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Titled Express Trains Then and Now

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Lankyline

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Back in the heydays of the big 4 and all the wonderful marketing they used to generate for their services, I was curious as to what famous and not so famous titled express trains survive today, so I have compiled an alphabetical list as follows,

A.C.E - Paddington to Newquay
Bristolian - Paddington - Bristol TM
Capitals United - Paddington - Swansea
Cathedrals Express - Paddington - Hereford
Cheltenham Spa Express - Paddington - Cheltenham
Cornish Riviera Express - Paddington - Penzance
East Anglian - LDN L/ST - Norwich
Flying Scotsman - KX - Edinburgh
Highland Chieftain - Inverness-KX
Hull Executive - Hull - KX
Master Cutler - Sheffield - St Pancras
Mayflower - Kingswear/Plymouth - Paddington
Merchant Venturer - Paddington - Bristol TM/ Weston SM & Penzance via TM
Pembroke Coast Express - Paddington - Pembroke Dock
Red Dragon - Paddington - Carmarthan
Robin Hood - Nottingham - St Pancras
Royal Duchy - Paddington - Penzance / Kingswear
South Yorkshireman - Sheffield - St Pancras
Torbay Express - Paddington - Paignton
Weymouth Wizard - Paddington - Weymouth

There is not a single "named" service on the WCML, gone are the Royal Scot (2003) the Midday Scot, The Caledonian, other memorable losses are the Thames Clyde express, The Waverley, Pines Express, Red Rose, The Lakes Express, to name but a few. What is interesting is the surprising number of "old" GWR namers that still operate today. I wonder if the TOC's are missing a marketing trick these days, especially VTWC.
 
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Bletchleyite

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I think VTWC's argument would be that with what is effectively a Taktfahrplan in place there is little to make a given train stand out for naming. That said, that never stopped DB in the past.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
FWIW the 18something Euston-Northampton fast has long been nicknamed the Master Cobbler, and I have seen errant traincrew putting that on the PIS :)
 

Condor7

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I have always loved the idea of titled trains, but I do agree they have to be for a train that is special in some way and different from the regular service, which is why I understand VTWC stance on not naming any trains as they all run to a set format.

That being said I still believe titled trains are a great marketing tool, and for VTWC to have a flag ship express (such as reviving The Royal Scot and making it limited stops etc) would be well received and provide great publicity.

Of course the West coast main line does still have a titled train with The Night Caledonian.

Also looking at the list above does the West Riding Limited not still run between Bradford FS and Kings Cross via Leeds, it certainly did until a year or so ago?

For those interested in the subject Railway Magazine published in 2012 The Encyclopaedia Of Titled Trains listing every titled train ever in the UK and marking the ones still in use at that time with a *

At the time I was in discussion with the then editor Nick Pigott and he intended to have a list of current Titled trains on their website, but he never got that competed as far as I am aware.
 
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Lankyline

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When did the ACE switch to Paddington from Waterloo?

It moved in 2008
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I have always loved the idea of titled trains, but I do agree they have to be for a train that is special in some way and different from the regular service, which is why I understand VTWC stance on not naming any trains as they all run to a set format.

That being said I still believe titled trains are a great marketing tool, and for VTWC to have a flag ship express (such as reviving The Royal Scot and making it limited stops etc) would be well received and provide great publicity.

Of course the West coast main line does still have a titled train with The Night Caledonian.

Also looking at the list above does the West Riding Limited not still run between Bradford FS and Kings Cross via Leeds, it certainly did until a year or so ago?

For those interested in the subject Railway Magazine published in 2012 The Encyclopaedia Of Titled Trains listing every titled train ever in the UK and marking the ones still in use at that time with a *

At the time I was in discussion with the then editor Nick Pigott and he intended to have a list of current Titled trains on their website, but he never got that competed as far as I am aware.

I didn't list the sleepers but yes your right about the Night Caledonian. Re the West Riding, it was originally the Yorkshire Pullman also the White Rose, but is now renamed the West Riding Ltd and is still running.

If you haven't seen this website before I would highly recommend giving it a visit, you can lose yourself for hours in it:lol:

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page39.htm
 
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Aldaniti

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It was sad to lose the majority of named trains. I remember with affection once waiting to travel from King's Cross to Dundee when the tannoy announced the departure of the 10 o'clock Inter-City 125 service - The Aberdonian - to Aberdeen, calling at .....

You felt like you were travelling in a train which was a little bit special.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It moved in 2008
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I didn't list the sleepers but yes your right about the Night Caledonian. Re the West Riding, it was originally the Yorkshire Pullman also the White Rose, but is now renamed the West Riding Ltd and is still running.

If you haven't seen this website before I would highly recommend giving it a visit, you can lose yourself for hours in it:lol:

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page39.htm

Does The Night Caledonian still run? The train does, but I didn't think the name was still used?
 

LowLevel

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There's still named trains on the Midland Mainline though with much less prominence than before. The auto announcer was actually set up to be able to announce 'The Master Cutler' although it is fairly rare that it is programmed in.

Naturally when I did announcing they were all given their proper titles!
 

infobleep

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My favourite titled train, not an express, is the Night Scotsman. Sadly I'm too young to have travelled on it.

When did it go as a titled train? Was it when the last night train left Kings Cross?

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
 

Aldaniti

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My favourite titled train, not an express, is the Night Scotsman. Sadly I'm too young to have travelled on it.

When did it go as a titled train? Was it when the last night train left Kings Cross?

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

If memory serves me, The Night Scotsman survived for a short while after transfer to Euston in 1987.
 

Aldaniti

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My first sleeper was in 1990 via motorrail.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

My own was a sleeper that ran from Liverpool & Manchester to Euston. It used to combine at Stafford but didn't carry a name as you'd probably expect!
 

IanXC

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I think some of these are newer than we might imagine. Wasn't the Hull Executive a BR name?
 

AndrewE

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I think VTWC's argument would be that with what is effectively a Taktfahrplan in place there is little to make a given train stand out for naming. That said, that never stopped DB in the past.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
FWIW the 18something Euston-Northampton fast has long been nicknamed the Master Cobbler, and I have seen errant traincrew putting that on the PIS :)
You stirrer!
There may be a regular-interval/clockface timetable in place - focussed on Euston of course - but there is definitely NOT a Taktfahrplan.
What trains from the south connect in to Anglo-Scottish expresses at Preston? Why do travellers for Scotland from anywhere north of Euston have to use the hourly class 9 trains via the West Midlands? Are connections possible between the alternate hours EUS-BHM-PRE-Glasgow/Edinburgh and Manchester airport to Edinburgh/Glasgow trains both ways? (e.g. Southbound WCML departures from Edinburgh 1008e, 1051, 1212e, 1251 ... that's not terrible, but it's not a Taktfahrplan, which would see same-time departures every hour and cross-platform interchange between the two at Carlisle or Preston.
Have you looked at a journey from, say Penrith to Church Stretton? Most of the day it takes 2 or even 3 changes when it should be possible with 1!
Those not travelling to or from Euston have a pretty rubbish timetable and I think that we need the whole Government, DfT, ORR etc to be made to live and work in somewhere like Wakefield or Bolton for 5 years. We would soon see a major change in the remit for timetable planners...
 

Harbornite

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I have always loved the idea of titled trains, but I do agree they have to be for a train that is special in some way and different from the regular service, which is why I understand VTWC stance on not naming any trains as they all run to a set format.

That being said I still believe titled trains are a great marketing tool, and for VTWC to have a flag ship express (such as reviving The Royal Scot and making it limited stops etc) would be well received and provide great publicity.

Of course the West coast main line does still have a titled train with The Night Caledonian.

Also looking at the list above does the West Riding Limited not still run between Bradford FS and Kings Cross via Leeds, it certainly did until a year or so ago?

For those interested in the subject Railway Magazine published in 2012 The Encyclopaedia Of Titled Trains listing every titled train ever in the UK and marking the ones still in use at that time with a *

At the time I was in discussion with the then editor Nick Pigott and he intended to have a list of current Titled trains on their website, but he never got that competed as far as I am aware.

Wasn't it recently said that the future West Coast franchise holders should promote the historical features of the route? That would be a good opportunity to bring back the Royal Scot.
 

Lankyline

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I think some of these are newer than we might imagine. Wasn't the Hull Executive a BR name?

Thought i'd highlight the relevant "new" ones, as follows,

Caledonian Sleeper started 2004
Capitals United - 2010
Hull Executive - 1978 (Yes, a BR era named service)
Sheffield Continental - 2008
South Yorkshireman - 2008 (reinstated by EMT)
Weymouth Wizard - 2014
 

Aldaniti

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Only a personal view, and perhaps splitting hairs, but to me Caledonian Sleepers is a branding exercise rather than a train name.
 

30907

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Thought i'd highlight the relevant "new" ones, as follows,

Caledonian Sleeper started 2004
Capitals United - 2010
Hull Executive - 1978 (Yes, a BR era named service)
Sheffield Continental - 2008
South Yorkshireman - 2008 (reinstated by EMT)
Weymouth Wizard - 2014

And the Highland Chieftain.

And there was a good 40 years between the old ACE and the new, not to mention a slight difference ☺in route.
 

IanXC

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Thought i'd highlight the relevant "new" ones, as follows,

Caledonian Sleeper started 2004
Capitals United - 2010
Hull Executive - 1978 (Yes, a BR era named service)
Sheffield Continental - 2008
South Yorkshireman - 2008 (reinstated by EMT)
Weymouth Wizard - 2014

Interesting stuff!

Which service is the "Weymouth Wizard" when it's at home?
 

Lankyline

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Interesting stuff!

Which service is the "Weymouth Wizard" when it's at home?

It was started by First GWR in 2014 to promote the attractions of the Heart of Wessex line down to Weymouth on a Sat only HST set
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And the Highland Chieftain.

And there was a good 40 years between the old ACE and the new, not to mention a slight difference ☺in route.

The Highland Chieftain was started in !984
 

IanXC

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It was started by First GWR in 2014 to promote the attractions of the Heart of Wessex line down to Weymouth on a Sat only HST set
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


The Highland Chieftain was started in !984

It's a summer Saturday Bristol to Weymouth service which has been an HST in the past.

Thanks both! I was expecting this to be SWT related!
 

Darren R

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My favourite titled train, not an express, is the Night Scotsman. Sadly I'm too young to have travelled on it.

When did it go as a titled train? Was it when the last night train left Kings Cross?

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

The Night Scotsman transferred from Kings Cross to Euston in the last weekend of September 1987. It continued to run as a named train until the end of May 1996, although the service ran for a while after the name was dropped.
 

Lankyline

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I thought it might not be a bad idea to list those named services that no longer exist at all or in their original form,

Aberdonian ... The Scarborough Flyer
A.C.E ... Butlins Express
Belfast Boat Express ... The Queen of Scots
Birmingham Pullman... The East Anglian
The Talisman ... Norfolkman
The Heart of Midlothian... Broadsman
The Norseman... Royal Scot
Tyne Tees Pullman... Red Rose
Elizabethan... Lakes Express
The Capitals ltd (the renamed Elizabethan)
White Rose... Manchester & Liverpool Pullmans
The Northumbrian... The Lancastrian
The Fair Maid ... Man of Kent
The Comet... Merseyside Express
The Manxman... Shamrock
The Caledonian... Empress Voyager
Midday Scot... The Irish Mail
The Mancunian... Emerald Isle Express
The Welshman... Thames Clyde Express
The Waverley... Pines Express
Devonian... Cornishman
Cambrian Coast Express... Carmarthan Bay Express
Royal Wessex... Golden Arrow
The Inter City... Palatine
Peaks Express... The Cunarder
The Devon Belle... The Easterling
The Granite City... Bournmouth Belle
Kentish Belle... Silver Jubilee
Ulster Express... William Shakespeare
Brighton Belle... Bon Accord
 
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Condor7

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Also not forgetting Condor (hence my avatar) which stood for 'containers door to door' one of the only freight trains to be officially titled.
 
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Johnuk123

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I thought it might not be a bad idea to list those named services that no longer exist at all or in their original form,

Aberdonian ... The Scarborough Flyer
A.C.E ... Butlins Express
Belfast Boat Express ... The Queen of Scots
Birmingham Pullman... The East Anglian
The Talisman ... Norfolkman
The Heart of Midlothian... Broadsman
The Norseman... Royal Scot
Tyne Tees Pullman... Red Rose
Elizabethan... Lakes Express
The Capitals ltd (the renamed Elizabethan)
White Rose... Manchester & Liverpool Pullmans
The Northumbrian... The Lancastrian
The Fair Maid ... Man of Kent
The Comet... Merseyside Express
The Manxman... Shamrock
The Caledonian... Empress Voyager
Midday Scot... The Irish Mail
The Mancunian... Emerald Isle Express
The Welshman... Thames Clyde Express
The Waverley... Pines Express
Devonian... Cornishman
Cambrian Coast Express... Carmarthan Bay Express
Royal Wessex... Golden Arrow
The Inter City... Palatine
Peaks Express... The Cunarder
The Devon Belle... The Easterling
The Granite City... Bournmouth Belle
Kentish Belle... Silver Jubilee
Ulster Express... William Shakespeare
Brighton Belle... Bon Accord

A few missing from that list off the top of my head.

Thanet Belle
Sussex Scot
Sunny South Express
South Wales Pullman
Day Continental/Benjamin Britten
Bristol Pullman
Zephyr
21st Century Limited
Devon Scot
Dorset Scot
Bon Accord
Night Limited
Empress Voyager - Euston-Liverpool
Empress Voyager - Glasgow-Grennock
Admiral (Something) from Liverpool St.

I imagine there are quite a few more too especially some that were very short lived.
 
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Aldaniti

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Bring back the Royal Scot !

Seconded!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A few missing from that list off the top of my head.

Admiral (Something) from Liverpool St.

Admiral de Ruyter - Liverpool St to Harwich and return. Replaced The Day Continental. The Benjamin Britten (same route) was introduced at the same time. Neither lasted that long.
 
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