Lumo, owned by FirstGroup, began operating between Stirling and Euston on May 25 2026.
For stations including Larbert, Greenfaulds and Whifflet, this is their first ever direct rail connection to London. By using ScotRail services from Inverness to Stirling, the overall route is similar to that of the long withdrawn ‘Clansman’ daytime service from Inverness to Euston, except that it goes via Nuneaton rather than Birmingham. The new Lumo service also stops at Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes.
Community partners were given the chance to experience a preview round trip with surprises including a Scottish bagpiper and drummer for the departure from Stirling, and a Caribbean steel drum performance at Euston on arrival.
Lumo already run popular electric services on the East Coast Main Line, linking Edinburgh with Newcastle and London, and have recently expanded routes through Glasgow and Falkirk, helping to widen access to work, education, tourism and leisure across Scotland’s central belt.
Lumo’s lack of rolling stock on the WCML means that its timetable had initially been restricted to one daily return service. This Class 222 Meridian train formerly with East Midlands Railways caused a return journey cancellation one week into the new service due to maintenance issues.
As Lumo receives more trains, this is expected to gradually increase to four daily return services by late July, with an additional daily return service between Euston and Preston. The service will create around 100 new jobs, with staff based in Stirling and Preston.
The West Coast fleet will be made up of five modern refurbished six-car Class 222 diesel trains, using intelligent engine management systems that reduce fuel use where possible. The top speed is 125mph and the capacity is 360 seats in a single class arrangement.
The refurbishment work was undertaken by Alstom’s modernisation facility in Widnes, in association with Beacon Rail. The trains’ new livery is in Lumo’s signature blue.
These 20 year old refurbished trains are of the same type which ScotRail have selected to replace its 50 year old HSTs on its intercity services from the end of next year. The smart interiors give a foretaste of what might be expected more generally by 2028.
When the new West Coast route launched, Lumo said it was “designed to offer low-cost fares and attract more people to train over air and road”. Tickets start from just £29.90 between London Euston and Stirling. Travelling from London to Preston starts from £23.90 and Preston to Stirling from £14.90. A high level of initial bookings had been experienced.
It operates on an open access basis, meaning it sets its own fares, takes on all revenue risk and receives no taxpayer-funded subsidies.
This also means it is not affected by the Government’s re-nationalisation of all remaining franchised train services in Britain.
FirstGroup holds track access rights from regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the route on the WCML until 2030.
NW
02/06/2026
