 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Passenger train |
| First service | 12 September 1960 |
| Last service | 1966 |
| Successor | Manchester Pullman |
| Former operator(s) | British Rail |
| Route | |
| Termini | London St Pancras Manchester Central |
| Average journey time | 3 hours 15 minutes |
| Service frequency | Every weekday |
| Line(s) used | Midland Main Line |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | Blue Pullman |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Operating speed | 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) |
TheMidland Pullman was the name given to a former express passenger train service operating onBritish Railways' oldMidland Main Line betweenLondon St Pancras andManchester Central viaLeicester andMillers Dale. The train completed the journey in 3 hours 15 minutes.
This service is not to be confused with the first Midland Railway Pullman coach introduced in 1874, named "Midland" which was ofclerestory roofed design, imported from the Pullman Company in the US and assembled in Derby.
In July 1960 theMidland Pullman was relaunched as a luxury all-first-class service using two newBlue Pullman six-car diesel-electric units, aimed at covering the high end of the Manchester-London business market while services on theWest Coast Main Line were disrupted during electrification. It called only atCheadle Heath (now closed), and made the journey from London to Manchester in a record 3 hours 15 minutes. The best time between the two cities immediately previously had been 3 hours 50 minutes.[1]
TheMidland Pullman ran every weekday, up to London in the morning and down to Manchester in the evening. To fill in between these turns, there was an afternoon return trip from St Pancras toNottingham[2] described by railway staff as "The most luxurious ECS[a] in the world." The train had two kitchens, and a full meal service was provided at every seat.[3]
The operation attracted criticism because being a fixed-formation train it required a full spare set, making poor use of expensive assets. Critics also noted that the new service was not best timed for priority business use: initially the upMidland Pullman did not leave Manchester until 09:00.[3]
Other commentators, however, praised the speed and smoothness of the journey and the luxury of the trains.[citation needed] Trains were later re-timed to suit business travellers better.
The service was withdrawn in 1966 and replaced by the electric-locomotive-hauledManchester Pullman running fromManchester Piccadilly toLondon Euston via the newly electrified West Coast Main Line, with a much-reduced journey time of 2 hours 30 minutes,[4] marking the end of the Midland line as a significant route for Manchester-London traffic.
An attempt was made to find work for the train units on theEast Coast Main Line but, plagued as they were by rough-riding bogies, they were never run in revenue-earning service.[2] The two units were eventually transferred to the Western Region to work alongside theWestern Pullman units, which were eight-car units and included second class coaches.