Plans for new direct rail services between Blackpool and London are on schedule this year after the Gran Central revealed it was set to starting to train drivers.
Plans for new direct rail services between Blackpool and London are on schedule this year after the Gran Central revealed it was set to starting to train drivers.
Grand Central, part of the Arriva group, which is itself part of Deutsche Bahn, is planning to run five direct trains in each direction to the capital every weekday and Saturday and four on Sundays.
A provisional timetable shows trains running from Blackpool via Kirkham and Wesham, Preston, Nuneaton, Milton Keynes and London Euston after the May timetable changes.
It shows the first weekday trains from Blackpool North will run at 10.05am, followed by 11.49am, 3.01pm, 7pm and 8 40pm.
Trains from London start with a 10.43am service, then run at 2.38pm, 3.33pm, 6.43pm and 10.37pm.
On Saturdays trains start from Blackpool at 10.48am, then 12.46pm, 3.46pm, 6.47pm and 10.26pm.
From London they run at 10.39am, 2.36pm, 5.32pm, 8.26pm and 10.21pm.
Sunday trains from Blackpool to London run from 12.40pm, 3.59pm, 7.36pm and 9.16pm.
From Euston to Blackpool North they run at 2.59pm, 4.29pm, 8.27pm and 11.36pm.
A Grand Central spokesman said: “We’re very much looking forward to launching services on our new route from Blackpool to London Euston in Spring 2020.
Grand Central Railway Company already provides direct rail connections from towns and cities in Yorkshire and the North East England with London.
It said its customer satisfaction levels were consistently high and it was named Britain’s best value rail operator for the eighth time in the Spring 2019 National Rail Passenger Survey.