The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Chieftain makes tracks for future of rail travel
Engine named to celebrate 30 years of service
Thirty years of proud railway service to the Scottish Highlands was celebrated in style yesterday with the naming of an East Coast train at Inverness station.
Since its introduction in May 1984, the Highland Chieftain has carried more than 3,000,000 passengers on the mammoth daily train journey from Inverness to London, via Edinburgh – a distance of almost 600 miles.
Monday’s embarrassment when the prestigious train failed to climb out of Inverness due to “damp track” conditions was forgiven as the service’s 30th birthday celebrations went without a hitch.
Departing Inverness each day at 7.55am, (and northbound from London’s King’s Cross station at 12 noon), the East Coast journey time between Inverness and London now stands at just over eight hours – a reduction of nearly one hour from when the service first began. The service has twice been
“Travellers view our wonderful scenery whilst travelling in comfort”
saved from the axe over the years, and next spring it moves to private ownership.
Deputy provost of Inverness, Councillor Jean Slater joined Inverness- born Doug Sutherland, chairman of East Coast’s parent company Directly Operated Railways, and East Coast managing director Karen Boswell, to name High Speed Train power car number 43308, Highland Chieftain.
The prestigious service connects the Highland capital city of Inverness, Edinburgh and London daily providing a vital link for business and leisure travellers, and making an important contribution to the region’s economy.
Guests and passengers watched as a red and silver brass Highland Chieftain nameplate was unveiled on the side of the locomotive by the deputy provost, as a piper played.
Mrs Slater said: “Everyone involved in this service should be proud of the standard of the dedicated on-boardtrain crewwhogo out of theirway tomake the journey special for both business travellers and visitors to the Highlands.
“With tourism being at the heart of the Highland economy, the Highland Chieftain provides a vital link and gives travellers the chanceto viewourwonderfulHighland scenerywhilst travelling in comfort. ”
Mr Sutherland said: “It’s a proud day for me personally, as a native of this fair city, to return home on this auspicious occasion for Inverness.”
Aviemore woman Cal Mcfarlane, 42, from Aviemore, is so fond of the train that when the service celebrated 25 years, she had “Highland Chieftain” tattooed on her arm for the Railway Children charity. She said: “I regularly use the service through my work with Autism International Highland, and it is great to see the service has made 30 years.”