InterCity (British Rail) facts for kids
InterCity was a special name used by British Rail for its fast, long-distance train services. It started in 1966. Think of it as a brand for speedy journeys across the country.
What Happened to InterCity Trains?
After 1994, British Rail was split up and sold to different private companies. This process is called privatisation. The InterCity train lines were then divided among many new train companies.
For example, the Caledonian Sleeper service, which runs overnight trains, became part of ScotRail.
InterCity Lines After Privatisation
Here's how the main InterCity routes were divided among different train companies:
| Route | First Company (Original Franchise) | Later Company (Currently) |
|---|---|---|
| East Coast | GNER | Later run by National Express East Coast |
| West Coast | Virgin Trains | Still run by Virgin Trains for a long time |
| Midland | Midland Mainline | Later run by East Midlands Trains |
| Great Western | Great Western Trains | Later renamed First Great Western. This company also runs the Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Penzance. |
| Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | Later joined with Southern trains and became a special service within Southern. |
| CrossCountry | Virgin Trains | Later became its own company called CrossCountry |
| Great Eastern | Anglia Railways | Later joined with National Express East Anglia |
Images for kids
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An old InterCity advert.
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An original British Rail InterCity train in its special colours.
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An InterCity train from Shrewsbury to London Euston. It's carrying Royal Mail bags, showing how British Rail used to move mail too.
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