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Glasgow to London train times cut Delays after west coast upgrade
(about 9 hours later)
Train journey times between Glasgow and London have been reduced following an upgrade to the west coast mainline. Trains on the newly upgraded west coast mainline between Glasgow and London have been disrupted on the first working day of the new timetable.
Virgin Trains should take four and a half hours northbound rather than five hours 20 minutes and southbound trains should now take just over four hours. Two of the four tracks through a section in north London have been closed after a circuit failure.
The £9bn upgrade aims to reduce journey times between Glasgow and London.
The new timetable will see Virgin Trains take four and a half hours northbound and just over four hours southbound.
The current northbound journey takes five hours and 20 minutes.
The new timetable also includes four more direct services between the two cities bringing the total to 13 daily.The new timetable also includes four more direct services between the two cities bringing the total to 13 daily.
It is hope is the improved timetable will help Virgin Trains compete more effectively with air travel. If you look at journey times from city centre to city centre, this will make it more attractive for people to take the train than the plane Ron McAuleyNetwork Rail
The new timetable sees big changes to the service, particularly on weekdays.
The first train from Glasgow to London will be earlier in the morning and the last one back at night will be significantly later.The first train from Glasgow to London will be earlier in the morning and the last one back at night will be significantly later.
It is hoped the improved timetable will help Virgin Trains compete more effectively with air travel.
However, fewer trains will stop at some of the stations along the route.However, fewer trains will stop at some of the stations along the route.
Trains to London will not usually stop south of Warrington - so people getting connections from Crewe will have to get the Birmingham train from Glasgow.Trains to London will not usually stop south of Warrington - so people getting connections from Crewe will have to get the Birmingham train from Glasgow.
Some people living in Lockerbie, which lies along the route, have expressed concern that their service may not be as good.Some people living in Lockerbie, which lies along the route, have expressed concern that their service may not be as good.
However, the director of Network Rail in Scotland, Ron McAuley, said the main priority was speeding up inter-city connection.
'Major conurbations'
"This project is all about bringing the two major conurbations of London and Glasgow closer together," he said.
"In a month we will see the introduction of an express service, which only stops at Preston, and that will bring the journey time down to four hours and 10 minutes.
"If you look at journey times from city centre to city centre, this will make it more attractive for people to take the train than the plane."
Mr McAuley described the upgrade, which took a decade to complete, as one of Europe's biggest civil engineering projects.
Tony Collins, Virgin Rail Group's CEO, said: "More seats and dramatically reduced journey times are huge wins for passengers but quite rightly we will all be judged on how well this railway will perform.Tony Collins, Virgin Rail Group's CEO, said: "More seats and dramatically reduced journey times are huge wins for passengers but quite rightly we will all be judged on how well this railway will perform.
"The successful running of Europe's busiest main line railway is going to be a huge challenge for the train operators and Network Rail and, during the first few months as the timetable beds in, passengers' expectations may not always be fulfilled."The successful running of Europe's busiest main line railway is going to be a huge challenge for the train operators and Network Rail and, during the first few months as the timetable beds in, passengers' expectations may not always be fulfilled.
"I believe however that within six months we shall have a railway of which the nation can truly be proud.""I believe however that within six months we shall have a railway of which the nation can truly be proud."