LNER to Sunderland

[ariford113]

Why does the 2000 LNER service northbound out of Kings Cross tetminate at Sunderland?

 

[Jorge Da Silva]

Why does the 2000 LNER service northbound out of Kings Cross tetminate at Sunderland?

Wasn't it a franchise commitment by Virgin and there are plans to increase the Sunderland service to 2 per day from next year.

 

[swt_passenger]

An easy win at the time, the trains run in marginal time at beginning and end of service, when they’d otherwise be on Heaton depot. So the service didn’t require extra rolling stock.

The most recent track access application didn’t mention any additional services (to/from Sunderland).

 

[Kite159]

Wasn't it an attempt to get some revenue for Sunderland - London fares from Grand Central?

More useful for Newcastle locals as it's a later 'fast' train back to Sunderland rather than an all station crawl on the Metro

 

[47271]

As I recall it was a 2015 attempt by the new Virgin franchise to annoy Grand Central by offering the first direct London departure from Sunderland in the morning, and the last arrival in the evening.

In reality it carries very few people beyond Newcastle and that last leg in the evening is very often cancelled at the slightest hint of late running, and Sunderland passengers put in a couple of taxis.

It runs as an Azuma now, which beats having to wobble all the way from London to Sunderland in a ghastly 180 I suppose.