Does the UK have a "premier" main line?

[Strathclyder]

It's gotta be the WCML for me, for reasons others have already outlined. Connects London with Birmingham, Manchester & Glasgow all the multiple different major conurbations inbetween, is a major freight artery, runs through some of the best scenery outside of the Scottish Highlands and was the poster child for the long-distance rail travel renaissance in this country in the 2000s under the stewardship of Virgin.

But, if we're going down the 'termini determines a line's premier status' tack, Euston is a decaying concrete box in the ground (so is New St) but at the other end of the scale, the WCML has Glasgow Central at it's northern end. Central is one of the finest major railway termini in the country, especially in blending architectural excellence and passenger usabilty (blows the doors off Waverley in the latter respect despite that being the Scottish's captial's main railway hub and therefore of more importance), but alas, it's on the WCML in a city that's always played second fiddle to Edinburgh, so it's no surprise that it gets lost in the shuffle.

 

[Transilien]

IMO, the WCML is the premier mainline. I feel like the ECML is more middle class, while the WCML is more working class route. The ECML serves places like Cambridge, Durham and Edinburgh, all middle class and non-industrial cities which are popular with tourists, though less people actually live there. The WCML serves places such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester. Cities that are working class in nature and have a higher population than their eastern counterparts. The WCML is the true economic artery of the people who actually live here. The ECML is more of a tourist/political route in nature.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Quite.

Euston is a dump. Waterloo dwarfs Euston for passenger movements but this fact doesn’t make it a premier station.

If you knew nothing else about the main lines except where they served and how many passengers they handled, the WCML would undoubtedly come first. It is the character of the lines which is provoking debate. I wonder whether, if Euston was as impressive a building as other London terminals (if, say, it had been rebuilt in an Art Deco style as proposed in the 1930s), rather than a depressing hole in the ground, people would be more inclined to name the WCML as the premier route.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2026 ==

It's gotta be the WCML for me, for reasons others have already outlined. Connects London with Birmingham, Manchester & Glasgow all the multiple different major conurbations inbetween, is a major freight artery, runs through some of the best scenery outside of the Scottish Highlands and was the poster child for the long-distance rail travel renaissance in this country in the 2000s under the stewardship of Virgin.

But, if we're going down the 'termini determines a line's premier status' tack, Euston is a decaying concrete box in the ground (so is New St) but at the other end of the scale, the WCML has Glasgow Central at it's northern end. Central is one of the finest major railway termini in the country, especially in blending architectural excellence and passenger usabilty (blows the doors off Waverley in the latter respect despite that being the Scottish's captial's main railway hub and therefore of more importance), but alas, it's on the WCML in a city that's always played second fiddle to Edinburgh, so it's no surprise that it gets lost in the shuffle.

Central certainly is a marvellous station, but in Waverley is in a magnificent setting. Also the disgraceful lower level platforms at Central let it down.

IMO, the WCML is the premier mainline. I feel like the ECML is more middle class, while the WCML is more working class route. The ECML serves places like Cambridge, Durham and Edinburgh, all middle class and non-industrial cities which are popular with tourists, though less people actually live there. The WCML serves places such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester. Cities that are working class in nature and have a higher population than their eastern counterparts. The WCML is the true economic artery of the people who actually live here. The ECML is more of a tourist/political route in nature.

an interesting way of putting it!

 

[Krokodil]

I wonder whether, if Euston was as impressive a building as other London terminals (if, say, it had been rebuilt in an Art Deco style as proposed in the 1930s), rather than a depressing hole in the ground, people would be more inclined to name the WCML as the premier route.

Talking of holes in the ground, you'd better brighten up New Street while you're at it. Get some more light down below, and do something about the diesel fumes.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Talking of holes in the ground, you'd better brighten up New Street while you're at it. Get some more light down below, and do something about the diesel fumes.

Exactly. So the two most important WCML stations are pretty grim. Most WCML stations south of Crewe are bland at best, generally bleak. North of Crewe they have more character. I quite enjoy coming into Lancaster and Preston- there are some nice old buildings and canals around them.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Exactly. So the two most important WCML stations are pretty grim.

Well I'd say there are more than two major stations on WCML, you also have Piccadilly, Lime Street and Glasgow Central to consider. So only 2/5 terminals leave a poor taste in the mouth.

IMO, the WCML is the premier mainline. I feel like the ECML is more middle class, while the WCML is more working class route. The ECML serves places like Cambridge, Durham and Edinburgh, all middle class and non-industrial cities which are popular with tourists, though less people actually live there. The WCML serves places such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester. Cities that are working class in nature and have a higher population than their eastern counterparts. The WCML is the true economic artery of the people who actually live here. The ECML is more of a tourist/political route in nature.

Yeah I fully agree with this. And this characterisation holds true when you consider the secondary destinations like Northampton, Nuneaton, Stafford, Wigan, Blackpool, Preston etc. Where is the poshest place on the WCML? Maybe Lichfield? Or most things south of Hemel Hempstead? Of course, the ECML is not totally one dimensional in this respect with Leeds and Newcastle as major working class cities, and some secondary towns like Doncaster or Peterborough. But overall, those kinds of places are more heavily distributed on the western coast.

 

[GWVillager]

Yeah I fully agree with this. And this characterisation holds true when you consider the secondary destinations like Northampton, Nuneaton, Stafford, Wigan, Blackpool, Preston etc. Where is the poshest place on the WCML? Maybe Lichfield? Or most things south of Hemel Hempstead? Of course, the ECML is not totally one dimensional in this respect with Leeds and Newcastle as major working class cities, and some secondary towns like Doncaster or Peterborough. But overall, those kinds of places are more heavily distributed on the western coast.

Lancaster? Oxenholme? Penrith? Wilmslow? Central Manchester?

 

[irish_rail]

IMO, the WCML is the premier mainline. I feel like the ECML is more middle class, while the WCML is more working class route. The ECML serves places like Cambridge, Durham and Edinburgh, all middle class and non-industrial cities which are popular with tourists, though less people actually live there. The WCML serves places such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester. Cities that are working class in nature and have a higher population than their eastern counterparts. The WCML is the true economic artery of the people who actually live here. The ECML is more of a tourist/political route in nature.

Eh? ECML serves Leeds, Doncaster, Newcastle etc. Just as gritty and working class as it's western equivalents. If anything the WCML is full of yuppies heading to Manchester, and posh Londoners heading to Lakeland.

Personally, I'd probably say the WCML as the Premier route however, on account of the superior scenery.

 

[Strathclyder]

Central certainly is a marvellous station, but in Waverley is in a magnificent setting. Also the disgraceful lower level platforms at Central let it down.

Magnificant though it's setting may be, it's still a poorly laid out, confusing mess of a station to try and pick your way through if you don't use it often enough for that platform numbering system to stick in your head. Central is far superior in this respect, even with the Union St fire fallout and the dingy low-level platforms both holding it back.

 

[Agent_Squash]

The fact that, despite this, Kings Cross still feels grander and more impressive than Euston more strengthens the ECML's claim to flagship status, I'd argue.

If we're going off grandness, surely St Pancras wins by default?

West coast, best coast. It serves the backbone of Britain rather than just tourists and posh universities. And it also serves Lancaster Castle, and of course our Head of State is the Duke of Lancaster following a small battle in the 15th century.

And it's telling that the only thing that's stopping the WCML being faster to Edinburgh is because of our srvice split.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Used to have a running joke in the office that the "Premier Line" was the Euston - Watford DC line - all stations via Willesden Jct and Hatch End.
Mind you it carried more passengers than Edinburgh to Glasgow someone reckoned.

 

[norbitonflyer]

perhaps those out-buildings should be renamed Waterloo (West) to avoid any confusion. Platforms A-X.

That would be more confusing, as platforms A to D already exist in the East station

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jul 2026 ==

In the late 2000s/2010s, .......... the WCML was a beacon of privatised success. Innovative modern trains increasing frequencies and slashing journey times, a glamorous, trendy aviation-associated brand owned by a high profile British billionaire,

.....who thought it was a good idea to make trains more like aircraft. Unfortunately he succeeded - fine if you are travelling, like he does, in the posh seats, not so attractive in steerage - in the Pendolinos (complete with all-pervading sewage smell) and especially the Voyagers. Definitely not an improvement on the Mark 3s he discarded.

The fact he hasn't got a clue ghow trains work was highlighted by his comments on the driver at Grayrigg heroically "staying at the controls" during the derailment. Once off the rails there is very little the driver can do

But I certainly didn't mourn the dissappearance of East Coast. They claied to have made it pay when NXEC couldn't, butb they only did so but reneging on all the franchise commitments NXEC had been committed to.

 

[pitdiver]

Just to put a spanner in the works. How about the Metropolitan Line as the premier. I don't know if any ex or current LUL employees would agree?

 

[Mattplans]

The SEML has the best views approaching London of any terminal.

Strongly agree. Beautiful views at Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Waterloo East.

Even from Lewisham/St Johns down to London Bridge there's a lot to sightsee including Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. Can't be beaten

 

[mmh]

.....who thought it was a good idea to make trains more like aircraft.

This gets said on here every so often. It's a myth, though. The 390s are pretty much identical to every other Pendolino from the same era.

I suspect the origin of the myth pre-dates this forum and is something inherited from the uk.railway newsgroup, which was full of anti-Branson rhetoric at the time.

 

[Richard S]

Perhaps we need to consider the importance of the places the lines serve?
People in various cities were asked where was Britain's second city?
In Birmingham they said - Birmingham.
In Manchester they said - Manchester.
In Leeds they said - Leeds.
In Liverpool they said - London.

 

[Retorus]

Just to put a spanner in the works. How about the Metropolitan Line as the premier. I don't know if any ex or current LUL employees would agree?

It’s not a spanner if the idea is a complete non-starter.

 

[quantinghome]

So we're now 5 pages in. If the question has generated enough arguments to last thing long surely the answer is "no"!

 

[Gathursty]

For me:
The West Coast Main Line is the most important line in the country.
However, I first thought of the Chiltern Main Line as I think of it as posher than the other lines.
Also an honorable mention to The West Highland Line and Mallaig Extension and the major freight routes from Felixstowe/Immingham/London Gateway etc... as they are extremely important too.

 

[Class83]

If we're going off grandness, surely St Pancras wins by default?

West coast, best coast. It serves the backbone of Britain rather than just tourists and posh universities. And it also serves Lancaster Castle, and of course our Head of State is the Duke of Lancaster following a small battle in the 15th century.

And it's telling that the only thing that's stopping the WCML being faster to Edinburgh is because of our srvice split.

Euston to Glasgow Express takes 3h28m to Carlisle, the Edinburgh via Birmingham train takes 1h17m from Carlisle to Edinburgh, so 4h45m

The fast Kings Cross to Edinburgh takes 4h08m (and is timetabled at 4h05m) with 2 stops, even if they trimmed the WCML to only stop at Preston and Carlisle (about equivalent to York and Newcastle which East Coast Expresses do) it's hard to save over 30 mins.

 

[AndrewE]

Euston to Glasgow Express takes 3h28m to Carlisle, the Edinburgh via Birmingham train takes 1h17m from Carlisle to Edinburgh, so 4h45m

The fast Kings Cross to Edinburgh takes 4h08m (and is timetabled at 4h05m) with 2 stops, even if they trimmed the WCML to only stop at Preston and Carlisle (about equivalent to York and Newcastle which East Coast Expresses do) it's hard to save over 30 mins.

True, but the scenery and rail interest all the way gives it to the WCML for me - on top of its importance for the cities it serves and the amount it carries..

 

[BrianW]

As contributions to this thread demonstrate- 'it all depends' ...

A 'balanced scorecard' would identify (all?) (relevant) criteria (eg Scenery, speed, frequency, reliability, history, 'ambiance') decide how (relatively) important each criterion is in the overall 'picture', then 'score' each line (out of five/ten /% ), before multiplying and adding to a total 'score'. You then decide whether you like the 'answer' and adjust your criteria and scoring until you get the 'result' you want!! (A cynic might say a bit like Benefit/Cost Ratio is afgfected by optimism/ pessimism about interest rates or ridership)

All very subjective as it should be; we are all magnificently and infuriatingly different!

 

[The exile]

Maybe not "premier", but the Great Western mainline seems to have tried to be just by way of having "Great" in its name, which neither the ECML or WCML have done. It does boast a very high flow between Reading and London of 2.2m passengers, and Oxford-Paddington of 1.4m, and perhaps crucially for trying to be "premier", the Pullman dining service.

Though that terminology is for historic reasons. The two main lines to the north were split between companies until 1923, whereas the GW ran all the way to Penzance from 1889. If the routes hadn’t already acquired the names the establishment of the East (&West) Coast Joint Stock pools of coaches would have helped.

 

[WAO]

Depends on your criteria.

The ECML is the best racetrack, hence calling locos after racehorses.

The WCML has the heavier traffic to industrial centres.

The GWML serves the nicest part of the country (and it believes, of the population!), matches ECML speed in parts and created the name "intercity".

You'll still get incorrigibles voting for the MML and the L&Y, without even venturing South of the Thames.

WAO

 

[swt_passenger]

Something else I think should be noted is that despite the historical prestige we saw with some East Coast Main Line rolling stock, I believe some of Beeching's recommendations for development of major trunk routes would mean that all London-Scotland traffic would be funneled along the West Coast Main Line while the east would stop short at Newcastle. This never happened of course, but it is somewhat reflected by the original HS2 service plans before the Y-shape was butchered into what it is today where all Scotland trains ran up the west coast.

Beeching was operating in the 1960s, I believe he only proposed removing stoppers between Berwick and Edinburgh, but long distance through services remained. But it was about 20 years later that Serpell, (under Thatcher) suggested cutting the ECML back to Newcastle.

 

[Sorcerer]

I wonder just how much personal bias plays a role in people's answers. I try to approach this through an objective lens and conclude the West Coast Main Line is arguably the 'premier' trunk route because it connects so many major economic and industrial centres even if it's rolling stock has historically been less prestigious than the East Coast Main Line. So much so that HS2 was primarily conceived as a WCML relief. But I do have to acknowledge that I am a west coast man and can't rule out personal bias.

Beeching was operating in the 1960s, I believe he only proposed removing stoppers between Berwick and Edinburgh, but long distance through services remained. But it was about 20 years later that Serpell, (under Thatcher) suggested cutting the ECML back to Newcastle.

If you were to reduce the London to Scotland routes to just one then I imagine it would be easier to funnel everything along the West Coast Main Line where you can get roughly similar journey times to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Carstairs Junction, whereas the East Coast Main Line would already send you through Edinburgh to reach Glasgow be that arriving at Queen Street or Central.

 

[swt_passenger]

If you were to reduce the London to Scotland routes to just one then I imagine it would be easier to funnel everything along the West Coast Main Line where you can get roughly similar journey times to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Carstairs Junction, whereas the East Coast Main Line would already send you through Edinburgh to reach Glasgow be that arriving at Queen Street or Central.

But what about York, Teeside, Durham, Tyneside and Berwick to Edinburgh and further north? It’s not just about London to Scotland, which some of the historic ideas seem to gloss over. I still think you’d have the northern ECML anyway, whatever had happened with HS2…

 

[Zomboid]

The WCML has it's major English destinations (Birmingham, Manchester) closer to London than the closest equivalents on the ECML (Leeds, Newcastle). The south WCML is busier because effectively the ECML has no analog for Birmingham (Leeds & Manchester are probably close enough comparisons), but the ECML is busier along it's full length because the WCML has no analog for Newcastle.

It's also not insignificant that Edinburgh to London supports 2tph plus a few Lumos, whereas the second tph from Glasgow doesn't run every hour and gets overtaken by the following fast - it's not really intended for end to end travel.

What does that tell you? Don't know, but the two aren't really necessarily as directly comparable as it might seem at first.

 

[Sorcerer]

But what about York, Teeside, Durham, Tyneside and Berwick to Edinburgh and further north? It’s not just about London to Scotland, which some of the historic ideas seem to gloss over. I still think you’d have the northern ECML anyway, whatever had happened with HS2…

By no means would I suggest cutting back to just one London to Scotland route, just that if you had to cut back one then the West Coast Main Line would arguably be the more valuable route to keep, especially if you cut the East Coast Main Line short at Newcastle. Both routes have their value.

It's also not insignificant that Edinburgh to London supports 2tph plus a few Lumos, whereas the second tph from Glasgow doesn't run every hour and gets overtaken by the following fast - it's not really intended for end to end travel.

What does that tell you? Don't know, but the two aren't really necessarily as directly comparable as it might seem at first.

What I get from that is the East Coast Main Line is more tourist and leisure-focused with it's frequent services between the English and Scottish capitals to the point of having a low-cost competitor in the form of Lumo, with York being a common stop on both the fast and semi-fast LNER trains. Meanwhile the Scotland via West Midlands service is more for intermediates than end-to-end travel just like you said.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think we can probably agree that the WCML is the most important line. Whether it is the premier line is more debatable because rather more subjective.