X-Nico

7 unusual facts about Virgin trains


Big Train

The song has since been adopted for a commercial for Virgin Trains.

Christopher Awdry

The train operator Virgin Trains produced a colouring book for young passengers based on the stories.

Flintshire

Located on the North Wales Coast Line with services run by Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains Wales specifically calling at Flintshire stations such as Flint and Shotton with an interchange with the Borderlands Line.

Grayrigg

On 23 February 2007, Lambrigg Crossovers, south of Grayrigg was the site of the Grayrigg derailment, a fatal derailment involving a Virgin Trains service from London Euston to Glasgow Central.

Les Ross

As 9 o'clock approached, he hopped on a train (hauled by electric locomotive no. 86259 especially named 'Les Ross' by Virgin Trains) to symbolise the end.

Old Dalby

Following privatisation of the UK railways, the test track was taken over by Alstom and electrified on the 25kV overhead system in order to test the Virgin Trains tilting Pendolino fleet.

Rothersthorpe

This was for safety reasons following projected speed increases to 125 miles per hour on the line by Virgin Trains' tilting Pendolino trains.


British Rail Mark 3

The introduction of Virgin Trains' Pendolino electric multiple units on the WCML caused a large surplus of Mark 3 vehicles, which ended up in storage at Long Marston.

Scottish National Liberation Army

In February 2007, SNLA involvement was claimed in the fatal Grayrigg derailment of a Virgin train traveling from London to Glasgow.

Stafford to Manchester Line

Virgin Trains operate inter-city services between London Euston via the Colwich spur to Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.

Wester Hailes railway station

As this station is part of the West Coast Main Line to Carstairs, which diverges at Mid Calder Junction, a colourful variety of CrossCountry Class 220 "Voyager", Virgin Trains Class 221 "Super Voyager", Class 390 "Pendolino" and East Coast InterCity 225 can also be seen.


see also

Melton Mowbray railway station

It has, more recently, been used for testing Virgin Trains' Pendolino units and is currently being used for the testing of new stock for London underground built by Bombardier in Derby.