16:23 Edinburgh to Euston service

[bengolding]

The Live Departure Board today shows a 16:23 service from Edinburgh to Lodnon Euston, calling only at Preston at 18:51 before arriving at 21:27. In theory, but in reality, it arrived at 22:48 having left Edinburgh 30 mins late.

So what is this mysterious train? Virgin running an additional service to cope with demand or perhaps a celeb chartering a service? Unlikely, as the train was scheduled to set down and pick up at Preston.

All the more mysterious, as there was a 11:33 from Euston to Edinburgh earlier, calling only at Preston at 13:48, which arrived at 16:49, 40 late.

 

[driver9000]

Virgin had been running additional services between Edinburgh and London to help out while East Coast were diverting via Tyne Valley. I don't know if this is still the case though. The Preston stop is for crewing purposes.

There is also one in the morning at 09:25.

 

[bengolding]

Virgin had been running additional services between Edinburgh and London to help out while East Coast were diverting via Tyne Valley. I don't know if this is still the case though. The Preston stop is for crewing purposes.

There is also one in the morning at 09:25.

That's very kind of Virgin to help out East Coast, then. Wonder where they got the additional stock to form this round trip earlier. A timing of 4 hours hours 36 minutes from London to Edinburgh with one stop beats many current East Coast services. I wonder if Virgin will again tap into the London to Edinburgh market with similar fast headline direct services on a permanent basis? A 11:33 from Euston would do much to alleviate chronic overcrowding on the 11:30 to Glasgow and satisfy those who despise the East Coast First Class offering. There used to be a 16:46 direct from Euston prior to the VHF being introduced.

 

[HSTEd]

There is apparently one train per day, but the normal timing is 5:44 as it appears to run all stops to Carlisle.... very odd, is this an extension of a Birmingham-Edinburgh train?

 

[driver9000]

There is apparently one train per day, but the normal timing is 5:44 as it appears to run all stops to Carlisle.... very odd, is this an extension of a Birmingham-Edinburgh train?

These non-stop services are extra and run on Saturdays as 1Zxx rather than 1S/1Mxx.

I can't find a 5:44 - where is it from and is it am or pm? The only one I can find today is 1M54 departing Edinburgh at 10:52.

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

The 5:44 is the length it takes, by no means the scheduled time aha!

 

[driver9000]

The 5:44 is the length it takes, by no means the scheduled time aha!

That explains it

I've found the booked service in each direction now.