Highland Chieftain
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Passenger train |
| Predecessor | The Clansman |
| First service | May 1984 |
| Current operator(s) | Virgin Trains East Coast |
| Former operator(s) |
East Coast National Express East Coast GNER InterCity East Coast |
| Route | |
| Start | London King's Cross |
| End | Inverness |
| Distance travelled | 581 miles |
| Average journey time | 8 hours |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | 1S16 (northbound) 1E13 (southbound) |
| Line used |
East Coast Highland |
| Technical | |
| InterCity 125 | |
| Operating speed | 125 mph |
The Highland Chieftain is a named British passenger train operated by Virgin Trains East Coast. It operates daily in each direction between London King's Cross and Inverness via the East Coast and Highland Main Lines. It is operated by diesel-powered InterCity 125 High Speed Trains.
It is one of the longest train journeys in the United Kingdom at 581 miles with a journey time of eight hours.
The Highland Chieftain was introduced with the May 1984 timetable, the running time then being 8 hours 40 minutes southbound and 8 hours 50 minutes northbound. It was intended to replace The Clansman as the principal train between the London and the Scottish Highlands. Today it has a journey time of eight hours.
Electric locomotive 87023, that operated on the West Coast Main Line, was named Highland Chieftain between 1978 and 1984, but never had an association with the passenger service. Virgin Trains East Coast High Speed Train power car 43308 that does operate the service, is named Highland Chieftain.
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