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Virgin Trains
Franchise(s): InterCity West Coast
9 March 1997 – 14 September 2019
Main route(s): London - Scotland
London - North West
London - West Midlands
London - Chester
Other route(s): London - Holyhead
London - Shrewsbury
London - Wrexham
London - Blackpool
Fleet size: 56 Class 390 Pendolino sets
20 Class 221 Super Voyager sets
Stations called at: 48
Stations operated: 17
National Rail abbreviation: VT
Parent company: Virgin Rail Group
Virgin Group (51%)
Stagecoach (49%)
Web site: www.virgintrains.co.uk

Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. They run trains from London Euston to the North West, West Midlands and Scotland on the West Coast Main Line and trains on the East Coast Main Coast Mainline between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland. Before 11 November 2007, they also ran trains linking the south and south-west of England with the north of England through Manchester and Scotland, through Birmingham, under the CrossCountry franchise. Although it is branded as part of the Virgin Group, Virgin's share in the company is only 51%, with the remaining 49% owned by Stagecoach. Virgin's share in Virgin Trains East Coast is only 10% with 90% being owned by Stagecoach, although the company is also branded under the Virgin name.

New trains

VT voyager at Banbury station 2004
A Virgin Trains 'Virgin Voyager' train at Banbury railway station in the year 2004.
Class 800 in testing 2015
A new train, to be delivered by December 2018, undergoing testing.

Their first trains, formerly owned by British Rail, were very old and broke down a lot, but were replaced by new ones in 2002 on the West Coast and CrossCountry lines. New trains are being built for their East Coast operations.


Gallery

Related pages

Preceded by
InterCity'
As part of British Rail
Operator of Cross-Country franchise
1997 — 2007
Succeeded by
CrossCountry
Operator of InterCity West Coast franchise
1997 — 2017
Incumbent
Preceded by
East Coast (train operating company)
Operator of InterCity East Coast franchise
2015 — 2018
Succeeded by
TBA



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