Thames-Clyde Express - The Route (from London)

The Route (from London)

Starting from St Pancras, The Thames Clyde Express travelled by the former Midland Railway's main line through Leicester, sometimes with reversals to serve Derby and Nottingham, as far as Leeds. After another reversal the train crossed the Pennines to the scenic Settle-Carlisle route, still on former Midland railway territory. Crossing into Scotland the train used the former Glasgow and South Western Railway's Glasgow South Western Line into Glasgow St Enoch, the city's G&SWR terminus. The train could not compete for London to Scotland traffic with the faster trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line. Its route was longer and steeper, and Midland expresses could not ignore major population centres en route, especially Leicester, Sheffield and Leeds. In Scotland, it took a longer route in order to provide a service to Dumfries and Kilmarnock.

As a result, few travellers after the 1920s travelled the full length of the route. The Thames-Clyde lost its title at the outbreak of World War II in common with almost all named trains in the UK. However the title was restored in September 1949 as part of the Post-war return to normality.

However the effect of regional division, mining subsidence along part of the route between Trent and Leeds, and underpowered locomotives meant that its performance was actually inferior in time to that achieved in 1939.

In 1962, the Thames Clyde took eight hours and 50 minutes for the complete journey, leaving London at 10.15, and then calling first at Leicester London Road at 11.52. Further stops were made at Trent and Chesterfield, before reaching Sheffield Midland station at 13.19, and Leeds City at 14.25 - so this latter stage of 39 miles took over an hour as a result of subsidence-induced speed restrictions. From here the train ran non-stop to Carlisle (Arrival 16.38). Three more stops were made at Annan, Dumfries, and Kilmarnock before reaching Glasgow, St Enoch at 19.05.

The rival Royal Scot on the West Coast route stopped only twice and took seven hours, twenty minutes. However the Thames Clyde provided a useful service from the East Midlands and Yorkshire to Scotland.