Our Verdict

Lumo has clearly done its homework when it comes to designing its services and has made no secret of its desire to target air travellers between London and Scotland, rather than the other operators who run along the East Coast Main Line.

The Class 803 Hitachi five-coach IETS are certainly eye catching in their overall blue livery, which is only broken up by the white branding on the exterior of the train.

Internally, the trains are smart, but rather functional in their appearance and the lack of tables throughout most of the train is noticeable, with only two table bays of four seats in each of the five coaches, although every non-table seat has an extendable drop-down table, as well as plug sockets.

This has been done to fit in the 402 seats throughout the train (398 standard seats and four tip-up seats).

Lumo has made much in its preservice press releases about how much care has gone into designing the train and by removing first class accommodation and kitchen areas it has managed to fit a lot of seats into the five-coach trains, although leg room on the Class 803s appears to be slightly more generous than most other IET designs. Performance-wise, the acceleration and braking was smooth, as was the journey itself. Departure from London King's Cross was at 10.45 and arrival in Edinburgh at 15.15, two minutes ahead of schedule, after a journey of exactly four-anda-half hours.

One interesting facet is that the Lumo services heading towards Edinburgh use the avoiding line at York, rather than passing through the station, and this is believed to be the first regular passenger service to use this section of line.