Named Trains In The UK 2024

[Condor7]

Back in 2020 I published on this forum an up to date list on the then current named (or titled) trains that ran in the UK. Providing a complete and accurate list is very time consuming. There is of course a list on Wikipedia and it makes a valiant attempt to list all named trains ever in the UK. Finding those in that list that are current is not too arduous but unfortunately there are a few inaccuracies. That is not to say there are not any in my list although I have tried hard to not make any, however one of the reasons for posting on here is to get constructive feedback especially of any mistakes I may have made.

After Covid struck there was a significant decrease in named trains especially from GWR who by far had the most named trains. They have from June this year reinstated them. TfWales have confirmed their only previous named train The Gerald is no longer named although the previous timings still exist but it is now part of the Premier service of several trains. LNER have also confirmed with me that although they no longer list their named trains in the timetables they still exist and very kindly sent me the list with the timings which I have posted below.
The times below are Monday to Friday.


EAST MIDLANDS RAILWAY

Sheffield Continental 04:58 Sheffield to St Pancras. 09:37 St Pancras to Sheffield.

The Master Cutler 07:34 Sheffield to St Pancras. 17:02 St Pancras to Sheffield.

The Robin Hood 06:40 Lincoln to St Pancras. 17:35 St Pancras to Nottingham.

The South Yorkshireman 18:02 St Pancras to Sheffield (one way only).


LNER

Carolean Express 11:00 Kings Cross to Edinburgh (one way only).

The Flying Scotsman 05:40 Edinburgh to Kings Cross. (one way only)

The Highland Chieftain 07:55 Inverness to Kings Cross.
12:00 Kings Cross to Inverness.

The Northern Lights 10:00 Kings Cross to Aberdeen.
09:52 Aberdeen to Kings Cross.

The West Riding Limited 06:30 Bradford Forster Sq to Kings Cross. (one way only)


GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

The Bristolian 06:24 Weston Super Mare to Paddington.
18:01 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads.

The Cheltenham Spa Express 08:32 Paddington to Cheltenham Spa.
14:59 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington.

The Cotswold and Malvern Express 09:52 Paddington to Hereford
15:18 Hereford to Paddington

The Cathedrals Express 05:33 Hereford to Paddington
17:34 Paddington to Hereford

The Atlantic Coast Express 09:04 Paddington to Penzance
14:55 Newquay to Paddington (corrected)

The Devon Express 09:03 Paddington to Paignton
19:04. Paignton to Paddington

The Royal Duchy 12:03 Paddington to Penzance
12:15 Penzance to Paddington

THE TORBAY EXPRESS 09:37 Paddington to Paignton
15:55 Paignton or Paddington

THE CAPITALS UNITED 05:58 Swansea to Paddington
17:48 Paddington to Swansea

FLYING CAROLEAN 08:48 Paddington to Swansea (one way only)

THE PEMBROKE COAST EXPRESS 08:48 Paddington to Pembroke Dock (Saturdays)
10:00 Pembroke Dock to Paddington (Saturdays)

THE RED DRAGON 07:23 Carmarthen to Paddington
16:18 Paddington to Carmarthen

THE SAINT DAVID 10:48 Paddington to Swansea
11:27 Swansea to Paddington

THE WELSHMAN (Y CYMRO) 07:20 Swansea to Paddington
18:48 Paddington to Swansea

THE ARMADA 05:55 Plymouth to Paddington
19:04. Paddington to Plymouth (Penzance on Fridays)

THE CORNISHMAN 15:03 Paddington to Penzance
16:15 Penzance to Paddington

THE CORNISH RIVIERA 10:03 Paddington to Penzance
10:15 Penzance to Paddington

THE GOLDEN HIND 05:03 Penzance to Paddington
18:03 Paddington to Penzance

THE MAYFLOWER 13:03 Paddington to Plymouth
13:15 Plymouth to Paddington

THE NIGHT RIVIERA 23:45 Paddington to Penzance (23:50 on Monday)
21:45 Penzance to Paddington

The one anomaly is The Caledonian Sleeper, sometime referred to as The Night Caledonian or depending on its Scottish destination the Lowlander or The Highlander.

I have always used as my reference the Railway Magazines 2012 publication The Encylopedia of Titled Trains which still remains the most accurate and up to date reference work.

This is what it says regarding The Caledonian Sleeper “Although this could be construed as a brand name rather than a named train, the fact that there are only four trainsets as opposed to a large fleet and the fact that the service includes ‘portions’ in the finest traditions of titled trains has justified its inclusion as a main entry in the survey”

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

GWR on Saturdays a couple of the names are on different services to Mon-Fri:

THE TORBAY EXPRESS
1035 Paddington-Paignton
0855 Paignton-Paddington

THE CORNISHMAN
1103 Paddington-Penzance (Summer only)
1100 Penzance-Paddington (Summer only)

THE ATLANTIC COAST EXPRESS
1135 Paddington-Newquay (Summer only)
1110 Newquay-Paddington (Summer only)


Also I think you’ve misread the Cornish timetable M-F:

The Atlantic Coast Express 09:04 Paddington to Penzance
14:50 Penzance to Paddington

The Up train is the 1455 Newquay to Paddington, not the 1450 ex-Penzance service which is a connection.

 

[Condor7]

Thanks ‘Wilts Wanderer‘. I appreciate your correction on the Atlantic Coast Express, as I mentioned one of the reasons for posting this. I am also very grateful for the Saturday listings. I had meant to say the listings were Monday to Friday. I was aware with GWR that there were some Saturday working and was intending to post those in the near future, but it took me so long to do the whole list I think I just needed a break.. So once again thank you very much.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

No problem at all

 

[Envoy]

Do these named trains actually have it written on their electronic displays? What about on board & station announcements? Station display screens - even those stations run by TfW?

 

[aar0]

Do these named trains actually have it written on their electronic displays? What about on board & station announcements? Station display screens - even those stations run by TfW?

In the previous era of GWR naming trains (HSTs) the destination display car and larger platform displays showed it, but I don’t recall it being announced on platforms. I’ve travelled on several supposedly named trains recently (From this list) and they haven’t had any obvious announcements.

 

[Western 52]

In the previous era of GWR naming trains (HSTs) the destination display car and larger platform displays showed it, but I don’t recall it being announced on platforms. I’ve travelled on several supposedly named trains recently (From this list) and they haven’t had any obvious announcements.

I often use the 0723 from Carmarthen, and there's no reference anywhere to it being a named train. Back in HST days the window labels did state the name and even had a dragon image.

 

[Condor7]

Do these named trains actually have it written on their electronic displays? What about on board & station announcements? Station display screens - even those stations run by TfW?

Unfortunately this is one of the problems with modern day named trains. Identifying them is very hit and miss. One of the easiest ways previously to identify them was by checking the timetables, but as mentioned in my original post this is no longer the case with LNER. To some extent I can understand this as I suspect most people these days don’t use timetables but use apps. So despite LNER saying they definitely still have named trains if they are not in the timetable they should at least include them in announcements or with some kind of on train identification. Previously that wasn’t the case so whether they will be more conscientious in identifying them from the June timetable we will see. If anyone has any observations I would be interested, and I would welcome any feedback on that.

I know from personal experience spending time last year on Chesterfield station saw three of their four named trains and none of them were identified in the station announcements nor was there any external identification. The only thing I was not sure of was if there was anything inside the train. it’s a pity as I can’t help feel it would be a good marketing promotio.

 

[Envoy]

Back in the old days, they had name plates on the front of the named trains. Even the restaurant cars had their menus emblazoned with the name and a logo. The Red Dragon had a Red Dragon on the menu and The Pembroke Coast Express had a variety of Pembrokeshire seafood on the front.

Hopefully, someone in power at the TOC’s that run named trains will read this and get the name included on the electronic displays at stations and on the trains?

 

[Halwynd]

Even the restaurant cars had their menus emblazoned with the name and a logo. The Red Dragon had a Red Dragon on the menu and The Pembroke Coast Express had a variety of Pembrokeshire seafood on the front.

Not just 'back in the day' either... more recently Virgin Trains used branded menu's for a short time - The Royal Scot and The Caledonian had them. They had dark blue cardboard covers, The Royal Scot menu had a thistle logo on the front and The Caledonian, a lion. I've still got them somewhere, in circulation around about 2004, 2005 I think.

 

[Condor7]

Back in 2012 this was 91210 The West Riding Limited at Leeds station early morning ex from Bradford Forster Sq. Taken on my phone. The window sticker was on the door window on every carriage.

 

[Kite159]

Do these named trains actually have it written on their electronic displays? What about on board & station announcements? Station display screens - even those stations run by TfW?

I was at Reading yesterday for the Pembroke train and it was announced as "The Pembroke Coast Express" before the calling patterns and need to be in the rear 5 coaches for stations beyond Swansea.

 

[Halwynd]

I've found the Virgin Trains named menus I mentioned...

 

[DelW]

Do these named trains actually have it written on their electronic displays? What about on board & station announcements?

Travelling from Taunton a few weeks ago, my up train was referred to in all the platform announcements as the Atlantic Coast Express, it having originated at Newquay.

 

[wilbers]

Yorkshire Dales Explorer? or was that only for the first day of operation that they made that for?

June 2024 reopening of the line between Clitheroe and Hellifield for passenger trains

If there are Northern staff at Blackpool who do not like the routes they have, they should put in a request to move to other depots rather than demanding preferred routes be given to them. Local news might have a field day with this so they should be mindful how far to push this demand. Why...

www.railforums.co.uk

156424

Ribblehead 08/06/2024 Northern Having completed its journey as 2N60 07:52 Rochdale to Ribblehead 10:19

www.flickr.com

 

[Envoy]

I was at Reading yesterday for the Pembroke train and it was announced as "The Pembroke Coast Express" before the calling patterns and need to be in the rear 5 coaches for stations beyond Swansea.

Well, that is good to know. I wonder if they did the same at station announcements in Wales where TfW are in charge?

 

[50010 Monarch]

I have heard announcements mentioning The Royal Duchy and The Cornish Riviera at Exeter St Davids recently as well.

 

[Condor7]

I was at Reading yesterday for the Pembroke train and it was announced as "The Pembroke Coast Express" before the calling patterns and need to be in the rear 5 coaches for stations beyond Swansea.

Travelling from Taunton a few weeks ago, my up train was referred to in all the platform announcements as the Atlantic Coast Express, it having originated at Newquay.

I have heard announcements mentioning The Royal Duchy and The Cornish Riviera at Exeter St Davids recently as well.

That is very encouraging to hear.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2024 ==

Yorkshire Dales Explorer? or was that only for the first day of operation that they made that for?

Yes I believe it was just for that first day. Even if Northern Trains continued to use it then it really becomes a brand name rather than a specific named train.

 

[aar0]

This morning’s short formed The Welshman was not marked as such at Swansea

 

[Stuwhu]

Yorkshire Dales Explorer? or was that only for the first day of operation that they made that for?

June 2024 reopening of the line between Clitheroe and Hellifield for passenger trains

If there are Northern staff at Blackpool who do not like the routes they have, they should put in a request to move to other depots rather than demanding preferred routes be given to them. Local news might have a field day with this so they should be mindful how far to push this demand. Why...

www.railforums.co.uk

156424

Ribblehead 08/06/2024 Northern Having completed its journey as 2N60 07:52 Rochdale to Ribblehead 10:19

www.flickr.com

It was announced as the Yorkshire Dales Explorer at Bolton last Saturday

 

[Deafdoggie]

What is the point of a named train? Is it not identical to every other train? What makes a named train special?

 

[Condor7]

What is the point of a named train? Is it not identical to every other train? What makes a named train special?

You make a good point. It is certainly something that frustrates me. Obviously there are no written rules as to what qualifies a train to be ‘named’. However it is generally regarded as a train that does offer something different or commemorates something special.

in times passed it was much more that way although not always. Today some trains do qualify based on the above statement. For instance The West Riding Ltd (limited stops) can be rightly called that as once leaving the West Riding (at Wakefield) it runs non stop to Kings Cross. Others as mentioned previously such as The Master Cutler don’t appear to offer anything different.

it doesn’t have to be the fastest train although that was originally one of the main reasons for naming them, but there should be something at least that makes them different, or as mentioned commemorated something special such as The Flying Carolean or The Carolean Express.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

I believe GWR named trains are now mentioned on the station information screens and announcements, since the most recent timetable change. I’ve certainly heard a couple.

Shame the Merchant Venturer hasn’t returned though!

 

[gabrielhj07]

Seems to be hit or miss at King’s Cross whether they put the names up or not.

 

[dk1]

What is the point of a named train? Is it not identical to every other train? What makes a named train special?

It’s just a bit of pride and keeping with tradition especially if they are limited stop in some way or other.

 

[-Colly405-]

Back in the old days, they had name plates on the front of the named trains. Even the restaurant cars had their menus emblazoned with the name and a logo. The Red Dragon had a Red Dragon on the menu and The Pembroke Coast Express had a variety of Pembrokeshire seafood on the front.

Like this?

 

[aar0]

I believe GWR named trains are now mentioned on the station information screens and announcements, since the most recent timetable change. I’ve certainly heard a couple.

Shame the Merchant Venturer hasn’t returned though!

Certainly called (with a slight crack before and after) at Bristol Parkway now

 

[dangie]

Would be a bit of bad publicity if a ‘Premier Service’ named train was cancelled.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I would be surprised if the Merchant Venturer name was to return, given its association with the slave trade and the greater sensitivity of such issues these days.

 

[Iskra]

Is the Jolly Fisherman (0756 Derby-Skegness) still named? It was in the most recent HST days appearing on the departure screens at Derby and with announcements onboard too.