New UK train route to link London with six major UK train stations in Scotland
Services will run between London Euston and Stirling from the middle of 2026 in the hope it will provide more competition for the likes of LNER and Avanti West Coast
Six Scottish train stations are set to be linked with London in a major new rail service. The deal, secured for the service to run between the UK capital and Stirling from the middle of next year, was announced by transport giant FirstGroup.
The company has reached an agreement with rolling stock firm Eversholt Rail for the planned new route, which will depart from London Euston. The service will also stop at Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds in North Lanarkshire, and Larbert in the Falkirk council area.
In addition, the route will include stops at Milton Keynes Central, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, and Carlisle in England. Four return services a day (three on Sundays) will operate on the full route, with an extra daily return service between Euston and Preston.
The new route is expected to increase competition for several operators such as LNER and Avanti West Coast.
FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the West Coast Main Line until 2030.
The trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently only runs on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh, reports The Scottish Daily Express.
The new West Coast services were initially planned to start this year, but FirstGroup said they are "currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training".
The delay is due to the delivery of five Class 222 diesel trains, which will provide approximately 340 standard-class seats each, and staff training.
The company anticipates the services will generate around £50 million in annual sales and achieve a "low double-digit" operating profit margin.
FirstGroup's chief executive, Graham Sutherland, said: "The mobilisation of our new service between London and Stirling is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for the group.
"Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value-for-money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. We look forward to doing the same on our new services."
In January 2024, we told how some train services heading from Stirling across the border were set to be axed as a train operator launched a consultation with passengers.
The changes were outlined by LNER and were said to come into place from December that year.
The 5.34am direct service leaving Stirling for London King's Cross were set for the chop, alongside the 3pm London-Stirling train in the opposite direction.
Both services were to serve Edinburgh instead of Stirling - with LNER blaming 'substantially fewer numbers' on board for the switches, as well as a change in travel patterns from business to leisure.
LNER also said the areas impacted were already served by other operators and said they would work closely with other rail operators to maintain train links.
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