.
Official Status: Despite local campaigns, transport authorities and councils have not adopted the Berwick route as part of official funded transport strategies.
Official Extension Plans
Carlisle Route: Government backing and funding are directed toward an extension study heading toward Hawick and Carlisle.
Timeline: Consultants are advancing a strategic business case for the Carlisle alignment, expected to report by late 2027.
I wonder if there might be a simpler interim plan.
Consider.
- Galashiels has a vert smart rail and bus interchange.
- Google AI says that Galashiels interchange can handle coaches.
- Wrightbus are launching hydrogen coaches in the next year or so.
- Hydrogen coaches will be powerful and silent.
- Hydrogen coaches will have a working range of 1,000 km.
I could see that hydrogen coaches running from Galashiels to Carlisle and Berwick-on-Tweed could be a winner.
Do LNER Have Some Cunning Plans For The Serenzas?
Along with some others, I was surprised, when LNER ordered a fleet of new trains in 2023, to run alongside the Azumas, that it wasn’t some more Azumas.
I wrote about the order in First Tri-Mode Long Distance Trains For The East Coast Main Line.
Why Didn’t LNER Just Order More Azumas?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
When London North Eastern Railway (LNER) needed additional trains for the East Coast Main Line, they chose to order 10 new “tri-mode” (electric, diesel, and battery) trains from Spanish manufacturer CAF in November 2023 rather than buying more Hitachi Azumas.
Why LNER Didn’t Order More Azumas?
Desire for New Technology: LNER wanted cutting-edge “tri-mode” capability—incorporating battery technology alongside electric and diesel power—to reduce carbon emissions and future-proof the fleet. Hitachi’s corresponding tri-mode platform was centered in Italy, making CAF a more ready and accessible option with an established UK manufacturing platform in Newport, Wales.
Procurement and Pricing: Industry discussions and reports noted varying challenges with Hitachi regarding pricing and availability for small add-on batches, prompting a competitive procurement process where CAF ultimately won the contract to replace remaining older InterCity 225 sets.
Operational Resilience: The new CAF battery-hybrid trains provide unique operational flexibility for diversions on un-electrified routes (such as the Joint Line) that standard electric Azumas cannot traverse under their own power without external help.
These are my current thoughts on LNER’s plans for the Serenzas.
Will The Serenzas Run To Harrogate?
As the seven trains per day to Harrogate use diesel between Leeds and Harrogate, I suspect the new trains will take over Harrogate services and run silently on batteries North of Leeds, which is less than 40 miles out and back.
How will the lack of noise affect ridership? London Kings Cross and Harrogate will be an interesting test case, as it looks like from the in service date of the trains of 2028, that they could be one of the first battery-electric train services, run over a distance of over two hundred miles.
So it will be an interesting test route in several ways for the new Serenzas.
Could The Serenzas Go Further Than Harrogate?
This OpenRailwayMap shows the electrification in Yorkshire between Bradford, Harrogate, Leeds and York.
Note.
- Electrified lines are shown in red.
- Unelectrified lines are shown in black.
- Lines in the process of being electrified are shown in dotted red and black.
- The City of Bradford is in the South-West corner of the map.
- The electrification entering the city from the North goes to Bradford Forster Square station, where LNER services from London terminate.
- On the opposite side of the city centre is Bradford Interchange station, where Grand Central services from London terminate.
- North of Bradford is the electrified triangular junction at Shipley station
- Trains go West from Shipley junction to Skipton, where the electrification ends and the iconic Settle and Carlisle line to Carlisle and eventually Glasgow.
- Trains go North from Shipley junction on an electrified line to Ilkley station.
- Trains go East from Shipley junction on an electrified line to Leeds station.
- From the Leeds area an unelectrified line leads to the North and Harrogate station, which is marked by a blue arrow.
- The City of York is in the North-East corner of the map.
- A partially-electrified line leads from Leeds to York.
- The Leeds and York line is being fully-electrified so that electric trains can reach Neville Hill depot in Leeds.
- Harrogate and York are connected by an unelectrified line, that goes via Knaresborough.
Between Bradford, Harrogate, Leeds and York, there are a coomprehensive layout of lines many oy of which are electrified.
Could The Serenzas Go On From Harrogate To York?
Consider.
- Leeds and York is only 38.8 miles via Harrogate, so I suspect that this is possible using battery power.
- Harrogate has seven trains per day (tpd) from London Kings Cross via Leeds, at a frequency of one train per two hours (tp2h).
- York has six tpd from London Kings Cross, at a frequency of one tp2h.
Could LNER be thinking of a train, that does a Grand Tour of Yorkshire from London Kings Cross?
- It could call at Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, Horsforth, Harrogate, Knaresborough, York, Doncaster, Retford and Peterborough.
- It is the sort of concept, that is made possible by using a tri-mode train, that can go anywhere, there’s a railway.
- Was an idea like this, thought up by CAF to sell trains?
It is certainly possible.
Could The Serenzas Go On From Bradford Forster Square To Glasgow?
Consider.
- Until 1974, there used to be a Thames-Clyde Express, which has this Wikipedia entry.
- The route was between London St. Pancras and Glasgow Central.
- Intermediate stops were Luton, Kettering, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Wakefield, Leeds, Skipton, Settle, Carlisle, Dumfries and Kilmarnock.
- LNER gave up serving Glasgow in 2024.
- Currently, Leeds and Bradford have no direct train service to Glasgow.
- The Settle and Carlisle route is one of the most scenic railway lines in Europe, if not the world.
- Do any airlines fly Leeds/Bradford and Glasgow? No according to Google AI!
Remember, that the Rail Minister; Lord Hendy, is an Economic Geography graduate of Leeds University, so he must know something about Yorkshire and its people.
I believe a modern-day Thames-Clyde Express could be run, by extending a number of LNER’s London and Bradford Forster Square services.
- The route would be between London Kings Cross and Glasgow Central.
- Intermediate stops would be Stevenage, Newark Northgate, Doncaster, Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, Shipley, Bradford Forster Square, Skipton, Settle, Carlisle, Dumfries and Kilmarnock.
- The route is now substantially electrified.
- It would take on the airlines on the London and Glasgow route.
- Class 805 bi-mode trains have used the Settle and Carlisle.
This could become one of the great railway journeys of Europe.
Is This The Problem At Bedford With The East West Railway?
The East West Railway certainly has problems at Bedford.
These two posts seem to be creating an impasse on getting the railway built and/or operational.
So I took a quick look at the rail lines in the rail around and trough Bedford, as shown in this OpenRailwayMap.
Note.
- The Midland Main Line runs down the left hand side of the map.
- Bedford station is marked by the blue arrow,
- The East Coast Main Line runs down the right hand side of the map.
- Stations on the East Coast Main Line from North to South are St. Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade and Arlesey.
- The East West Railway is planned to connect to the East Coast Main Line at a new station at Tempsford , which will be South of St. Neots.
- The original connection was to be at Sandy.
- There used to be a railway between Bedford and Sandy.
- This railway between Bedford and Sandy, was the Varsity Line and I write about its current status in Is The Varsity Line Trackbed Between Bedford And Sandy Still There? – No, is the only answer.
- In Did Beeching Recommend Closure Of The Varsity Line?, I find out that he didn’t and it was totally the fault of Labour Politicians; Barbara Castle and Tom Fraser, with perhaps some help from Harold Wilson. Were they jealous that Oxford and Cambridge had a better link than the non-existent one across the North?
Will The Liverpool Street Rebuild Have More Platforms?
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
The approved £1bn+ redevelopment of London Liverpool Street Station, greenlit in February 2026, focuses on increasing capacity and accessibility rather than adding new platforms. The plans, to be completed by mid-2036, involve enlarging the concourse by 76%, increasing lifts/escalators, and providing step-free access to all existing platforms.
Platform Changes: While there is no mention of increasing the total number of train platforms, the project will significantly improve access and reduce congestion.
Capacity Enhancements: The project includes a 76% increase in concourse capacity.
Infrastructure Upgrades: Escalators will increase from four to ten, and eight new lifts will be installed.
Accessibility: The project aims to provide full step-free access across all rail and underground platforms.
New Construction: A large, multi-story office building is planned above the station, and the concourse area will be redesigned for better flow.
The project aims to handle over 200 million passengers annually by the time it is finished.
This OpenRailwayMap shows the layout of tracks in the station.
Note.
- The square block in the middle of the map are Platforms 1-18 of the main station.
- Eighteen is in the East and 1 is in the West.
- The Central Line of the London Underground runs diagonally in blue under the main station.
- Running in orange from the West to the North-East in front of the station is the Elizabeth Line.
- Running South of Lizzie in blue are the sub-surface lines of the London Underground.
I wonder, if at some point in the distant future, a terminal platform or two could be added to the very deep Elizabeth Line, that connected to tunnels underneath Liverpool Street station.
This second OpenRailwayMap shows the sub-surface lines and the Elizabeth Line, as they pass across in front of Liverpool Street station.
Note.
- Moorgate Station is in the North-West corner of the map
- Moorgate Statation has two virtually unused west facing bay platforms.
- The sub-surface lines are shown in blue.
- The Elizabeth Line is shown in orange.
- Finsbury Circus is in the middle of the map, with the sub-surface lines underneath.
- The Central Line is shown in blue and crosses between Finsbury Square and Liverpool Street station on its way to Bank.
- In front of Liverpool Street station, there is a disused bay platform on the sub-surface lines.
- The Bank branch of the Northern Line and the Great Northern run North from Moorgate station.
- Access to the Great Northern could be improved.
I feel there is scope for more trains to be run on the sub-surface lines through Moorgate and Liverpool Street.
- Accessibility to the sub-surface lines at Moorgate and Liverpool Street station could be improved.
- There has been talk of extending some services to Barking.
There is certainly scope to improve the sub-surface lines.
Could Electric Trains Run Between St. Pancras International and Sheffield Stations With No More Electrification?
A reader suggested, that I look at this, so here goes!
- A couple of weeks ago, I took a Class 222 diesel train back from Sheffield to St. Pancras International and it seemed a few minutes quicker.
- Looking at the timetable today, at least one service on the route is now just under two hours and some others are just over.
So the new Class 810 trains may not be fully in service yet, but the trains have already had an effect on the timetable.
How Far North Is The Midland Main Line Being Electrified?
I asked Google AI this question and received this answer.
As of early 2026, the Midland Main Line (MML) is electrified as far north as Wigston, just south of Leicester.
- Northern Limit: The section from Kettering up to Wigston South Junction was energised in July 2024, representing the current northern limit of 25kV overhead line equipment (OLE).
- Pause in Further Electrification: Following a UK government spending review, the further, planned northward extension of electrification to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, and Sheffield was indefinitely paused in July 2025.
- Current Operations: While electrification has stopped at Wigston, the line is served by new bi-mode (electro-diesel) trains, allowing for electric running from London St Pancras to Wigston before switching to diesel power.
- Previous Work: The line is also fully electrified from London St Pancras to Bedford, including the route to Corby.
Note.
- South Wigston Junction and Sheffield are 69.4 miles apart.
- The Hitachi trains can raise and lower pantographs on the move.
Distances without wires from London St. Pancras International to various destinations are as follows.
- Sheffield – 69.4 miles
- Leicester – 3.7 miles
- Derby – 36.4 miles
- Nottingham – 31.1 miles
As trains will have to go out and back to these destinations distances travelled will be doubled.
- Sheffield – 138.8 miles
- Leicester – 7.4 miles
- Derby – 72.8 miles
- Nottingham – 62.2 miles
It looks to me, that if the new Class 810 trains, can travel 138.8 miles on batteries and diesel engines as a tri-mode train, then the Midland Main Line is electrified.
Could The Sheffield Services Turn Round At Doncaster And Charge Their Batteries There?
Note.
- South Wigston Junction and Doncaster are 79.5 miles apart.
- Doncaster is a fully-electrified station.
- Sheffield and Doncaster would get two extra connecting trains per hour.
- The two services could also call at Meadowhall and/or Rotherham Central.
The Class 810 trains could charge their batteries, whilst passengers to and from Doncaster left and entered the trains.
Could A Simple Cross-Platform Change Be Arranged Between East Coast And Midland Main Line Services?
Doncaster station has two long island platforms, one of which is generally used for Northbound services and one for Southbound services.
Note.
- All electrified tracks are shown in red.
- The two wide island platforms, with Northbound on the West side and Southbound on the East side.
- Each island platform has an electrified platform face on both sides.
- The four platforms faces on the island platforms can hold pairs of five-car Hitachi trains.
- There are two through tracks or avoiding lines between the two island platforms for trains that aren’t stopping.
- There are bay platforms at the ends of the station for local trains.
- The station is fully step-free with a wide pedestrian underpass.
I know the station well and it looks to me, that East Midland Railway’s five-car services for St. Pancras could charge up in the Southern ends of the four faces of the island platforms and the two South-facing bay platforms.
I also believe that a pair of five-car Class 810 trains could be handled and charged, should it become necessary.
It looks to me, that the engineers updating the East Coast Main Line, know that they were caught out badly by High Speed Two, so the redesign for the next fifty or a hundred years will be completely future-proofed.
Doncaster and London could almost be considered to be twin main lines, with two pairs of high speed lines taking different routes, that serve different towns and cities.
How Many Travellers Go Between East Scotland And The North-East of England And The English Midlands?
It must be quite a few, as in the new East Coast Main Line timetable, more Scottish services stop at places like Doncaster and Newark.
But surely, if you could go between say Perth or Aberdeen and Derby or Nottingham in two battery-electric trains, with a relaxed change at Doncaster, you’d take it?
I certainly would!
East Coast And Midland Main Lines Compared
These are times between London and Doncaster.
- Current times between Doncaster and London are typically between 1 hour and 31-40 minutes going via the East Coast Main Line.
- I estimate times between Doncaster and London will be typically 2 hours and 22-27 minutes going via the Midland Main Line.
Note.
- Doncaster and London King’s Cross is 156 miles
- Doncaster and London St. Pancras International is 183.3 miles
- So the Midland Main Line route would appear to to be about 45 minutes slower.
- I suspect, that for passengers between between London and North of York, it will always be quicker to use an East Coast Main Line service.
These are times between London and Sheffield.
- Current times between Sheffield and London are typically between 2 hours and 4-9 minutes going via the Midland Main Line.
- I estimate times between Sheffield and London will be typically between 2 hours and 2 minutes going via the East Coast Main Line.
Note.
- Sheffield and London King’s Cross is via Retford.
- Sheffield and London King’s Cross is 162.1 miles
- Sheffield and London St. Pancras International is 183.3 miles
- Sheffield and Retford is 23.5 miles
- So the Midland Main Line route would appear to to be a few minutes slower.
I would feel that there is scope that under Great British Railways to optimise services between London and Doncaster and Sheffield.
The Master Cutler
The Master Cutler is a named train, that is described in this Wikipedia entry, that was introduced in 1947.
- Over its life it has run into both King’s Cross and St. Pancras.
- I can remember the train in the 1950s, running into King’s Cross.
- It has also been run to and from Leeds.
- It has been run as a Pullman service.
- There are reports of overcrowding in recent years.
It strikes me that the Master Cutler could do with a revamp.
- As St. Pancras can accept pairs of five-car Class 810 trains, ten-car trains could be run into King’s Cross or St. Pancras.
- An alternative would be to use a nine-car Hitachi Class 800/801 train.
- All trains would be battery electric.
- All trains would use the East Coast Main Line for a faster service.
- Services could terminate in the North at Leeds.
- The service could be run as a Pullman service.
- This article on Ian Visits, writes about East Coast Main Line trains using St. Pancras.
I would create a train service, that would attract passengers from all over the world.
Who knows?
If it was conceived in the right way, it might warrant a second service or similar service on other lines like these possibilities.
London and Blackpool via Crewe, Wigan and Preston.
- London and Aberystwyth via Birmingham and Shrewsbury.
- London and Bristol via Bath
- London and Fishguard via Cardiff and Swansea
- London and Holyhead via Birmingham and Chester
- London and Liverpool
- London and Manchester
- London and Newcastle via York and Durham
- London and Norwich via Colchester and Ipswich
- London and Plymouth via Exeter
Note.
- All routes could be run using electric or battery-electric trains.
- The Fishguard and Holyhead services would be zero-carbon routes to Ireland, connecting to appropriate zero-carbon ferries.
- Could services be arranged so that all parts of the country have at least one service in both directions every day?
- In the days of British Rail, London and Norwich had a very high-class service, that could serve a full English breakfast between Colchester and London, which certainly wasn’t like the regular joke.
Get the offering right and it could level-up the UK.
Rail Agreement Signed ‘Subject To Value For Money’
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub heading.
An agreement to reopen a regional rail line has been signed by the transport secretary, subject to the assurance that it delivers good value for money.
These three paragraphs add detail to the story.
Further development work on the Leamside Line, which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, is set to progress as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) initiative.
Regional politicians said the line could provide train links for 100,000 people in the north-east of England, after it closed to passengers in the 1960s.
The document stated the government would ensure resources were available for the Leamside Line reopening “subject to agreement of that business case and assurance that this delivers good value for money”.
Note.
- There is an excellent map in the BBC article.
- It looks like there will be at least five new or refurbished stations at Ferryhill, Sincliffe, Belmont, West Rainton and Penshaw.
- Belmont appears to have an alternative name of Durham Parkway, so will it be a Park-and-Ride for the area?
- There will be an alternative path for freight trains between Newcastle and York.
- In New Direct Rail Link To Seaham: How This Picturesque Seaside Town Will Connect To London Starting December 2025, I described Seaham’s new link to London, courtesy of Grand Central Trains.
- In Arriva Group Invests In New Battery Hybrid Train Fleet In Boost To UK Rail Industry, I talked about Grand Central’s new trains, which should be in service by 2028 to Seaham and Sunderland.
- It was in June 2020, that I wrote about Boris Johnson making a speech about the Leamside Line in Boris Johnson Backs Station Opening Which Could See Metro Link To County Durham.
This important link has been a long time coming.
Will The Rail Improvements Between London and The North East Create More Tourism?
Consider.
- The digital signalling will create more paths for trains between London and the North East.
- Journey times will come down to generally below three hours.
- There is a lot of excellent walking in the area.
- The North-East doesn’t just host top-class football and athletics.
- A trip could be combined with a day-trip to Edinburgh, Glasgow or the Scottish Borders.
- I have met Americans, who’ve started their holiday in Europe, in Edinburgh and worked their way down via York and London to Paris by train, and then flown back non-stop to the United States.
As I’ve spent a couple of enjoyable weekends in Newcastle and Sunderland, I don’t see why the area can’t attract tourists.
Should The East Coast Main Line Be Renamed?
Consider.
- It is one of the oldest long-distance main lines in the world.
- It links two of the UK’s capitals.
- It is 331 miles long, which is covered in four and a half hours.
- There are some of the world’s best hotels at either end.
- There is good shopping at either end.
- There is no Trump hotel in London or Edinburgh.
Perhaps, it should be called High Speed East Coast?
Network Rail’s Test Track Take Centre Stage As Hydrogen Is Delivered By Rail For The First Time
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from GeoPura.
These three paragraphs introduce the story.
Network Rail, working with rail and energy partners Freightliner and GeoPura, has transported hydrogen for the first time on Britain’s rail network, marking a major step forward for both the rail and energy sectors.
The milestone was achieved yesterday (Wednesday 3 December) at Network Rail’s Test Tracks* site in Tuxford, where freight operator Freightliner hauled a train of gas containers from Doncaster to High Marnham – marking Britain’s first shipment of hydrogen by rail.
It was part of a rail and energy industry innovation event showcasing several hydrogen initiatives. This included the first re-engineered hydrogen-powered shunting locomotive – seen as a step towards replacing diesel – another milestone towards the rail industry’s goal of becoming net zero. The event also demonstrated HPU hydrogen-powered generators, lighting towers and support vehicles.
These two paragraphs describe Network Rail’s test track at Tuxford and GeoPura’s hydrogen production facility at High Marnham.
Network Rail’s site at Tuxford runs all the way to High Marnham, where it sits adjacent to HyMarnham Power, the UK’s largest green hydrogen production facility operated by GeoPura and JG Pears. Built on the site of a former coal-fired power station, HyMarnham Power is one of the world’s first rail-connected hydrogen production facilities, and Network Rail’s Tuxford site will be the world’s first net-zero railway testing facility.
Currently, hydrogen is transported by road. This breakthrough marks a major step towards the rail network becoming a ready-made hydrogen distribution system, a rolling pipeline, with connections to all major industrial and urban centres across Britain – proving the practical capability of rail to transport hydrogen at scale. Hydrogen will also be utilised to decarbonise wider rail operations, from construction to ongoing maintenance and off-grid operations.
This OpenRailwayMap shows Tuxford and High Marnham.
Note.
- The blue arrow is Tuxford West junction.
- The North-South red track is the East Coast Main Line. East-West track indicated by the blue arrow is Network Rail’s Test Track
- The grey area, to the South of the Test Track in the East is the former site of High Marnham power station, where GeoPura have their hydrogen facility.
- If you continue East on the Test Track it connects to the Sheffield and Lincoln Line at Pye Wipe junction.
Sheffield could be the sort of city, that would need a lot of hydrogen to decarbonise.
Has Hydrogen Been Transported From ICI’s Former Site At Runcorn By Rail
I ask this question, as I used to work at Runcorn in the 1960s, and I don’t remember seeing any hydrogen railway wagons.
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.
Hydrogen is typically transported from the INEOS (formerly ICI) site in Runcorn via pipeline or by road in cryogenic liquid tanker trucks or gaseous tube trailers, but it has not been historically transported by rail from that specific site.
The first ever trial shipment of hydrogen by rail on Britain’s network took place only very recently, in December 2025, as part of an industry innovation event. This trial involved transporting hydrogen containers from Doncaster to High Marnham, adjacent to the HyMarnham Power green hydrogen production facility.
It looks like my memory and Google AI agree.
FIRST TO THE FUTURE: Lumo Owner Bids To Turbo-Charge UK Rail With New Routes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from First Group.
These first three paragraphs introduce FirstGroup’s application for the first phase of three separate applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for new and extended open access rail services.
FirstGroup plc plans to expand its open access rail operations through its successful Lumo business, boosting connectivity, improving UK productivity and passenger choice across the UK.
The expansion aims to replicate the success of Lumo’s Edinburgh to London service in driving material growth on the East Coast Main Line. Lumo operates without government subsidy and contributes more per train mile to infrastructure investment than any other long-distance operator – delivering growth on the railway and connectivity to local communities, at a substantial benefit to the taxpayer.
FirstGroup has submitted the first phase of three separate applications to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for new and extended open access rail services, which are described in these bullet points.
- A revised application to run new services between Rochdale and London Euston via Manchester Victoria from December 2028;
- An extension to Lumo’s current Stirling to London Euston track access agreement to operate services beyond 2030;
- A new route between Cardiff and York via Birmingham, Derby, and Sheffield from December 2028; and
- Purchase of new trains meaning continued investment in UK manufacturing of c.£300 million, and long-term jobs.
This paragraph from the press release describes the philosophy of the rolling stock.
Should these applications be successful, FirstGroup will make use of its option to commit further investment in new Hitachi trains built in County Durham. This investment will include five battery electric trains for the Stirling route and three battery electric trains for Rochdale, supporting jobs at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe plant. For the services between Cardiff and York, it will deploy refurbished Class 222s.
Note.
- The Class 222 trains will run the Euston and Stirling service until the future Hitachi trains are delivered in 2028.
- The Class 222 trains will run the Cardiff and York service from 2028.
- The Class 222 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph
- Avanti West Coast’s Class 390 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- Avanti West Coast’s Class 805 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph on electrification.
- Avanti West Coast’s Class 807 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- Grand Central Trains’s future Hitachi trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- Hull Trains’s Class 802 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- Lumo’s current Class 803 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- LNER’s current Class 800 and 801 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- LNER’s current InterCity 225 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- LNER’s future Class 897 trains have a maximum speed of 125 mph.
- All of the trains, with the exception of the Class 222 trains are electric and have been designed for 140 mph running and can do this if there is appropriate 140 mph signalling.
If the Class 222 trains don’t run on the East and West Coast Main Lines, then these lines could introduce 140 mph running in stages to speed up rail travel between London and the North of England and Scotland.
Rochdale And London
These three paragraphs from the press release describe the proposed Rochdale and London service.
The new Lumo service will operate the first direct service since 2000 between Rochdale and London. Services will call at Manchester Victoria, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows and Warrington Bank Quay. Eccles station connects other parts of the city of Salford, including the fast-growing MediaCity area, via the nearby interchange with Metrolink. Services to Newton-le-Willows will deliver greater rail connectivity for St Helens.
There will be three new return services on weekdays and Sundays, and four return services on Saturdays, which will provide 1.6 million people in the north-west with a convenient and competitively priced direct rail service to London, encouraging people to switch from cars to train as well as providing additional rail capacity. It will also deliver material economic benefits for the communities along the route, including regeneration areas such as Atom Valley and the Liverpool City Region Freeport scheme.
The application has been revised to address the ORR’s concerns about network capacity set out in its letter of July 2025 rejecting FirstGroup’s original application. Supported by extensive modelling, the company has identified sufficient space on the network to accommodate the proposed services. Services will also make use of the Government’s recent investment in power supply for the West Coast Mainline (WCML).
In FirstGroup’s Lumo Seeks To Launch Rochdale – London Open Access Service, I gave my thoughts for Lumo’s application last year.
Differences between the two applications include.
- The service will be run by Lumo’s standard battery-electric Hitachi trains.
- The original application was for six return journeys per day, whereas the new application is for three return services on weekdays and Sundays, and four return services on Saturdays.
Note.
- The battery-electric trains will be able bridge the 10.4 mile gap between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale, and return after charging on the West Coast Main Line.
- The battery-electric trains could be useful during engineering works or other disruptions.
- The trains would be ready for 140 mph running on the West Coast Main Line, when the digital signalling is installed.
- Is the extra return service on a Saturday to cater for football and rugby fans?
I still feel, that with Lumo’s battery-electric trains one or more services could extend across the Pennines to Hebden Bridge, Bradford Interchange or Leeds. Trains would be recharged for return at Leeds.
Stirling And London
This paragraph from the press release describes the proposed Stirling and London service.
Stirling has a wide catchment area, with an estimated three million people living within an hour’s drive. Extending the current track access agreement for the Stirling route from May 2030 will support the shift from car to rail, and investment in the city, as well as in the service’s intermediate stations which include Larbert, Greenfaulds and Whifflet, thanks to greater connectivity to London. The four return services weekdays and Saturdays, and three on Sundays, on the new route are expected to start early in the company’s 2027 financial year.
In Lumo To Expand Scotland’s Rail Network With New London-Stirling Rail Route From Spring 2026, I gave my thoughts for Lumo’s application in June 2025.
Differences between the two applications include.
- The service will only be run initially by Class 222 trains.
- The service will be run by Lumo’s standard battery-electric Hitachi trains after 2028.
- The original application was for five return journeys per day, whereas the new application is for four return services on weekdays and Saturdays, and three return services on Sundays.
- In the original application, Lumo’s new route was to link London Euston directly to Stirling, also calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
Note.
- The battery-electric trains could be useful during engineering works or other disruptions.
- The trains would be ready for 140 mph running on the West Coast Main Line, when the digital signalling is installed.
- Is the extra return service on a Saturday to cater for football and rugby fans?
It should be noted that there are always more return services per day going to Stirling, than Rochdale.
Could The Rochdale and Stirling Services Share A Path?
Consider.
- The two services use the West Coast Main Line South of Warrington Bank Quay station.
- Pairs of Class 803 trains can split and join.
- A pair of Class 803 trains are shorter than an 11-car Class 390 train.
- An 11-car Class 390 train can call in Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.
I believe that the Rochdale and Stiring services could share a path.
- One Weekday service per day would be a single train.
- Going South, the trains would join at Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.
- Going North, the trains would split at Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe stations.
- The pair of trains would share a platform at Euston station.
Operating like this would increase the connectivity and attractiveness of the services, and probably increase the ridership and profitability.
Cardiff And York via Birmingham, Derby And Sheffield
These four paragraphs from the press release describe the proposed Cardiff and York service.
Lumo’s new route between Cardiff and York will join up the entire Great British Railway network, connecting all four main lines from the Great Western Main Line to the East Coast Main Line. The plans will also deliver more capacity and drive passenger demand on a previously underserved corridor.
The application proposes six return services each weekday – a significant increase from the current single weekly service.
Bringing Lumo’s popular low-cost model to the corridor will support local communities between Cardiff, Birmingham, Derby, Sheffield, and York. These cities alone have a combined population of more than 2.5 million people. The new services will give local communities access to jobs and services along the route, in support of significant investment that has already been committed by the Government and private sector. This investment includes the Cardiff Capital Regional Investment Zone, the £140million proposed refurbishment at Cardiff Central station, the West Midlands Investment Zone which is expected to create £5.5 billion of growth and 30,000 new jobs, as well as investment plans in Derby, Sheffield and York.
The ORR will now carry out a consultation exercise as well as discuss the applications with Network Rail to secure the required approvals.
Note.
- Only minimal details are given of the route.
- The TransPennine Upgrade will create a new electrified route across the Pennines between York and Huddersfield via Church Fenton, Leeds and Dewsbury.
- The Penistone Line is being upgraded, so that it will handle two trains per hour.
- In the 1980s, the Penistone Line took InterCity 125s to Barnsley.
- The connection with the Penistone Line at Huddersfield has been upgraded.
I am reasonably certain, that FirstGroup intend to route the York and Cardiff service over this partially electrified route.
Sections of the route will be as follows.
- Cardiff and Westerleigh junction – 38 miles – Electrified
- Westerleigh junction and Bromsgrove – 65.2 miles – Not Electrified
- Bromsgrove and Proof House junction – 15 miles – Electrified
- Proof House junction and Derby – 40.6 miles – Not Electrified
- Derby and Sheffield – 36.4 miles – Not Electrified
- Sheffield and Huddersfield – 36.4 miles – Not Electrified
- Huddersfield and York – 41.9 miles – Electrified
There are only two sections of track, that is not electrified.
- Westerleigh junction and Bromsgrove – 65.2 miles
- Proof House junction and Huddersfield – 113.4 miles
Out of a total of 273.5 miles, I believe in a few years, with a small amount of extra electrification or more powerful batteries, Hitachi’s battery-electric high-speed trains will have this route cracked and the Class 222 trains can be sent elsewhere to develop another route.
The Anonymous Widower 