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The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Gamechanger new budget train line to launch from London next year
A NEW direct train service between a central Scottish city and London is due to launch as early as spring 2026. Lumo, which is part of FirstGroup, will run four return services a day to Stirling in Scotland, with the exception of Sundays, where there will be three. 3 3 The route will provide first-ever direct services to London for Whifflet, Greenfaulds, and Larbert. Currently, the Lumo brand runs on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were due to start this year, however FirstGroup said they are "currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training". Lumo's new route will 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. The train company is currently awaiting approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to further extend services to Glasgow. Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, said: "Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we're proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services. "We are focused on further expanding our services in Scotland to ensure even greater connectivity across the country and the whole UK." Sue Webber MSP, Conservative transport spokesperson, said: "Lumo is actively investing in our capital city – not only bringing in tourists but also supporting our vibrant hospitality and events sector. "And this isn't just talk: we're looking at £740 million in economic benefits from Lumo by 2032." According to the BBC, there are currently only two daily trains to London that stop at Stirling - the Highland Chieftain from Inverness and the Caledonian Sleeper. The new service, once launched, will also compete with Avanti West Coast and publicly-owned ScotRail, LNER and TransPennine Express. Last year, Lumo also announced plans for a cheap train route from London to the North West. A proposed new train service would offer journeys between London and Rochdale, with stops at Manchester. If plans are approved, it would be the first time that a direct train has connected Rochdale to London for more than 25 years. What are Lumo trains like? LUMO trains are fully-electric trains which were introduced back in 2021. At the time of launch, passengers could travel from London to Edinburgh for just £19.90. The company claimed they provided "fares that are fair". The trains do not have a first class option, but they do have USB sockets, tray tables and comfortable seating. Passengers can also personalise their lighting via a button on the back of the seat in front of them. An application has been submitted to the Office of Rail and Road and if approved, the new services could take to the rails in 2027. Also announced last year, Lumo's train service joining Edinburgh and London is expected to be quicker than taking a flight. Also, the UK's largest train station once had direct routes to Europe and now has a huge new Wetherspoons. Plus, the first ever direct trains from London to Switzerland move even closer to launching.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Gamechanger new budget train line to launch from London next year
Plus, the first ever direct trains from London to Switzerland move even closer to launching TRACK ON Gamechanger new budget train line to launch from London next year A NEW direct train service between a central Scottish city and London is due to launch as early as spring 2026. Lumo, which is part of FirstGroup, will run four return services a day to Stirling in Scotland, with the exception of Sundays, where there will be three. Advertisement 3 Lumo plans to launch a train service from Stirling to London Credit: Alamy 3 Lumo trains are all-electric Credit: Alamy The route will provide first-ever direct services to London for Whifflet, Greenfaulds, and Larbert. Currently, the Lumo brand runs on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were due to start this year, however FirstGroup said they are "currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training". Lumo's new route will 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. Advertisement The train company is currently awaiting approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to further extend services to Glasgow. Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, said: "Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we're proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services. "We are focused on further expanding our services in Scotland to ensure even greater connectivity across the country and the whole UK." Sue Webber MSP, Conservative transport spokesperson, said: "Lumo is actively investing in our capital city – not only bringing in tourists but also supporting our vibrant hospitality and events sector. Advertisement "And this isn't just talk: we're looking at £740 million in economic benefits from Lumo by 2032." According to the BBC, there are currently only two daily trains to London that stop at Stirling - the Highland Chieftain from Inverness and the Caledonian Sleeper. Iconic steam train Tornado delights crowds as it powers through Cornwall on rail tour The new service, once launched, will also compete with Avanti West Coast and publicly-owned ScotRail, LNER and TransPennine Express. Last year, Lumo also announced plans for a cheap train route from London to the North West. Advertisement A proposed new train service would offer journeys between London and Rochdale, with stops at Manchester. If plans are approved, it would be the first time that a direct train has connected Rochdale to London for more than 25 years. What are Lumo trains like? LUMO trains are fully-electric trains which were introduced back in 2021. At the time of launch, passengers could travel from London to Edinburgh for just £19.90. The company claimed they provided "fares that are fair". The trains do not have a first class option, but they do have USB sockets, tray tables and comfortable seating. Passengers can also personalise their lighting via a button on the back of the seat in front of them. An application has been submitted to the Office of Rail and Road and if approved, the new services could take to the rails in 2027. Also announced last year, Lumo's train service joining Edinburgh and London is expected to be quicker than taking a flight. Advertisement Also, the UK's largest train station once had direct routes to Europe and now has a huge new Wetherspoons. Plus, the first ever direct trains from London to Switzerland move even closer to launching.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Gamechanger new budget train line to launch from London next year
A NEW direct train service between a central Scottish city and London is due to launch as early as spring 2026. Lumo, which is part of FirstGroup, will run four return services a day to Stirling in Scotland, with the exception of Sundays, where there will be three. Advertisement 3 Lumo plans to launch a train service from Stirling to London Credit: Alamy 3 Lumo trains are all-electric Credit: Alamy The route will provide first-ever direct services to London for Whifflet, Greenfaulds, and Larbert. Currently, the Lumo brand runs on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. The new West Coast services were due to start this year, however FirstGroup said they are "currently expected to commence mid-2026 following the delivery of the trains and staff training". Lumo's new route will 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. Advertisement Read more on train journeys The train company is currently awaiting approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to further extend services to Glasgow. Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, said: "Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we're proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services. "We are focused on further expanding our services in Scotland to ensure even greater connectivity across the country and the whole UK." Sue Webber MSP, Conservative transport spokesperson, said: "Lumo is actively investing in our capital city – not only bringing in tourists but also supporting our vibrant hospitality and events sector. Advertisement Most read in News Travel "And this isn't just talk: we're looking at £740 million in economic benefits from Lumo by 2032." According to the Iconic steam train Tornado delights crowds as it powers through Cornwall on rail tour The new service, once launched, will also compete with Avanti West Coast and publicly-owned ScotRail, LNER and TransPennine Express. Last year, Lumo also announced plans for a Advertisement A proposed new train service would offer journeys between London and Rochdale, with stops at Manchester. If plans are approved, it would be the first time that a direct train has connected Rochdale to London for more than 25 years. What are Lumo trains like? LUMO trains are fully-electric trains which were introduced back in 2021. At the time of launch, passengers could travel from London to Edinburgh for just £19.90. The company claimed they provided "fares that are fair". The trains do not have a first class option, but they do have USB sockets, tray tables and comfortable seating. Passengers can also personalise their lighting via a button on the back of the seat in front of them. An application has been submitted to the Office of Rail and Road and if approved, the new services could take to the rails in 2027. Also announced last year, Lumo's train service joining Advertisement Also, the Plus, the 3 The new route could launch as early as spring 2026 Credit: Alamy
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
New rail service from London to Scottish city coming next spring including first-ever direct trains to capital at three stations
A low-cost rail operator is set to launch a new train service between London and Stirling from next spring with passengers hoping to benefit from cheaper fares. Lumo will operate the trains from Euston, calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert. Four daily return services will run on the full route from Monday to Saturday and three on Sundays, with an extra daily return service between Euston and Preston. The route will also provide first-ever direct services to London for three stations - Whifflet, serving Coatbridge; Greenfaulds, serving Cumbernauld; and Larbert. Transport giant FirstGroup said the planned new route can now go ahead after it secured a deal with rolling stock company Eversholt Rail for the use of five trains. Stirling currently only has two direct daily trains serving London - one on London North Eastern Railway (LNER) in the day and another on Caledonian Sleeper at night. The new Lumo trains will also provide competition for Avanti West Coast which runs trains between Euston and other Scottish cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh. FirstGroup's Lumo brand currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth. This route launched in 2021 with the aim of being a challenger to LNER, offering cheaper fares and an alternative to low-cost air travel between London and Scotland. Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer in tourism and hospitality at the University of East London, said fares on the route will 'certainly be cheaper' when Lumo starts running. As it stands, travelling from London to Stirling on the daily LNER service at 12pm - which takes five hours and 15 minutes - costs £97.50 for a super-off-peak single. Advance singles start at £34.40. Ms Adjey told Metro: 'The service enhancement will significantly improve the passenger experience, especially compared to air travel.' She added: 'Passengers will get city centre to city centre connectivity, eliminating lengthy airport transfers and security procedures. 'It's like choosing between Eurostar and flying when traveling to Paris or Brussels. The train offers greater convenience despite the longer journey time.' She also said that the higher frequency of services will provide 'greater scheduling flexibility and reduced waiting times', and will help give those living in London and Scotland easier access for tourism. The Independent 's travel correspondent Simon Calder wrote: 'Experience on the East Coast Main Line, where Lumo competes with LNER between London and Edinburgh, suggests fares will fall and some airline passengers will switch to rail as the market expands.' He added: 'Besides serving passengers living or working on the line of route, the new link will increase journey possibilities to and from Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness, connecting with ScotRail services at Stirling. 'The portion of the journey linking London with Crewe, Preston and Carlisle could lead to lower fares on these core Avanti West Coast routes.' Aberdeen-based 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. Trains will be operated under FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which currently runs only on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle and Morpeth. The existing daily LNER service between King's Cross and Stirling calls at York, Darlington, Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Edinburgh Waverley, Edinburgh Haymarket and Falkirk Grahamston. 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 company said the agreement with Eversholt Rail is for five Class 222 diesel trains, each with a capacity for about 340 standard-class seats. It expects the services will achieve annual sales of about £50million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. The trains set to be used on the route are Class 222 Meridian units which were previously operated by East Midlands Railway and are being refurbished in a £50million deal with Alstom. The contract includes a £10million fleet modernisation programme with Eversholt Rail, which will be carried out at Alstom's facility in Widnes, Cheshire. Lumo is also awaiting regulatory approval from the ORR to further extend services to Glasgow. The Government started the process of renationalising all remaining franchised train services last month when it brought South Western Railway into public ownership. Lumo runs on a separate open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies. In January, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander wrote to ORR chairman Declan Collier expressing concerns that the open access model can cause 'potential congestion' and result in taxpayers being 'left to fill shortfalls' in maintenance costs. She stated it is her 'expectation' that 'the impacts on the taxpayer and on overall performance' are 'given primacy' by the regulator when it analyses proposals. Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, added: 'Today's announcement underscores Lumo's commitment to growing Scotland's rail network, providing passengers with more affordable, fast, and convenient travel options. 'Our new service between Stirling and London has the potential to unlock significant economic opportunities for communities along the route, and we're proud to deliver this direct rail connectivity to towns previously overlooked by traditional rail services. 'We are focused on further expanding our services in Scotland to ensure even greater connectivity across the country and the whole UK.' FirstGroup 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.' And Sue Webber MSP, Conservative transport spokesperson, said: 'Lumo is actively investing in our capital city – not only bringing in tourists but also supporting our vibrant hospitality and events sector. And this isn't just talk: we're looking at £740million in economic benefits from Lumo by 2032. 'Crucially, this is being delivered not by government mandate, but through private sector innovation and open access investment. That's why I believe this model is one we should be championing. Lumo is not replacing existing services – it's adding capacity, increasing choice, and growing the market for everyone.' Stirling Council leader Gerry McGarvey added: 'We have been consistent in supporting this proposal so it's fantastic news that Lumo has confirmed it will be operating this route, which will boost Stirling's already excellent rail and transport connections to cities across the UK. 'Having four daily rail journeys between Stirling and London will support greater inward investment and business growth, including in key economic sectors such as tourism, as well as increasing travel opportunities for residents.'
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Firm secures £50m contract for new Scotland train route
The contract comprises two key components which includes a Train Services Agreement (TSA) with FirstGroup – valued at approximately £40m – to be delivered at Alstom's Central Rivers facility. From here, Alstom will maintain, overhaul, service and clean the five trains over the next five years. In addition, the contract includes a fleet modernisation programme with Eversholt Rail – worth around £10m – which will be carried out at Alstom's Widnes site. The refresh involves installation of new, ergonomically designed seating, upgraded passenger Wi-Fi for improved onboard connectivity and a full exterior repaint to align with Lumo's branding. READ MORE: New Stirling to London train service expected to begin in 2026 FirstGroup hails success of Lumo Edinburgh London rail link New train service between London and Glasgow proposed The modernisation also includes new CCTV systems and Intelligent Engine Start-Stop (IESS) technology, which automatically shuts down and restarts the train's engine when stationary – improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Peter Broadley, Commercial Director UK and Ireland at Alstom, said: 'This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering high-performance, customer-focused rail services across the UK. "By combining Alstom's deep technical expertise with the operational excellence of FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail, we're ensuring that fare-paying passengers benefit from a modern, reliable and comfortable travel experience between Stirling and London. "The investment in both refurbishment and long-term support reflects our shared ambition to drive innovation and sustainability in rail transport." Alstom's Central Rivers depot in Burton upon Trent is a purpose-built train maintenance facility, which includes a state-of-the-art double-head lathe, nine maintenance roads and two lifting roads. New rail services between London and central Scotland are expected to launch in 2026 Meanwhile, the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes is the UK's largest and most sophisticated centre for train modernisation. The contract with FirstGroup and Eversholt will support 50 roles across the two sites, alongside many more through Alstom's UK supply chain. Built by Alstom and previously operated by East Midlands Railway, the five Meridian units are scheduled to re-enter service with Lumo next year, serving passengers between central and southern Scotland and London Euston. Graham Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer at FirstGroup, said: 'We are pleased to work with Eversholt Rail and Alstom on the rolling stock element of our new service between London and Stirling. This new route is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for FirstGroup. "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." Stations served will include Stirling, Larbert, Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) Whifflet (serving Coatbridge) Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton, Milton Keynes and London Euston. Of these stations, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert will have their first direct services to London. Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Eversholt Rail, said: 'Eversholt Rail are pleased to be part of this tri-partite collaborative project with FirstGroup and Alstom and we are looking forward to seeing what potential opportunities this new open access service can bring. "Alstom's ongoing involvement with the Class 222 fleet as the original equipment manufacturer will cement it's pedigree as a high-quality intercity train. The upgraded features will enhance the passenger experience for the journey between London and Stirling."
