Virgin makes the Destination Chester

The historic and vibrant Roman city of Chester and scenic ‘garden county’ of Cheshire – one of the UK’s most popular short breaks destinations – has a unique, new attraction…its own song.
With a busy summer of festivals and big events about to begin, Visit Chester and Cheshire invited Cheshire-based musical director Matt Baker to compose a tune that would encapsulate the excitement of Chester and Cheshire’s action-packed season, entitled ‘Eventful Escapes’.

Launching at Euston station – from where Virgin Trains services take just two hours to Chester – a squad of centurions from one of the big events, Chester’s feted ‘Chestival’, met and greeted passengers, as well as helping the Virgin Trains team to check tickets and spread the good news about Chester and Cheshire.

Under the banner of ‘Eventful Escapes’, tourism bosses in Chester and Cheshire have linked up with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains to launch a major campaign to showcase the summer of events. This is expected to see thousands of visitors travelling to the North West destination by train to enjoy highlights, such as:

‘Chestival’ – when Chester comes alive with its own festival of Romans, giants, music and the best of the historic city.

‘RHS Show Tatton Park’ – plants, furniture, floristry and fashion at the North’s greatest gardening show.

‘Chester Races’ – Britain’s only racecourse right in the heart of the city with a thrilling programme of equine events.

‘Tatton Park Biennial’ – Over 20 international artists and writers bring the parkland to life.

‘Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre’ – Enjoy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and the story of ‘Hercules’ in a stunning park setting.

‘Rhino Mania’ – Follow the trail of the colourful and creative rhinos in Chester.

‘Cholmondeley Pageant of Power’ – Cholmondeley Castle is the setting for mind-blowing powerboats, air displays, motor racing and fireworks.

‘Creamfields’ – Enjoy two days of bank holiday dancing and DJs at this legendary music festival.

‘Cheshire County Show’ – Get reconnected with the countryside as Tabley in Knutsford plays host to a celebration of all things rural.

‘Charles Stanley British Masters International’ – The show jumping spectacular at Chester Racecourse.

‘The Halfords Tour Series’ – The electrifying cycle race returns to Chester on Monday, 21 June.

Plus, there’s masses more to see across Chester and Cheshire – which already attracts one in every eight visits to a public garden anywhere in the UK – from the county's peerless ‘Gardens of Distinction’ to Elizabeth Gaskell’s bicentenary celebrations in Knutsford and Cheshire’s hidden gem of the western Peak District.

Nicola Said, head of marketing at Visit Chester & Cheshire (VCC), was joined by Danny Gonzalez Virgin Trains’ Marketing Manager at London’s Euston Station to launch the ‘Eventful Escapes’ campaign.

Nicola Said commented: “We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to enjoy our great summer of events. We’ve an unrivalled programme this year, too much to fit into just a day’s visit.

Nicola continued: “Virgin Trains are a valued supporter in our ‘Eventful Escapes’ campaign, their outstanding value rail services enable visitors to travel to Chester and Cheshire from as little as £9 one-way.”

Danny Gonzalez at Virgin Trains said: “We are very pleased to be the rail provider connecting Chester & Cheshire with London and the Midlands. We have seen impressive passenger numbers on our routes to Chester and Cheshire, and we’re delighted to be part of the customer experience of such a dynamic and attractive destination.

“Our great value fares mean there’s never been a better time to visit Chester and Cheshire by train.

“We are very excited about the ‘Eventful Escapes’ campaign, especially as the UK is an increasingly popular holiday destination this year.”

As part of the campaign, the ‘Eventful Escapes’ song by Cheshire composer Matt Baker will be debuted in Chester city centre next month, with a full choir.

Matt, who wrote both the lyrics and musical score, said: “I am thrilled that this piece will be performed publicly, as part of the ‘Eventful Escapes’ launch.

“In the song, I’ve captured the real excitement and appeal of visiting Chester and Cheshire by train to experience some of the fantastic events taking place this year. I hope both visitors and local people will like it.”

Nicola Said added: “We can promise visitors a really special experience. Our events programme is diverse — and with it, we join with local tourism providers to give new and existing visitors a very warm welcome to Cheshire.”

Plan your break using the ‘Eventful Escapes’ website – see www.visitcheshire.com/events – and join the centurions and rhinos in Chester and Cheshire this summer. For details of train times and best fare bargains visit http://www.virgintrains.com/

Experience the romance of the railways past and present

Train passengers are able enjoy the contrasts of modern 125-mph tilting trains and vintage steam locomotives on the busy West Coast Main Line again this summer.

Following a sell-out operation last year, Statesman Rail is again operating a regular timetabled steam-hauled train, departing from stations in Lancashire and offering a unique 260 mile return day trip over the world famous Settle and Carlisle line. Virgin Trains’ iconic Pendolino and Super Voyager tilting trains will provide connections into the steam-hauled special train at both Lancaster and Preston.

Passengers are able to see how effortlessly modern trains tackle gradients on the route, while the steam-hauled train will demonstrate how demanding it was for the driver and fireman to keep their train moving.

The steam-hauled train, will travel from Lancaster and Preston to Appleby and Carlisle via the scenic Settle and Carlisle railway, and operates every Wednesday from 28 July to 8 September.

Virgin’s Pendolino trains are fully air-conditioned and have power points to enable passengers to charge mobile phones and laptops. Trains are also Wi-Fi enabled and have enhanced mobile phone reception. Alternatively, if you’d prefer some quiet time there is a quiet coach on all trains. The Pendolino trains are used on most services on the London-Glasgow route.

The Super Voyager diesel trains are also fully air-conditioned, have power points for charging mobile phones, laptops and personal entertainment systems, as well as a quiet coach on all trains. The Super Voyager trains are used on the Birmingham-Glasgow/Edinburgh route and some London-Lancaster trains.

Connections from Virgin’s Pendolino or Super Voyager trains will be available at Preston (from Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, Crewe or Warrington Bank Quay) or at Lancaster (from Glasgow Central and Carlisle). Why not take a short break, and include a steam train ride as part of your itinerary? For details of Lake District accommodation contact Cumbria Tourism on 01539 822222 or visit http://www.golakes.co.uk/.
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Virgin Trains offers advance fares, which could be as little as £6 single between Birmingham and Preston, and £12.50 single between London and Preston, offering affordable connections into the special steam train. For full details of fares and availability visit http://www.virgintrains.com/. Fares on the steam special from Lancaster start at £63 Standard; £95 First Class and £149 for Premier Dining with a 5% discount for online bookings at http://www.statesmanrail.com/.

Virgin Trains Communications Manager Steven Knight said: “The romance of the railways has never gone away. This is a great opportunity to take a peek back into the railways of yesteryear while enjoying the railways of the 21st Century. There is something just as romantic with the sleek lines of a Virgin Pendolino as it whizzes through the countryside at 125mph as there is with the smoke trails left by a steam locomotive.”

The Fellsman steam train will leave from Lancaster and then pick up passengers at Preston, Bamber Bridge, Blackburn and Clitheroe and will be hauled throughout by steam giants from the past including the recently rebuilt LMS Royal Scot class 46115 ‘Scots Guardsman’ or LMS Jubilee class 45690 ‘Leander’.

Seated in carriages from the 1950’s & 1960s, passengers will be able to hear and feel the engines working hard to pull the heavy train up the steep gradients of the spectacular Settle and Carlisle line and over the impressive 24-arch viaduct at Ribblehead. Passing through unsurpassed vistas of the three peaks, then on to the summit of the line at Ais Gill and on through the stunning Yorkshire Dales.

Passengers have the opportunity to leave the train at the pretty Westmorland market town of Appleby for a four-hour break, or carry on through the pretty Eden Valley to the border city of Carlisle for a two-hour break while the engine takes on coal and is serviced ready for the return journey. There will be a chance for photographs as the engine stops for water and perhaps have a chat to the driver and fireman who will explain the workings of the engine and show children the roaring coal fire.

“The Fellsman” is aimed primarily at the family market (with prices to match) and is an unashamedly nostalgic glimpse back to the glory days of Britain’s heritage with the opportunity to spend a unique and memorable day out away from motorway traffic jams and the hustle and bustle of modern daily life.

Reserved seating is available in Standard or First Class with a buffet car open throughout the journey for beverages and light refreshments. For anyone wishing to live it up a little there is the opportunity to enjoy a freshly cooked full English breakfast and three course dinner in the opulence of Premier class. Freshly prepared on board by chefs in the kitchen car and silver served by liveried stewards, this is certainly the way to travel while enjoying the spectacular passing scenery.

Reservations may be made through ‘Statesman Rail’ on 0845 310 2458 and all website bookings http://www.statesmanrail.com/ will benefit from a 5% discount over the normal fares. There is also a family of 4 ticket available for any combination of adults and children offering even further savings.

Tickets for connecting Virgin services can be booked online at http://www.virgintrains.com/ or from local staffed stations.

Operations Director Peter Watkinson says “We are pleased to be operating this very special train for a second year, Young and old alike can enjoy a travel experience they thought had vanished forever with a steam-hauled journey over what is regarded by many as one of the great railway journeys in the world - the famous Settle to Carlisle line. “


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For further information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333or
Statesman Rail Limited on 0845 310 2458

New Virgin Trains-only fares offer great deals for days out

Cost-conscious mums and dads as well as commuters will be delighted to hear that Virgin Trains are slashing the cost of rail travel between Stafford and Runcorn and Stafford and Liverpool, by almost a quarter. This comes as good news to those who are looking to reduce their travel costs. From May 23, a new range of Virgin Train-only walk-up fares will be introduced, which will undercut the normal fares on the route.

A standard open return between Stafford and Runcorn as well as between Stafford and Liverpool, will fall by nearly 40%, and a first class open return between Stafford and Liverpool will fall by over 20%. A standard open single ticket from Stafford to Runcorn will cost £18 - £5 less than before, and a first class single ticket from Stafford to Liverpool will cost £22 - £6 less. The new lower priced tickets will be valid for travel only on Virgin Trains services only, but will offer a substantial saving over the current tickets which can be used on all services on the route.
With Spring upon us and Summer fast approaching visitors will be spoilt for choice when looking for things to do in Liverpool. For Art fans - between May 21 and August 30 the Tate Liverpool will be exhibiting Picasso: Peace and Freedom. 60 key paintings will be displayed related to war and peace from 1944-1973.

For theatre fans the Liverpool Empire begins a great season of shows with One Night In Istanbul from the May 17-29. Shortly after the Echo Arena will be showing Mama Mia from June 3-30.
For those looking for a day outside of Liverpool - guided walks are available to thrill seekers in Stafford. Visitors can discover the interesting buildings, characters, crimes, and the secrets and ghosts of Stafford past! Discount vouchers are available to groups for use in the town centre shops on the day of your visit. The walks are provided by Stafford Borough Council and cost £3.00 per head.

For history fans visiting Runcorn, Halton Castle situated on the top of Halton Hill, offers special events and tours. You can have a walk around the outside of the Castle and stop at the Castle Pub for refreshments. The Castle is one of only two surviving Norman Castles in Cheshire.

Says Anita Walczak, Group Station Manager at Virgin Trains: "We know that in the current economic climate everyone is looking to make savings. This is our contribution for travellers between Stafford and Runcorn and between Stafford and Liverpool. The new ticket prices offer a great incentive for people travelling to these destinations”

The full range of Virgin Trains-only fares is:
Stafford-Runcorn/Runcorn to Stafford
First Class Anytime Return £42
First Class Anytime Single £21
Standard Anytime Return £20.50
Standard Anytime Single £18
Standard Off Peak Return £13
Standard Off Peak Single £12.80
First Class seven day season £91.50
Standard seven day season £60


Stafford-Liverpool/Liverpool to Stafford
First Class Anytime Return £44
First Class Anytime Single £22
Standard Anytime Return £22
Standard Anytime Single £18.50
Standard Off Peak Return £18.50
Standard Off Peak Single £17.50
First Class seven day season £93
Standard seven day season £64

Record numbers flock to trains as air disruption strikes

Record numbers of airline customers have turned to Virgin Trains, with a 250% increase in passengers travelling between Glasgow and London in recent weeks, and a seven-fold increase in passenger numbers on its London to Holyhead route, which links with ferry services to Ireland.

The dramatic recent rise – in the four weeks to May 1 - follows five years of continuing growth on Virgin Trains’ long-distance routes where there is airline competition. Advance booking information suggests that many frustrated airline passengers have now turned their backs on domestic flights, with reservations for the summer already showing increases on last year.

With at-seat power points, Wi-Fi, improved mobile phone reception and an onboard shop on all trains, Virgin Trains has seen its market share of the Manchester-London rail/air market increase from 38% in 2003 to 80% today. Since 2004 rail’s share of the Glasgow-London market has increased from 6% to 18%. On the Liverpool-London route domestic airlines saw the light and have long since abandoned the route.

Figures released by the Civil Aviation Authority also show that there has been a 12% year-on-year fall in domestic passenger traffic in the UK as train travel proves ever more popular.

Virgin Trains’ Chief Executive Officer Tony Collins said: “There is a clear trend which shows passengers are questioning the need for domestic air travel. The ‘on/off’ threats of strike action by British Airways have damaged domestic air travellers’ confidence that they will be able to travel when they want to. Thousands have already tried our trains and seen the benefits that rail can offer. The rail industry now needs to ensure that it responds to increases in passenger numbers with an increase in capacity. We have coped with the surge in demand and need to make sure we can deal with that growth long-term.”
Virgin Trains generally has seen growth of around 20% so far this year, well above the national average and this will substantially increase the 26 million passenger journeys made last year.

The number of former airline customers now using Virgin Trains’ services supports recent research by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) that a ‘fundamental shift’ is taking place in the nation’s travelling habits.

ATOC’s figures show that, on the ten main domestic air routes over the last four years, total journeys by rail have risen by 31%, whilst journeys by plane have fallen by 19%.

Blackpool fans urged to use Manchester for train travel to play-offs

Virgin Trains is advising Blackpool fans travelling to Wembley on Saturday to join its fast Pendolino services to London at Manchester Piccadilly rather than Preston.

With over 30,000 fans travelling to London, trains from Scotland which stop at Preston are already very heavily booked. There is no guarantee that fans who do not already have a reserved seat will be able to travel from Preston.

15 trains from Piccadilly will arrive in Euston before 1230, giving plenty of time to get to Wembley.

Early trains leave Piccadilly at 0525, 0555, 0610, and then every twenty minutes at xx35, xx55 and xx15 throughout the day. Typical journey time is around 2 hours 8 minutes.

Arthur Leathley, Communications Director at Virgin Trains said:

‘As a life-long Blackpool supporter, I want my fellow fans to have a good journey to Wembley and arrive fresh to give the Seasiders the support they deserve.

We’ve already seen a huge rise in bookings from Preston to London, and those services are going to be very crowded. With over 1300 seats an hour Manchester to London, Piccadilly is a great alternative to travelling from Preston this weekend.’

Virgin Trains to provide extra seats to meet increased demand from frustrated air passengers on Tuesday 18 May

Virgin Trains will provide nearly 5000 extra seats on Tuesday 18 May for airline passengers facing continuing uncertainty over airspace closures due to volcanic ash clouds.

The disruption caused during and after airspace closures has seen huge increases in demand for trains. During these periods Virgin Trains has seen a three-fold increase in demand for services London – Scotland services on top of exceptional growth experienced through the last year. There has been an eight-fold increase on London – Holyhead services.

Virgin Trains has now set up a mechanism for quickly uplifting services in response to ash cloud warnings. Most of tomorrow’s additional capacity will be on Anglo Scottish services on two routes – Birmingham to Glasgow and Edinburgh and Euston to Glasgow. There will also be longer trains on the line between Euston and Holyhead to connect with ferries to Dublin.

For details of times and fares and for booking tickets visit virgintrains.com or any Virgin Trains ticket office.

A decision on the level of service to be run later in the week will be made in the light of further updated forecasts from the Met Office.

Virgin Trains to provide extra seats for stranded airline passengers

A total of 7,000 extra seats will be provided by Virgin Trains over the next two days (Sunday and Monday 16 and 17 May) as airline passengers face more uncertainty due to the closure of sections of UK airspace because of volcanic ash clouds.

Most of the additional capacity will be on Anglo Scottish services on two routes – Birmingham to Glasgow and Edinburgh and London (Euston) to Glasgow. There will also be some longer trains particularly tomorrow on the line between London and Holyhead to connect with ferries to Dublin.

For details of times and fares and for booking tickets visit virgintrains.com or any Virgin Trains ticket office.

A decision on the level of service to be run on Tuesday 18 May will be made in the light of further updated forecasts from the Met Office.




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For further media information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on 0845 000 3333 or visit our Media Room website at www.virgintrains.co.uk/about/media-room/