Northern Lights (passenger train)
Encyclopedia
The Northern Lights is one of the four named passenger trains operated by East Coast
on the UK
National Rail
network. East Coast runs one service a day each way between London King's Cross and Aberdeen
on the East Coast Main Line (ECML). Both services are named The Northern Lights and are operated by diesel-powered InterCity 125 High Speed Trains
(HST) as the route is not electrified
north of Edinburgh
.
The route is one of the longest in Britain at 523 miles and the train takes just over 7 hours to cover the journey. Longer routes include the Highland Chieftain, the Caledonian Sleeper
and a CrossCountry
service from Aberdeen
to Penzance
, which covers nearly 900 miles, and takes thirteen and a half hours.
East Coast's three other named services are the Hull Executive, the Highland Chieftain and, probably the most well-known, the Flying Scotsman
.
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network. East Coast runs one service a day each way between London King's Cross and Aberdeen
Aberdeen railway station
Aberdeen railway station is the main railway station in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is the busiest railway station in Scotland north of the major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.- History :...
on the East Coast Main Line (ECML). Both services are named The Northern Lights and are operated by diesel-powered InterCity 125 High Speed Trains
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
(HST) as the route is not electrified
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
north of Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
.
The route is one of the longest in Britain at 523 miles and the train takes just over 7 hours to cover the journey. Longer routes include the Highland Chieftain, the Caledonian Sleeper
Caledonian Sleeper
The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera....
and a CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
service from Aberdeen
Aberdeen railway station
Aberdeen railway station is the main railway station in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is the busiest railway station in Scotland north of the major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.- History :...
to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
, which covers nearly 900 miles, and takes thirteen and a half hours.
East Coast's three other named services are the Hull Executive, the Highland Chieftain and, probably the most well-known, the Flying Scotsman
Flying Scotsman (train)
The Flying Scotsman is an express passenger train service that has been running between London and Edinburgh—the capitals of England and Scotland respectively—since 1862...
.
External links
- East Coast website
- National Rail Enquires website - main web portal for UK train fares, times and other travel information