Highland Chieftain

Highland Chieftain
Overview
Service type Passenger train
Predecessor The Clansman
First service May 1984
Current operator(s) Virgin Trains East Coast
Former operator(s) East Coast
National Express East Coast
GNER
InterCity East Coast
Route
Start London King's Cross
End Inverness
Distance travelled 581 miles
Average journey time 8 hours
Service frequency Daily
Train number(s) 1S16 (northbound)
1E13 (southbound)
Line used East Coast
Highland
Technical
Rolling stock InterCity 125
Operating speed 125 mph
Highland Chieftain route map
Inverness
Aviemore
Kingussie
Pitlochry
Perth
Gleneagles
Stirling
Falkirk Grahamston
Haymarket
Edinburgh Waverley
Scotland / England
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Newcastle
Darlington
York
London Kings Cross

The Highland Chieftain is a named British passenger train operated by Virgin Trains East Coast. It operates daily in each direction between London King's Cross and Inverness via the East Coast and Highland Main Lines. It is operated by diesel-powered InterCity 125 High Speed Trains.

It is one of the longest train journeys in the United Kingdom at 581 miles with a journey time of eight hours.

History

The Highland Chieftain was introduced with the May 1984 timetable, the running time then being 8 hours 40 minutes southbound and 8 hours 50 minutes northbound. It was intended to replace The Clansman as the principal train between the London and the Scottish Highlands.[1][2] Today it has a journey time of eight hours.[3]

Electric locomotive 87023, that operated on the West Coast Main Line, was named Highland Chieftain between 1978 and 1984, but never had an association with the passenger service.[4] Virgin Trains East Coast High Speed Train power car 43308 that does operate the service, is named Highland Chieftain.

References

  1. Vallance, H. A. (1985) [1938]. The Highland Railway (4th ed.). Newton Abbot: David St. John Thomas. p. 168. ISBN 0-946537-24-0.
  2. "The Titled Trains of Britain" The Railway Magazine issue 1327 November 2011 page 37
  3. Timetable 15 May 2016 Virgin Trains East Coast
  4. 87023 AC Locomotive Group

External links


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