Virgin Trains

Infobox Rail companies
bgcolor=B30212
abbr=VT
image_filename=390018 at Crewe railway station.jpg
widthpx=300px
franchise=InterCity West Coast
9th March 1997 – 31st March 2012
Cross-Country
5th January 1997 – 10th November 2007 (originally 2012)
logo_filename=Virgin_trains_logo_(updated).gif
nameforarea=route
regions=London - Scotland,
London - West Midlands,
London - North West
secregions=London-North Wales,
West Midlands - Scotland
fleet=53 "Pendolino" sets
21 "Super Voyager" sets
16 British Rail Class 57/3 diesel locomotives
stations=42
stationsop=17
parent_company=Virgin Group / Stagecoach Group
website=www.virgintrains.co.uk
websitename=www.virgintrains.co.uk

Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West, West Midlands and Scotland on the West Coast Main Line. Prior to 11 November 2007, the company also provided services linking the south and south-west of England with the north of England via Manchester and Scotland, via Birmingham. Although it is branded as part of the Virgin Group, their share in the company is only 51%, with the remaining 49% held by Stagecoach Group.

Virgin Trains was formed to take advantage of the privatisation of British Rail in the mid 1990s, and was initially successful in winning two: InterCity West Coast and InterCity Cross Country [cite web|title=Passenger Rail Franchises - Virgin Cross Country|url=http://www.atoc-comms.org/franchised-passenger-services-virgin-cross-country-trains.php|publisher=Association of Train Operating Companies] . The two franchises, although separate companies (in common ownership) [cite web|title=Site Terms & Conditions|url=http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/termsandconditions/default.aspx|publisher=Virgin Trains] both legally and operationally, were marketed as a single brand.

Virgin Trains routes

Current routes

The Pendolino fleet is allocated to the Manchester Traincare Centre at Longsight , with lighter maintenance and overnight stabling also carried out at Wembley (London), Oxley ( Wolverhampton ), Edge Hill ( Liverpool ) and Polmadie ( Glasgow ). Longsight is also ' home ' to the Class 57 ' Thunderbird' fleet. Thunderbird locomotives are stationed at strategic points along the WCML such as Rugby, Stafford and Preston.

The Class 221 Super Voyager fleet is allocated to Central Rivers depot near Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.

Past fleet

* [http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/ Virgin Trains web site]
* [http://www.v-flyer.com/pendolino.asp Virgin Trains Pendolino Seat Plans] from V-Flyer, customer created site.
* [http://www.v-flyer.com/voyager.asp Virgin Trains Voyager Seat Plans] from V-Flyer, customer created site.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6286904.stm BBC News on Cross Country loss]
s-ttl|title=Operator of Cross-Country franchise
years=1997 — 2007
- s-ttl|title=Operator of InterCity West Coast franchise
years=1997 — 2012