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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Delays after west coast upgrade | Delays after west coast upgrade |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Trains on the newly upgraded west coast mainline between Glasgow and London have been disrupted on the first working day of the new timetable. | Trains on the newly upgraded west coast mainline between Glasgow and London have been disrupted on the first working day of the new timetable. |
| Two of the four tracks through a section in north London have been closed after a fuse blew on a track. | |
| The £9bn upgrade aims to reduce journey times between Glasgow and London. | 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 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 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. |
| 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 | 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 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. |
| However, passengers on the first working day of the new-look railway suffered an old problem - delays. | |
| By 0900 GMT Network Rail said 77% of trains on the line were running on time, with those delayed averaging 10-15 minutes late. | |
| A Virgin spokesman said: "We've had to cancel a couple of trains and there have been delays to other services." | |
| Virgin said it hoped the improved timetable would help the rail network 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. |
| 'Major conurbations' | 'Major conurbations' |
| However, the director of Network Rail in Scotland, Ron McAuley, said the main priority was speeding up inter-city connection. | |
| "This project is all about bringing the two major conurbations of London and Glasgow closer together," he said. | "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. | "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." | "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. | 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." |