LSLrevives'Blue Pullman'with dedicatedcharter HST
THElegendary'BluePullman' will return in November- 60 yearsafter the original trains brought a splashof colour to the railway.
LocomotiveServicesLimited (LSL)is refurbishingand repaintingone of its recently acquiredHigh SpeedTrainsets in Nankingblue & white to use asa luxury chartertrain.
Thetransformationis taking placeat Arlington FleetServices' EastleighWorks,with the finishedtrain expectedto be rolled out in October.
The HSTwill be finished without yellow warning panels, in keepingwith the original Metro-Cammell-builtsets.
Modified headlightsto the latest Network Railstandards will permit the train to run without yellow ends- the first HSTtodo so.
November14 hasalready beenearmarkedfor the train's public debut, when it is booked to work the 'Midland Pullman' from LondonSt Pancrasto ManchesterPiccadilly.
Thetrain will run via the ErewashValleyroute, Chesterfieldandthe Hope Valley,with the original train's route via PeakForestbeing no longer available.Passengerws ill be ableto visit Manchester's famousChristmasMarket.
Thetrain departsfrom St Pancrasat 09.00and will call at StAlbans,Lutonand Bedford to pick up and set down. Fares start from £142in FirstClass, risingto £295per personfor PullmanDining.
StatesmanRailis planning more'Blue Pullman'trips throughout Britainduring 2021. Forfurther information,see: www.statesmanrail.com
Twosix-cardiesel-electric 'Blue Pullman'setswere built for the LondonMidland Region's'MidlandPullman' servicebetweenSt Pancrasand
ManchesterCentral,launched in 1960.
After the completion of electrificationbetween ManchesterPiccadillyand LondonEustonin 1966,the servicewasreplacedby the loco-hauled'Manchester Pullman;which useddedicated Mk2 Pullmanstockand offered a significantlyfasterschedule.
The LMR'Blue Pullman'sets were transferredto the Western Regionto work alongsidetheir eight-carsisterson the Bristol and SouthWalesroutesuntil withdrawal in 1973.
A previousattempt to revive the'Blue Pullman'name occurredin 2006when FMRail repainteda set of ex-Virgin Mk2coachesand Class47/7 No.47709Dionysusin Nanking blue & white.