Virgin Rail Group welcomes decision on longer Pendolino trains

31 July 2008

Virgin Rail Group today welcomed the announcement by the Department for Transport (DfT) to select Virgin Rail Projects Ltd as chosen bidder to help introduce longer 'Pendolino' trains on the West Coast Main Line.

The DfT today issued a notice to proceed, which will mean that Virgin Rail Projects Ltd, a subsidiary of Virgin Rail Group, is the chosen bidder for the Service Provider contract to introduce 31 longer trains and four new trains. The extra vehicles will be ordered from Alstom by the DfT.

Under the contract, Virgin Rail Projects Ltd will support DfT throughout the design, manufacture, delivery, testing and commissioning of new 'Pendolino' trains through to the end of the current West Coast franchise, on 31 March 2012.

An agreement has been reached between the DfT and train manufacturer Alstom to begin production of the new high speed tilting Pendolino trains and extra carriages which will deliver 7,420 additional seats on routes between London and the west Midlands, North West, North Wales and Scotland.

The DfT agreement with Alstom provides for 106 carriages which will create four new 11-car trains (44 carriages) and will also lengthen 31 of the existing trains from 9 to11 carriages (62 carriages). These will be in full service by December 2012.

Tony Collins, Virgin Rail Group CEO, said, “Virgin Rail Group is delighted that Virgin Rail Projects Ltd has been named chosen bidder for the Department for Transport’s proposal to introduce 62 additional carriages and four new trains within the Pendolino fleet operating on West Coast Main Line.

"We have already seen strong increases in customer numbers and further growth in future needs to be matched by adding many more seats. This project is a prime example of the private sector working in partnership with Government to meet customer expectations. We are keen to see the carriages introduced at the earliest possible opportunity."

Virgin Rail Group welcomes decision on longer Pendolino trains

31 July 2008

Virgin Rail Group today welcomed the announcement by the Department for Transport (DfT) to select Virgin Rail Projects Ltd as chosen bidder to help introduce longer 'Pendolino' trains on the West Coast Main Line.

The DfT today issued a notice to proceed, which will mean that Virgin Rail Projects Ltd, a subsidiary of Virgin Rail Group, is the chosen bidder for the Service Provider contract to introduce 31 longer trains and four new trains. The extra vehicles will be ordered from Alstom by the DfT.

Under the contract, Virgin Rail Projects Ltd will support DfT throughout the design, manufacture, delivery, testing and commissioning of new 'Pendolino' trains through to the end of the current West Coast franchise, on 31 March 2012.

An agreement has been reached between the DfT and train manufacturer Alstom to begin production of the new high speed tilting Pendolino trains and extra carriages which will deliver 7,420 additional seats on routes between London and the west Midlands, North West, North Wales and Scotland.

The DfT agreement with Alstom provides for 106 carriages which will create four new 11-car trains (44 carriages) and will also lengthen 31 of the existing trains from 9 to11 carriages (62 carriages). These will be in full service by December 2012.

Tony Collins, Virgin Rail Group CEO, said, “Virgin Rail Group is delighted that Virgin Rail Projects Ltd has been named chosen bidder for the Department for Transport’s proposal to introduce 62 additional carriages and four new trains within the Pendolino fleet operating on West Coast Main Line.

"We have already seen strong increases in customer numbers and further growth in future needs to be matched by adding many more seats. This project is a prime example of the private sector working in partnership with Government to meet customer expectations. We are keen to see the carriages introduced at the earliest possible opportunity."

For further information contact the Virgin Press Office on 0845 000 3333
or visit our media website at http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/


Virgin Rail Group Media Information

Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by Stagecoach.

Virgin Rail Projects Limited is a subsidiary of Virgin Rail Group.

More car parking spaces for Rugby rail users

29 July 2008

Virgin Trains in partnership with Network Rail will be increasing the number of car parking spaces at Rugby railway station by 269 spaces. Work will start on construction of a new multi-storey car park on August 26 and is due to be completed by Autumn 2009. It will provide parking for 739 cars.

During construction of the new car park, the existing parking facility in Mill Street (at the back of the station) will be closed. Alternative parking will be available on the former Cattle Market site, with entry off Bath Street.

Virgin Trains Station Manager for Rugby, Theresa Woodward, said: “We will be doing everything possible to ensure that our customers have minimum disruption during the work to build the new car park.”

Theresa Woodward added: “We would also urge all customers who travel to Rugby station by car to allow extra time to use the temporary parking area and ensure that they are still able to catch their intended train. We would recommend allowing up to 15 minutes extra for the walk from the car park to the station.

David Golding, Network Rail's Route Enhancements Manager said: "More passengers are now travelling by train than ever before and the demand for rail travel is set to continue to rise. We predict that a large proportion of these extra passengers will drive to the station, putting more strain on the car park. We need to increase the number of parking spaces to cater for this demand so, working with Virgin Trains, we have committed £90 million to transform parking at many of the stations on the west coast main line over the next 18 months."

The work at Rugby is part of a joint project between Virgin Trains and Network Rail to improve car parking at all 17 stations on the West Coast route which are managed by Virgin Trains. The other stations involved are: Lancaster, Penrith, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Carlisle, Oxenholme, Runcorn, Crewe, Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Preston, Coventry and Birmingham International.

Virgin Trains and Network Rail are working closely with Passenger Focus to minimise the inconvenience to customers during the work to improve car parking at Rugby station.

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333
or visit our media website at http://www.virgintrainsmediaroom.com/ - or - Network Rail Press Office: 0121 345 3100.

Treemendous gift as Virgin cements roots in the local community

18 July 2008

The first tree to be donated by Virgin Trains to the local community in Preston was planted today at Haslam Park, Ashton, Preston.

Virgin Trains has offered to sponsor a tree for every month that the construction work on the new car park at Preston station is taking place. Work to create an additional 469 car parking spaces at the station started in June and is due to be completed by April next year. The new multi-story car park will provide car parking for 939 vehicles.

The suggestion that Virgin Trains should sponsor a came from Colin Carlisle, a Virgin train manager based at Preston. He suggested that Virgin Trains should sponsor a tree for every month that the car-park reconstruction work takes. Schools and community organisations in Preston could be among those to benefit.

Peter Bowes, the Safety and Environment Director of Virgin Trains, welcomed the idea when it was forwarded to him by Sue Howarth, Group Station Manager for North England and Scotland.

"I thought it was a great idea when Colin suggested it. I am delighted the company is supporting the proposal, which will allow Virgin Trains to get closer to the local community that we serve," said Sue.

The Friends of Haslam Park, is a local community group which works with Preston City Council to secure grants for projects at the local park and also on a nature reserve attached to the park. They were the first community organisation to apply for one of Virgin Trains’ sponsored trees.

Any other local organisations who would like to be considered for a tree should contact Sue Howarth by email sue.howarth@virgintrains.co.uk

For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333.

Notes to Editors:

The tree has been supplied by local nurseryman and florist Ian Hayes, who will also undertake the planting.

The Friends of Haslam Park was formed in 2002 and since 2004 has been awarded grants ranging from £500 to £25,000. The latest project has been the development of a Sensory Garden, the first of its kind in any Preston-based park.

It’s quids in as Birmingham-Scotland route gets Britain’s cheapest long-distance train fares

01 July 2008

Just a penny for around two miles – that’s the average cost of the cheapest fares to be introduced for a long-distance rail journey when Megatrain joins the Virgin Trains routes linking Edinburgh and Glasgow with Birmingham.

The lowest cost for the single journey of almost 300 miles will be a mere £1, plus a booking fee of 50p that is the same whether the booking is for one person or more, so two people travelling together could go for a total of £2.50.

In straight cash terms that’s just about as cheap as the lowest fare when the line from central Scotland opened 160 years ago, never mind the inflation that has taken place since. In those early Victorian days the old penny a mile price – 240 of those pennies to the pound – was for trains that were slower than the rest. But the Megatrain fares that have gone on sale for travel on Mondays to Thursdays from 14 July are available on regular Virgin Super Voyager 125mph trains.

Graham Leech, Virgin Trains Commercial Director, said: "There are already well over 100,000 seats a week available on Virgin Trains at bargain Advance fares. Now with Megatrain on our Birmingham-Scotland route and further reductions in other advance purchase fares, we are offering many of Britain's cheapest long-distance fares. This is further proof that flying and car travel is more expensive than travelling by train."

ENDS


Notes to editors

Megatrain single prices available on the www.megatrain.com website range from £1 to £9 plus 50p booking fee between Birmingham and Edinburgh or Glasgow. These prices compare with Virgin’s current cheapest Advance fare of £18 single between Birmingham and Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Megatrain fares on weekdays from 14 July are also available for journeys to and from Carlisle, Oxenholme The Lake District and Preston (Lancashire) and between Glasgow and Manchester.

Subject to availability Megatrain fares can be bought up to 03:00 hours the day before departure either online at http://www.megatrain.com/ or via the Megatrain telephone hotline, 09001 200 300 (calls cost 60p a minute). Customers receive a unique booking reference code by email, text or post which acts as their ticket. The new Megatrain deal, operated by Stagecoach, is part of Virgin Trains’ effort to sell more discounted tickets. Full conditions are available on the Megatrain website.

Initially, seats will be available for Megatrain fares daily Mondays to Thursdays on these trains:
08:03 Birmingham New Street - Edinburgh Waverley
11:03 Birmingham New Street - Glasgow Central
21:03 Birmingham New Street - Preston
12:51 Edinburgh Waverley - Birmingham New Street
10:10 Glasgow Central - Birmingham New Street
20:10 Glasgow Central - Manchester Piccadilly
04:58 Manchester Piccadilly - Glasgow Central