Lumo has revealed a sneak peek of its newly-refurbished Class 222 trains including sleek new seating for the London Euston to Stirling route
The operator of a fresh train service linking London to central Scotland has offered a glimpse into what passengers can anticipate. Lumo, the rail operator, has unveiled new specifics about its recently refurbished Class 222 trains that will traverse the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Stirling.
In a recent update, Lumo revealed that some seats will be revamped existing ones, whilst certain carriages in the fleet will be equipped with new “sleek” grey and silver seating. “Lumo operates a single-class of Standard seating, offering all customers the best seats to take in the picturesque views on the new route,” the firm stated.
CGI images of the carriage interiors were also shared, providing further insight into what travellers can expect. The novel train service, which has been likened to the Eurostar, is slated to commence from the spring, as per Lumo’s website.
No official date has been confirmed but Lumo indicated in its latest update that it intends to launch the service “in the coming months”, reports the Express. Lumo currently operates services on the East Coast Main Line between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh.
The operator affirmed that the new service will deliver its “same great customer service, low-cost fares and connections to some previously underserved stations”.
The service will call at Euston and Stirling, as well as Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert.
Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert will benefit from their first direct rail connections to London courtesy of the new route. Lumo will become the sole ‘open-access’ operator – meaning it receives no Government subsidy – operating on the West Coast Main Line.
Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of East London, suggested this means tickets should “certainly be cheaper”.
Speaking to Metro, the expert also expressed confidence in a positive travelling experience, drawing parallels with the Eurostar.
She explained: “The service enhancement will significantly improve the passenger experience, especially compared to air travel. Air travel requires an initial transit to one of London’s airports, followed by a two-hour wait for the flight, then a two-hour flight time.”
She continued: “In contrast, rail travel involves just a quick journey to Euston station, followed by a five-hour train journey with WiFi, refreshments, and enhanced onboard services.
“Passengers will get city centre to city centre connectivity, eliminating lengthy airport transfers and security procedures. It’s like choosing between Eurostar and flying when traveling to Paris or Brussels. The train offers greater convenience despite the longer journey time.”
Lumo has revealed that 16 new apprentices are transitioning from the classroom to the cab of its Class 222 train fleet.
Lindsay Gauntlett, from Lumo, expressed: “We’re proud of the progress of our new apprentices preparing to help us launch our new route connecting London Euston and Stirling.”
The operator confirmed that tickets will be available for purchase “in due course”. The service will offer four daily direct return journeys between Stirling and London Euston, along with an extra fifth return service between Preston and London.
