A thrilling record attempt to cut rail travel times between London and Glasgow has had to be postponed due to a last-minute hitch. A signalling fault near Euston, which caused trains to slow down significantly, has seen the trial postponed until September. The delay has disappointed campaigners for shorter journey times to reduce air travel between the UK’s two largest cities. Campaigners believe a faster rail link could reduce emissions and improve overall efficiency.
Current Situation and East Coast Difference
Currently, Avanti West Coast's Pendolino trains take around four and a half hours to travel on the London-Glasgow rail route. Although these modern trains can theoretically reach speeds of 140 mph, they are forced to travel below their potential due to the 125 mph speed limit imposed on the West Coast Main Line.
In contrast, significant progress has been made on the east coast of England’s railways. London North Eastern Railway (LNER) aims to reduce the Edinburgh-London journey time to just over four hours by December this year. This achievement highlights the stark difference between the UK’s two major north-south routes and highlights the need for improvements on the west coast.
Historic Record and the Changing Fate of HS2
A previous speed record attempt on the London-Glasgow railway was made in 1984 by the Advanced Passenger Train (APT). Despite the lower official speed limits at the time, the APT managed to reach an impressive 160mph. Avanti’s planned new attempt will have to stay within today’s stricter speed limits.
The High Speed 2 (HS2) project was initially intended to reduce travel times between London and Glasgow to 3 hours and 37 minutes. However, as the project’s route has been narrowed south to the West Midlands, this ambitious goal has become an unachievable dream. This raises the importance of solutions for improving existing lines on the west coast’s rail infrastructure.
Calls for Improvements on the London-Glasgow Corridor
Malcolm Reed, the former head of the Scottish Department for Transport, criticised the postponement of the record attempt, saying it was clear evidence that promises made during past rail upgrades to Scotland had not been met. He said Glasgow now had slower rail services than 15 years ago, while the east coast had seen consistent and effective improvements for decades. This added to criticism that rail infrastructure on the west coast was not being given the necessary attention.
Paul Tetlaw, of transport campaigner Transform Scotland, said urgent improvements were needed to the existing London-Glasgow route to compete with air travel. He also warned of a lack of long-term planning for the UK’s rail infrastructure, which was causing improvements on key routes such as the west coast to be delayed and inadequate.
Joint Statement from Avanti and Network Rail
Expressing disappointment over the delay, Avanti West Coast and Network Rail, which is responsible for rail infrastructure, issued a joint statement. Both organisations have pledged to reschedule the record attempt for later this year once the signalling issue near Euston is resolved. The statement offers hope that the project has not been cancelled entirely and that efforts to reduce rail journey times will continue. However, it remains unclear when the new trial will take place and whether it will be successful. Rail passengers between London and Glasgow are likely to continue waiting for faster, more efficient travel.
