Northern Lights (train)

Last updated

Northern Lights
DSCF1809 Aberdeen Station.jpg
Overview
Service typePassenger train
Current operator(s) London North Eastern Railway
Former operator(s) Virgin Trains East Coast
East Coast
National Express East Coast
GNER
InterCity East Coast
British Rail
Route
Termini London King's Cross
Aberdeen
Distance travelled523 miles
Average journey time7 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)1W11 (previously 1S11) (northbound)
1E15 (southbound)
Line(s) used East Coast
Edinburgh to Aberdeen
Technical
Rolling stock Class 800 Azuma
Operating speed125 mph
The Northern Lights
route map
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Aberdeen
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Stonehaven
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Montrose
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Arbroath
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Dundee
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Leuchars
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Kirkcaldy
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Inverkeithing
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Haymarket
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Edinburgh Waverley
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Scotland / England
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Berwick upon Tweed
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Newcastle
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Darlington
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York
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London Kings Cross

The Northern Lights is a named British passenger train operated by London North Eastern Railway. It runs daily in each direction between London King's Cross and Aberdeen via the East Coast Main Line and Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line. The northbound service departs London King's Cross at 10:00am, and the southbound service departs Aberdeen at 09:52am. The route is one of the longest in Britain at 523 miles and the train takes just over seven hours to cover the journey. London North Eastern Railway operates another two services in each direction between London and Aberdeen as well as one each day to and from Leeds. [1]

Contents

Operation

Presently both of the services are operated by a Class 800 Azuma. This is a bi-modal train due to the line being diesel only beyond Haymarket, with the train being on electric power to and from the latter.

Current
TrainsetClassImageTypeTop speed
mphkm/h
Hitachi AT300 Class 800 Azuma 800104 LNER Azuma Kings Cross.jpg Bi-mode multiple unit 125200

Until December 2019, the Northern Lights service was operated by an InterCity 125 HST for a number of years until the whole fleet of HSTs were replaced by the Azuma fleet.

Past
TrainsetClassImageTypeTop speed
mphkm/h
InterCity 125 Class 43 Gleneagles - LNER 43305 up Highland Chielftain.JPG Locomotive 125200
Mark 3 IC125@40 - TS 42210 at York.JPG Passenger coach


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References

  1. "Our timetables". www.lner.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2020.