Latest news with #LNER
The Courier
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Courier
'Budget' Stirling to London rail services to begin next year
A new train service connecting Stirling to London is set to begin next year. Electric train operator Lumo will launch the new West Coast route to London Euston in mid 2026 There will be four return journeys per day and three on a Sunday. A return service between Euston and Preston will also operate daily. Stations served will include: Launched in 2021, Lumo operates trains between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. It is seen as a budget option for London services compared to other operators. Currently, there are limited direct rail links between Stirling and London. The Caledonian Sleeper and LNER offer some journeys. LNER and Avanti West Coast services are available from Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Stirling to London rail connection was first announced in 2024. Grand Union Trains was to run four return services per day from June 2025. First Group, which owns Lumo, then acquired Grand Union and the track access rights. These rights, obtained from the Office of Rail and Road, are in place until 2030. First Group expects the services to achieve annual sales of around £50 million and a 'low double-digit' operating profit margin. Chief executive officer 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.'
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
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.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Delays threat to 4 hour Edinburgh-London rail journeys from congestion
LNER punctuality forecast to fall nearly 9 per cent Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Passengers expecting to enjoy faster Edinburgh-London journeys from December face being delayed if too many trains are squeezed on to the line. Analysis by Network Rail, which runs the 400-mile east coast route, showed that LNER's punctuality could fall by nearly 9 per cent because of congestion, and Lumo's by nearly 5 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad LNER plans to use its faster journeys to capitalise on increased awareness of the need to cut emissions by flying less. (Photo by LNER) | LNER LNER plans to run one of its two trains an hour between the capitals in four hours and eight to ten minutes compared to an average of four hours 30 minutes as part of a major timetable change in early December. The faster services will only stop at Newcastle and York compared to multiple stops by LNER's other trains. The long-awaited improvement is seen as vital to persuade more travellers to switch from planes to help cut emissions. However, LNER speeding up its trains by stopping fewer times and other operators planning to add more services on English sections means the line's resilience will approach 'breaking point', according to a Network Rail study reported by RAIL magazine. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Modelling by Network Rail showed LNER's punctuality could fall by 8.7 per cent. Transport Scotland has expressed concern at the potential impact on ScotRail services to East Lothian, while supporters of the Borders Railway fear its services could be hit as it also shares tracks with east coast line trains in and out of Edinburgh. LNER trains between Edinburgh and London Kings Cross were cancelled, after a person died on the railway tracks. | Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman A spokesperson for the Scottish Government agency said: 'Whilst we support enhanced rail connectivity and faster journeys between Edinburgh and London, we have raised concerns with the UK Government about the east coast main line timetable changes from December. 'In particular, the impact on services to and from Scottish stations, service reliability, freight growth and the power supply capability for electric trains. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Ministers have secured a commitment from the UK rail minister to keep this under review.' Robert Samson, senior engagement manager for passenger watchdog Transport Focus said: 'Our research tells us that punctuality and reliability are amongst the top ten things that matter most to passengers. 'Any future changes made to timetables need to reflect that position to help make sure the right outcomes are delivered to drive high satisfaction scores for passengers.' An LNER spokesperson said: 'There is a positive sense of anticipation for what the new timetable will bring, helping us add thousands of extra seats per day, run more trains, and reduce the journey time between London and Edinburgh to close to four hours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Network Rail's modelling doesn't mean that every train is going to be 8.7 per cent less punctual.' A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'The rail industry is currently developing a new timetable which is the next step in realising the benefits of years of investment across the route. 'The new timetable will be another positive step towards delivering a more reliable network that works for customers, communities and business and that will ultimately result in faster journey times, grow capacity and support economic growth.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Delays threat to 4 hour Edinburgh-London rail journeys from congestion
LNER punctuality forecast to fall nearly 9 per cent Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Passengers expecting to enjoy faster Edinburgh-London journeys from December face being delayed if too many trains are squeezed on to the line. Analysis by Network Rail, which runs the 400-mile east coast route, showed that LNER's punctuality could fall by nearly 9 per cent because of congestion, and Lumo's by nearly 5 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad LNER plans to use its faster journeys to capitalise on increased awareness of the need to cut emissions by flying less. (Photo by LNER) | LNER LNER plans to run one of its two trains an hour between the capitals in four hours and eight to ten minutes compared to an average of four hours 30 minutes as part of a major timetable change in early December. The faster services will only stop at Newcastle and York compared to multiple stops by LNER's other trains. The long-awaited improvement is seen as vital to persuade more travellers to switch from planes to help cut emissions. However, LNER speeding up its trains by stopping fewer times and other operators planning to add more services on English sections means the line's resilience will approach 'breaking point', according to a Network Rail study reported by RAIL magazine. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Modelling by Network Rail showed LNER's punctuality could fall by 8.7 per cent. Transport Scotland has expressed concern at the potential impact on ScotRail services to East Lothian, while supporters of the Borders Railway fear its services could be hit as it also shares tracks with east coast line trains in and out of Edinburgh. LNER trains between Edinburgh and London Kings Cross were cancelled, after a person died on the railway tracks. | Lisa Ferguson/The Scotsman A spokesperson for the Scottish Government agency said: 'Whilst we support enhanced rail connectivity and faster journeys between Edinburgh and London, we have raised concerns with the UK Government about the east coast main line timetable changes from December. 'In particular, the impact on services to and from Scottish stations, service reliability, freight growth and the power supply capability for electric trains. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Ministers have secured a commitment from the UK rail minister to keep this under review.' Robert Samson, senior engagement manager for passenger watchdog Transport Focus said: 'Our research tells us that punctuality and reliability are amongst the top ten things that matter most to passengers. 'Any future changes made to timetables need to reflect that position to help make sure the right outcomes are delivered to drive high satisfaction scores for passengers.' An LNER spokesperson said: 'There is a positive sense of anticipation for what the new timetable will bring, helping us add thousands of extra seats per day, run more trains, and reduce the journey time between London and Edinburgh to close to four hours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Network Rail's modelling doesn't mean that every train is going to be 8.7 per cent less punctual.' A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'The rail industry is currently developing a new timetable which is the next step in realising the benefits of years of investment across the route. 'The new timetable will be another positive step towards delivering a more reliable network that works for customers, communities and business and that will ultimately result in faster journey times, grow capacity and support economic growth.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Who raised you?!' Home cook slammed after sharing attempt at Italian dish – but can you tell what it's meant to be?
GRUB'S UP 'Who raised you?!' Home cook slammed after sharing attempt at Italian dish – but can you tell what it's meant to be? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE'S nothing better than tucking into a tasty homecooked meal, and it's even better if it's a traditional recipe. But one home cook left people scratching their heads after they revealed their attempt at a particular classic dish. 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490755 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490671 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 The foodie showed off their attempt at making lasagne on Facebook Credit: Getty Despite their best efforts, the food turned out nothing like you would expect, and some people even questioned what they meal was supposed to be in the first place. This came after the wannabe chef took to Facebook to show off their concoction with a picture from before it went into the over and after. "How do you make lasagne, mine came out crispy as hell and I want it soft, please help," the Facebook user wrote alongside the pictures. The first snap shows a dish layered with dry spaghetti, strips of uncooked bacon and slices of American cheese. Unsurprisingly, the meal only looked worse after some time in the oven. Instead of melting, the cheese shrivelled up and burned, and the dry spaghetti didn't look any more enticing either. After sharing the snaps in the popular Facebook group people were so shocked by the food creation they thought the foodie must've been joking. "This has got to be satire," one person commented on the viral post. But others weren't so sure, as a second said: "What in the name of god did you think you were making!?!" And a third chimed in: "I have never seen anything like this, where is the sauce?" The Sun tries Wetherspoons' new menu "I want to laugh but I genuinely don't even know what to think here," another wrote. Meanwhile, others offered some cooking suggestions for their next attempt. "You should start by reading an actual recipe, this is a crime," one said. And another commented: "I dread to think how many Italians you killed making this. Even if it is a joke this post should come with a trigger warning." And someone else quipped: "Who raised you?!" This isn't the first time food fans have been left stunned by a meal. Mum and TikToker Michelle previously caused viewers to lose their appetites as she proudly showed the breakfast she fed her family. The now-viral video, which has racked up a staggering 2.2million views in just two days, sees the parent make scrambled eggs - but with a twist. The nation's most peculiar food combinations revealed Brits reveal unusual food combinations that are so wrong, they feel right Research by LNER claims that a whopping four in five Brits experiment with unusual flavours, and almost a quarter have a 'guilty pleasure' when it comes to unconventional food combinations, Crisps and chocolate Cheese and chocolate Crisps in jam sandwich Chips and milkshake Cheese and bananas Apples with salt and pepper Avocado and chocolate Popcorn and hot sauce Tuna and marmite Gherkins and peanut butter Rather than using actual eggs, the mum whipped up the first meal of the day with a ''scrambled egg mix'' - which was essentially just a powder. To add some extra boost of protein, Michelle also threw in a generous amount of bacon - that had been freeze dried. The gut-churning concoction called for half a cup of the scrambled egg mix which she dissolved with warm water, as well as the bacon bits - which needed to be re-hydrated with cold water. For extra flavour and texture the mum also chucked in some freeze fried cheddar cheese that had to go in the water before as well. Once the egg mixture was ready, Michelle cooked it on the pan, before squeezing the water out of the shredded cheese and throwing a spoonful of the watery bacon. Showing off the final result on her page, the mum tried to convince the viewers it was ''good'' - and the rest of the brood agreed, with the dad dubbing the dish ''yummy''.
