A train travelling from London Euston to Glasgow Central Station will attempt to smash the record for the time taken to travel between the two cities tomorrow.
Rail enthusiasts have taken to social media to share their excitement at the attempt – which aims to beat the 3h 52m 40sec time set over three decades ago back in December of 1984.
The Avanti West Coast train is set to leave from Platform 16 of London Euston at 10:36am tomorrow morning, bypassing all stations in between as it rockets up the West Coast line through stations such as Crewe, Preston, Carlisle and Motherwell as it reaches a maximum speed of 125mph.
The express train, a Class 390 EMU, has a scheduled arrival time on Platform 1 at Glasgow Central Station at 2:29pm, meaning that any arrival more than 20 seconds prior to that will see the record for the time taken between London and Glasgow broken.
Confirming news of the attempt, freelance railway writer Philip Haigh tweeted: "Avanti West Coast is to attempt a record-breaking London-Glasgow run on Thursday, leaving Euston at 1036 and arriving Central at 1429, no calls on the way."
Meanwhile UK Rail News reports that this test run, which will operate without passengers, will be the first train to run non-stop along the West Coast Mainline since 2006, when a train did the same in the opposite direction.
They also moot the possibility that a further attempt may also be scheduled next Thursday (June 24) should tomorrow's attempt prove unsuccessful...let's hope tomorrow is!
