EXPRESS TRAINS: NAMED TRAINS

This section is of necessity somewhat generalised because, in some cases, both routes and terminal stations varied over the years. The title of the named trains generally included the definite article (omitted below), particularly in B.R. days. All B.R. named trains carried headboards: the only exceptions were on inter-regional routes such as that of 'The Pines Express'. The format of the entries is as follows:

Name : route (TC=through coaches); type where appropriate; longevity

It should be noted that most named trains ceased to run during both world wars. There were exceptions, for example the Aberdonian, Cornish Riviera, Flying Scotsman and Night Scotsman continued during the Second World War.

In the cases of some boat trains, which ran as required, and certain short-lived named trains, only the date of introduction (i) is given. Most boat trains did not survive the early 1960's with the considerable reduction of the ocean liner trade.

Click here for titles M - Y    Named Freight Trains

Aberdonian: King's Cross-Aberdeen (TC Fort William, Perth, Inverness); sleeper until 1972, unnamed 1971-2; 1927-87

Anglo-Scottish Car Carrier: Holloway-Edinburgh; car carrier; 1960-6 (renamed Motorail service)

Antwerp Continental: Liverpool St-Harwich Parkestone Quay-Harwich; 1882-1939, revived 1928

Arosa Line: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; i1955

Atlantic Coast Express: Waterloo-Exeter (TC Bude, Exmouth, Ilfracombe, Padstow, Plymouth, Sidmouth, Torrington); 1926-64

Belfast Boat Express: Manchester Victoria-Heysham (TC Euston);(B.R. era) 19**-75

Belfast Boat Express: Paddington-Birkenhead; i 1928

Birmingham Pullman: Paddington-Wolverhampton L.L.; diesel 'Blue Pullman' units; 1960-7

Bon Accord: Glasgow Buchanan St/Queen St-Aberdeen; 1937-67**

Bournemouth Belle: Waterloo-Bournemouth West; Pullman; 1931-67

Bournemouth Limited: Waterloo-Bournemouth West and Weymouth/Swanage; 1929-39

Brighton Belle: Victoria-Brighton; Pullman E.M.U.s; 1934-72; successor to the Southern Belle

Bristolian: Paddington-Bristol (Temple Meads/Parkway); 1935-65 and 1971-3

Bristol Pullman: Paddington-Bristol (Temple Meads) (-Weston-Super-Mare in 1964 only); diesel 'Blue Pullman' units; 1960-73

Brittany Express: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1954-64

Broadsman: Liverpool St-Sheringham; 1950-62

Caledonian: Euston-Glasgow Central; 1957-64; service doubled in 1958-9

Cambrian Coast Express: Paddington-Aberystwyth and Pwllheli; 1922-67; formally named in 1927; service reinstated from Euston in 1986

Cambridge Buffet Express (prewar: Garden Cities and C.B.E.): King's Cross-Cambridge; 1932-60s-1978 (unnamed)

Capitals Limited: King's Cross-Edinburgh, non-stop (TC Aberdeen); 1949-53; succeeded by The Elizabethan

Capitals United Express: Paddington-Swansea (TC Fishguard); 1956-65

Cardiff Pullman: Paddington-Cardiff; diesel 'Blue Pullman' units; 1964-9

Car Sleeper Limited: King's Cross-Perth; car carrier; 1955-1966 (renamed Motorail); first train to carry cars and passengers; the name 'Car Sleeper' was also used on the West Coast route

Cathedrals Express: Paddington-Hereford; 1957-65, revived in 1985

Centenary: Euston-Birmingham; 1938

Channel Islands Boat Train/Express: Paddington/Waterloo-Weymouth Quay; vars dates

Cheltenham Spa Express: Paddington-Cheltenham Spa St James; 1923—88 (postwar revival 1956, not named 1973-85); informally known as the Cheltenham Flyer; this train achieved the first 70mph start-to-stop run between Swindon and Paddington in 1932; latterly extended to Great Malvern

City Limited: London Bridge-Brighton; 1921-39

Clacton Pullman: Liverpool St-Clacton; Sunday service, 1922-9, renamed Eastern Belle

Comet: Euston-Manchester London Rd/Piccadilly/Liverpool Lime Street (TC Birkenhead); 1932-62

Continental Boat Express: Victoria-Dover; 1924-wartime

Cornishman: Wolverhampton L.L.-Penzance; 1952-75; this train originally (1890) ran from Paddington as a relief for the Cornish Riviera and later, prewar, from Birmingham; revived and extended to Aberdeen in 1986

Cornish Riviera (Express/Limited): Paddington-Penzance; 1904-87

Coronation: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley; streamlined stock; 1937-9

Coronation Scot: Euston-Glasgow Central; streamlined stock; 1937-9

Cunarder: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1952-68

Cunarder: Glasgow St Enoch/Central-Greenock (Princes Pier); ****

Cunard Special: Euston-Liverpool Riverside; 1956

Day Continental: Liverpool St-Harwich Parkestone Quay; 1947-87; succeeded the prewar Flushing Continental i 1927

Devon Belle: Waterloo-Exeter-Plymouth/Ilfracombe; Pullman; 1947-54, latterly weekends only

Devonian: Bradford Forster Square/Exchange-Paignton; 1927-75

Dover Pullman Continental Express: 1924-9, predecessor to Golden Arrow q.v.

East Anglian: Liverpool St-Norwich Thorpe/Yarmouth; 1937--88, title dropped from 1962-1980; streamlined stock prewar

Easterling: Liverpool St-Yarmouth; summer service 1950-8

Eastbourne Sunday Limited (Pullman): Victoria-Eastbourne; 1908-35

Eastern Belle (Pullman): Liverpool St-various East Anglian resorts; excursion Pullman; 1929-39; successor to the Clacton Pullman

Elizabethan: King's Cross-Aberdeen; nonstop to Edinburgh Waverley; summer service 1953-63; successor to The Capitals Limited

Emerald Isle Express: Euston-Holyhead/Birkenhead; 1954-75

Empress Voyager: Euston-Liverpool Riverside; 1953-66

Empress Voyager: Glasgow St Enoch/Central-Greenock(Princes Pier); 1950s

Essex Coast Express: Liverpool St-Clacton-on-Sea; 1958-68

Executive: Euston-Wolverhampton H.L.; 1967-72

Fair Maid: King's Cross-Perth; 1957-8; successor to The Morning Talisman with extended service

Fast Belfast: Glasgow St Enoch-Stranraer Harbour; 1930s

Fenman: Liverpool St-Kings Lynn/Bury St Edmunds/Hunstanton/March/Wisbech; 1949-68, subsequently revived 1985-87

Fife Coast Express: Glasgow Queen St/(Edinburgh Waverley)**-St Andrews; ex-Silver Jubilee stock; summer service 1949-51; formerly Fifeshire Coast Express from 1912

Flying Scotsman: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley; successor to 'Special Scotch Express', inaugurated in 1862, formally named in 1923 and in service 1987

(Blackpool and) Fylde Coast Express: Euston-Blackpool Central; 1930s

Golden Arrow: Victoria-Dover/Folkestone; originally all-Pullman; 1929-72

Golden Hind (Executive): Paddington-Plymouth/latterly extended to Penzance; 1964-87

Grampian: Glasgow Buchanan St/Queen St-Aberdeen; 1905-14, 1962-**

Granite City: Glasgow Buchanan St/Queen St-Aberdeen; 1906-14, 1933-77

Granville Express: Victoria-Ramsgate; 1921-7

Greek Line: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1954-66

Harrogate Pullman Limited: King's Cross-Harrogate; Pullman; 1923, extended to Edinburgh in 1925, succeeded by the Queen of Scots in 1928

Harrogate Sunday Pullman: King's Cross-Leeds-Bradford Exchange-Harrogate; Pullman; 1927-78

Heart of Midlothian: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley-Perth; 1951-68

Hebridean: Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh; 1930s and 1965-7/84-7**

Highlandman: King's Cross-Aberdeen/Fort William/Inverness/Nairn; seasonal sleeper, relief to Aberdonian; 1927-39

Highwayman: King's Cross/Finsbury Park-Newcastle/north east England; reduced fare train; 1970-1

Holiday Camps Express: Liverpool St-Gorleston/Caister-on-Sea; seasonal 1950s

Holland American: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; i 1954

Hook Continental: Liverpool St-Harwich Parkestone Quay; 1927-87; successor to the Continental Express (pre-1914) and the Hook-of-Holland Express (post-1919)

Hull Pullman: King's Cross-Hull; 1967-78, became Hull Executive

Inter-City: Paddington-Chester/Wolverhampton; 1950-65, extended to Chester in 1962

Irish Mail: Euston-Holyhead; double service, the night train a sleeper; 1848-1987

Irish Mail via Fishguard: Paddington-Fishguard; sleeper; 1906-39

Irishman: Glasgow St Enoch-Stranraer Harbour; 1933-67

John o' Groat: Wick-Inverness; 1939

Kentish Belle: Victoria-Canterbury/Ramsgate; Pullman; summer service 1951-8; successor to The Thanet Belle

Knight Errant: ambulance train on L.N.E.R.: late-wartime

Lakes Express: Euston-Windermere/Workington; summer service 1927-65

Lancastrian: Euston-Manchester London Rd/Piccadilly (TC east Lancs); 1928-62, postwar revival in 1957

Lewisman: Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh; 1930s

Liverpool Pullman: Euston-Liverpool Lime Street; part Pullman; 1966-75

Lothian Coast Express: Glasgow-North Berwick/Gullane/Dunbar; summer service (inc Pullman after 1929; 1914-33

Manchester Pullman: Euston-Manchester Piccadilly; 1966-85

Mancunian: Euston-Manchester London Rd/Piccadilly (TC Colne, Rochdale, Huddersfield); 1928-66

Man of Kent: Charing Cross-Folkestone-Margate; 1953-61

Manxman (Express): Euston-Liverpool Lime Street (TC Southport, Swansea); summer service 1927-66

Master Cutler: Marylebone-Sheffield Victoria; 1947-88, rerouted as a Pullman train from King's Cross-Sheffield Victoria/Midland in 1958-68 and revived from St Pancras in 1971 with ordinary stock

Mayflower: Paddington-Plymouth/Kingswear; 1957-65/70-1

Merchant Venturer: Paddington-Bristol/Weston-super-Mare; 1951-65

Merseyside Express: Euston-Liverpool Lime Street; 1928-66; successor to the London-Merseyside Express inaugurated in 1927

Midday Scot: Euston-Glasgow Central (TC Plymouth, Penzance, Whitehaven, Edinburgh, Aberdeen); 1927-66

Midlander: Euston-Wolverhampton H.L.; 1950-63

Midland Pullman: St Pancras-Manchester Central: diesel 'Blue Pullman' units; 1960-6. Also St Pancras-Nottingham, as above; 1961-6

Midland Scot: Birmingham New Street-Glasgow Central-Edinburgh; 1970-5

Morning Talisman: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley/and Glasgow Queen St; 1957-68 (Fair Maid 1957-8)

Night Ferry: Victoria-Paris/Brussels; sleeper ferry train; 1936-80

Night Limited: Euston-Glasgow Central-Perth; sleeper; 1964-87

Night Scot: Euston-Glasgow Central; sleeper; 1927-wartime

Night Scotsman: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley/Dundee/Fort William; sleeper; 1927-87, not named 1968-71

Norfolkman: Liverpool St-Norwich Thorpe/Sheringham; 1948-62

Normandy Express: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1952-64

Norseman: King's Cross-Newcastle (Tyne Commission Quay); summer service 1931-68

North Briton: Leeds City-York-Glasgow Queen Street/Edinburgh; 1949 (formally named)-68 and 1972-5

North Country Continental: (not an official name): Harwich-Liverpool/York/Manchester Piccadilly via various routes

North Eastern: King's Cross-Newcastle; 1964-8

Northern Belle: King's Cross-Scotland; Pullman cruise train; 1933-9

Northern Irishman: Euston-Stranraer Harbour; 1952-66

Northumbrian: King's Cross-Newcastle/Berwick; 1949-63

Norwegian Boat Express: King's Cross-Newcastle; 19**-**47

Ocean Liner Special/Express: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; Pullman; i 1931

Orcadian: Inverness-Thurso/Wick; i 1936, revived in 1962 and in 1984

Oxford Pullman: Paddington-Oxford; diesel 'Blue Pullman' units; 1967-9

Palatine: St Pancras-Manchester Central (TC Liverpool); 1938-66, postwar revival 1957

Peak Express: St Pancras-Manchester Central; 1937-39

Pembroke Coast Express: Paddington-Pembroke Dock; 1953-63

Pines Express: Manchester Mayfield/London Rd/Piccadilly-Bournemouth West; 1927-67; forerunner introduced 1910; routed via S. & D.J. until 1962, latterly via Oxford

Queen of Scots (Pullman): King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen St; 1928-64; successor to the Harrogate Pullman; succeeded by The White Rose Pullman

Red Dragon (Executive): Paddington-Swansea/Carmarthen; 1950-65, revived in 1984

Red Rose: Euston-Liverpool Lime Street; 1951-66

Robin Hood: St Pancras-Nottingham Midland; 1959-62

Royal Duchy: Paddington-Penzance; 1957-65

Royal Highlander: Euston-Aberdeen/Inverness/Fort William; sleeper; 1927-88, postwar revival 1957

Royal Scot: Euston-Glasgow and Edinburgh (TC Perth); 1927 (formally named)-1988; forerunner was introduced in 1848 and became known as the 'Ten O' Clock' from 1862

Royal Wessex: Waterloo-Bournemouth West and Weymouth/Swanage; 1951-67

Saint Mungo: Glasgow Buchanan St/Queen St-Aberdeen; 1937-77

Scandinavian: Liverpool St-Harwich Parkestone Quay; 1930-75; successor to the Esbjerg Continental

Scarborough Flyer: King's Cross-Scarborough Central; summer service 1927-63

Severn-Tyne: Weston-super-Mare-Newcastle; 1970-1

Shakespeare Express: Paddington-Stratford-upon-Avon: 1928-31

Shamrock: Euston-Liverpool Lime Street; 1954-66

Sheffield Pullman: King's Cross-Sheffield: 1924-5, 1958-68

Silver Jubilee: King's Cross-Newcastle; streamlined stock prewar; 1935-9 and 1977 only

South American: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1953-69

Southern Belle: Victoria-Brighton; Pullman: 1908; electrified 1933, renamed the Brighton Belle in 1934

South Wales Pullman: Paddington-Swansea/Carmarthen; 1955-73, diesel 'Blue Pullman' units used from 1961

South Yorkshireman: Marylebone-Bradford Exchange; 1948-60; forerunner introduced in 1900

Springbok: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1958; successor to The Union Castle Line

Starlight Special: St Pancras-Glasgow St Enoch and Marylebone-Edinburgh Waverley; 1953-62

Statesman: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; Pullman; 1952-69

Stranraer Boat Express: Euston-Stranraer Harbour; 1923-52, renamed Northern Irishman

Sunny South Express: Manchester London Rd/Liverpool Lime Street-Brighton-Eastbourne-Hastings; 1905-39, revived 1922

Talisman: King's Cross-Edinburgh Waverley; 1956-68 and 1972-89, became Afternoon Talisman in 1957; Pullman section added 1964-5; latterly extended to Aberdeen

Tees-Thames: King's Cross-Saltburn; 1959-61

Tees-Tyne Pullman: King's Cross-Newcastle/Alnmouth; 1948-76; part Pullman from 1969

Thames-Clyde Express: St Pancras-Glasgow St Enoch/Central/Edinburgh (TC Bristol, Nottingham) vars routes; 1927-75

Thames-Forth Express: St Pancras-Edinburgh Waverley (TC Halifax, Leeds); 1927; succeeded by The Waverley in 1957

Thanet Belle: Victoria-Ramsgate; Pullman, summer only; 1948; succeeded by the Kentish Belle in 1951

Thanet Pullman Limited: Victoria-Ramsgate Harbour; Sunday service 1921-31

Tinto Express: Glasgow-Moffat/Lockerbie; 1911-39

Torbay Express/(Limited): Paddington-Kingswear; 1923-65, then seasonal until 1968, unnamed in 1969; forerunner introduced in 1892

Torbay-Tyne: Paignton-Newcastle; 1970-1

Torquay Pullman Limited: Paddington-Paignton; 1929-30, cars transferred to the S.R.

Trans Pennine: Liverpool Lime Street-Leeds City/Hull/York (Sundays); 1961-79, not named after 1969

Tynesider: King's Cross-Newcastle (TC Edinburgh); sleeper; 1950-67

Ulster Express: Euston-Fleetwood/Heysham Harbour; 1927-75 (Heysham-Belfast service withdrawn)

Union Castle Line/Boat Train: Waterloo-Southampton Docks; 1953; succeeded by The Springbok in 1958

Waverley: St Pancras-Edinburgh Waverley; 1957-69; succeeded the Thames-Forth Express

Welsh Dragon: Rhyl-Llandudno; push-pull train; i 1950

Welshman: Euston-Chester (TC Llandudno, Pwllheli, Portmadoc), latterly extended to Holyhead; 1927-66 as summer service and 1986-87

West Riding: King's Cross-Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange; 1949-c63, initially with streamlined stock

West Riding Limited: King's Cross-Leeds and Bradford; streamlined stock; 1937-9

West Riding Pullman: King's Cross-Leeds/Harrogate; 1925, formally named 1927; extended to Newcastle in 1929; succeeded by the Yorkshire Pullman in 1935

White Rose: King's Cross-Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange (TC Newcastle); 1949-64; succeeded by The White Rose Pullman

White Rose Pullman: King's Cross-Leeds and Bradford; 1964-7; stock taken from The Queen of Scots

William Shakespeare: Paddington-Wolverhampton-Stratford-on-Avon; 1951

Yorkshireman: St Pancras-Bradford Exchange; 1925(forerunner)-39

Yorkshire Pullman: King's Cross-Bradford Exchange, Leeds, Harrogate/Newcastle/Hull; 1935-78/86-88

NAMED FREIGHT TRAINS

Generally only the date of introduction is given.

Blue Star Fish Special: King's Cross-Aberdeen; 1958

Condor: Hendon-Gushetfaulds; 1959-67; container train

: Tipton (Birmingham)-Glasgow; 1963; as above; both withdrawn 1967 replaced by Freightliner

East Essex Enterprise: Chelmsford-Ipswich-Midlands; 1960

Freightliner: London (York Way)-Glasgow (Gushetfaulds); 1965

: London (York Way)-Manchester (Longsight); 1966

 and others

Geordie: Aberdeen-Heaton; 1955

Hielan' Piper: Renfrew South-Inverness; 1955

Killie: Aberdeen-Kilmarnock; 1955

Lea Valley Enterprise: Tottenham-Midlands and North; 1959

Night Trader: London-Bristol; 1964

Speedfreight: Camden-Manchester(Ardwick South); 1963; the prototype Freightliner working

Tees-Tyne Freighter: King's Cross-York-Low Fell; 1960

'West Coast Postal Limited': Euston-Stranraer/Glasgow/Aberdeen; all-mail from 1885