Royal Scot (passenger train)

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This article is about the train. For locomotives of the Royal Scot class see LMS Royal Scot Class; and for the first of that class see LMS Royal Scot Class 6100 Royal Scot, for wax clothing see Royal Scot (clothing).

The Royal Scot was a named passenger train that runs between London Euston and Glasgow, the length of the WCML with previously a portion also going to Edinburgh. It has 10:00 departure (mirroring that of the Flying Scotsman on the ECML). It first ran in 1862.

The journey was generally done behind one of the fastest engines available. Early on this would probably be a LNWR Precursor Class 4-4-0 then the LNWR Claughton Class 4-6-0 with a change to Caledonian Railway locmotives North of Carlisle, but when these were obviously obsolete for express workings by 1928 they were replaced by the new LMS Royal Scot Class 4-6-0, and later by the 4-6-2 pacifics of the LMS Princess Royal Class and LMS Princess Coronation Class which worked the train "non stop" throughout, but with a change of crew at Carlisle. These were then replaced first by diesel locomotives and then by AC electric locomotives in 1966 following the electrification of the WCML south of Crewe, with diesel locomotives taking over at Crewe. Electrification to Glasgow took place in 1973-4, ending the loco change at Crewe and bringing the replacement of the early electric locomotives with the new British Rail Class 87s, titled Royal Scots by BR although better known as Electric Scots, in respect of the steam engines. The first stop now became Preston, for a crew change, and stops are now also made at Oxenholme and Carlisle. Traction became more mixed following the arrival of British Rail Class 90s in 1988. The service lost its name in 2003 although a non-stop to Glasgow from London Euston at around 10:00 still exists today. This train has, since September 2004, been operated by a British Rail Class 390 Pendolino unit instead of being loco-hauled.