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Virgin Trains
Last edited by
railwayadam
• 7 months ago
Virgin Trains was the Virgin and Stagecoach operator of the West Coast Main Line from 1997 to 2019, running Pendolinos and Voyagers between London, the West Midlands, North West, North Wales and Scotland.
Founded
1997
Status
Historic (ended 2019)
Country
—
Regions
—
Website
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Reference
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Operator Code
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Virgin Trains was the operator of the InterCity West Coast franchise from 9 March 1997 until 7 December 2019. It was run by Virgin Rail Group, a joint venture between Virgin Group and Stagecoach, and took over the former British Rail InterCity West Coast business at privatisation. Its core network linked London Euston with the West Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool, North Wales, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The company is chiefly associated with the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line and with the introduction of the Class 390 Pendolino fleet. Pendolinos became the standard train on the principal electric routes, while Class 221 Super Voyagers worked diesel services including routes to North Wales and Shrewsbury. In practice, Virgin Trains was the long-distance West Coast operator of the franchise era, taking over the role that InterCity had held under British Rail.
Its significance lies in the length of its tenure and in the scale of the route it operated. By the time the franchise ended, the BBC described it as Britain’s longest-running rail franchise, with almost 500 million journeys made during its period in charge. The company also became closely identified with the post-privatisation railway: branded, commercially managed and heavily dependent on a major infrastructure upgrade programme.
Virgin also lent its name to Virgin Trains East Coast, a separate operation that ran the InterCity East Coast franchise from 1 March 2015 to 23 June 2018 before being replaced by LNER. That East Coast business was shorter-lived and distinct from the original West Coast operation.
For railway enthusiasts, Virgin Trains is usually understood in straightforward terms: the West Coast operator of the Pendolino era, and the company that replaced BR InterCity on that route before the franchise passed to Avanti West Coast in December 2019.
The company is chiefly associated with the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line and with the introduction of the Class 390 Pendolino fleet. Pendolinos became the standard train on the principal electric routes, while Class 221 Super Voyagers worked diesel services including routes to North Wales and Shrewsbury. In practice, Virgin Trains was the long-distance West Coast operator of the franchise era, taking over the role that InterCity had held under British Rail.
Its significance lies in the length of its tenure and in the scale of the route it operated. By the time the franchise ended, the BBC described it as Britain’s longest-running rail franchise, with almost 500 million journeys made during its period in charge. The company also became closely identified with the post-privatisation railway: branded, commercially managed and heavily dependent on a major infrastructure upgrade programme.
Virgin also lent its name to Virgin Trains East Coast, a separate operation that ran the InterCity East Coast franchise from 1 March 2015 to 23 June 2018 before being replaced by LNER. That East Coast business was shorter-lived and distinct from the original West Coast operation.
For railway enthusiasts, Virgin Trains is usually understood in straightforward terms: the West Coast operator of the Pendolino era, and the company that replaced BR InterCity on that route before the franchise passed to Avanti West Coast in December 2019.
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Videos featuring Virgin Trains
Showing 500 of 2,178 videos.
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Busy Few Hours At Stafford Station Freight/passenger/charter Trains 29th September 26 WCML
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Freight Action 4 Locations Crewe Carlisle Lancaster Wolverton 19th 21st September 26 WCML
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Freight Action at Wigan Sandbach Warrington Crewe Station 15th 16th September 2026
Trains Trains Trains
Crewe in the 2000s – The Final Years of Class 87s and the Arrival of the Pendolino
Trains Trains Trains
Birmingham New Street Before the Transformation – Classic Trains of the Early 2000s
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic busy Few hours at Tamworth Station Freight/passenger/Test Trains 25th August 2026
spompeytransportvideo
Railways around Birmingham Part 3 of 4 Tyseley Station (Birmingham) 28th July 2026
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Action At Shrewsbury Station Charter/Passenger Trains 4th August 2026
Damien's Trains and Travels
My Bachmann Skarloey Layout & More at The Kingsway Centre Model Railway Exhibition, 9th August 2026
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic busy Few Hours at Walsall station Midlands Freight/Passenger trains 29th July 2026
spompeytransportvideo
BR Class 55 'Deltic' Locomotives in Preservation during the Pre Digital Age (BR55 01P)
Gareth's Travel Videos
LNER InterCity 225 Set's Return to Newcastle Station in Passenger Service. | 30/03/26.
Damien's Trains and Travels
Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, Spring Steam and Diesel Gala, 16th May 2026
Sheffield Transport Football SAM
Virgin Atlantic A330-343 At Doncaster/Sheffield/ Robin Hood Airport
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Freight trains at Stafford Rugby Runcorn Tamworth 14/15th April 2026 WCML
DestinationTrainsPlanes
SMASHED Windows & GRAFFITI for Mk2 Coaches - Plus TnT Class 37's with Class 156 drag!
West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Busy day at Rugby Station Freight/passenger/Test/Light Locos Trains 14th April 2026 WCML
Sheffield Transport Football SAM
Freightliner 66598 At Hayfields/Doncaster From Tinsley Intermodal Term To London Gateway Frghtliner
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Rails in Wales 20 years ago, over 20 movements, inc.37,47,50.60,66 and HSTs
Lea Road trains & FoHA talks
Every train that I filmed Tuesday 17/2/2026 at Lea Road in one video 👍✔️
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Harry Sedgwick
The Class 390 'Pendolino' Avanti *CLIMATE LIVERY* No.390121 'Opportunity' was leaves at Carlisle.
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Harry Sedgwick
The Class 390 'Pendolino' Avanti *CLIMATE LIVERY* No.390121 'Opportunity' was arrives at Carlisle.
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West Coast Mainline trains
Fantastic Freight Action At 3 Station Wigan North Western Warrington Bank Q Stafford WCML
GWR Yam Yam Railway Videos
Summer memories at Langstone Rock - British Rail in the 1990s - 4K Remaster
S.T.C Rail Productions
65 Years of Class 37s - Diesel Gala Bash - Severn Valley Railway - October 2025
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Trains Trains Trains
Is the Class 220 Voyager Britain's Most Underrated High-Speed Train? #class220 #trains #virgin #fyp
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Rail in Wales August 2005. 35 clips in busier times, mostly loco hauled.
The Devon Trainspotter
Admin trains on Lakeside Rail including @LaZeRJET and @ThatRealMachineGuy's train!
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Railtour Feb. 2001."Merseyside Beat" Haulage by 56, 60, 66, 67, 92. Open window Newport-Liverpool.
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Railways 1998. Loco hauled in Stafford, New St., Parkway, Bridgend andd Cardiff Canton.
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Rails in Wales 20 years ago. International Rugby. 6 x 67s and much more
spompeytransportvideo
BR in the 1990s Diversions Over The Settle & Carlisle Route on 13th March 1999
S.T.C Rail Productions
Dean Forest Railway - Diesel Gala Weekend - 14th September & 15th September, 2024
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Railtour 2001. Window view all the way.56,57,58,59,60 haulage "Tone Bone"
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Railtour. "Spinning Haggis Railtour" 1999. Crossing the Tay and Fourth Bridges
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Rails in England. with 20/37/47/56/60/66/87/90/HST. Preston & Warrington 1999
Lineside South East (Guaranteed no AI)
Cross Country Trains Remembered, from BR Intercity to Virgin and Arriva CrossCountry
Lineside South East (Guaranteed no AI)
The Class 180 Adelante Story, a FAILURE? (Revised and Re-Published Version)
Lineside South East (Guaranteed no AI)
Midland Mainline High Speed Train HST, InterCity 125 Remembered
Lineside South East (Guaranteed no AI)
East Coast Mainline High Speed Train (HST, InterCity 125) Remembered
Mike Wilcock. Rails in Wales.
Railways in Lancaster 20 years ago.. High sped freight, Virgin Pendolinos etc.
The Railway Tavern 🍺
Preston Model Railway Exhibition 2023 - Video HIGHLIGHTS & Layout Build IMAGES 📸
