Over the weekend, plans for a so-called Manchester to London ‘ghost train’ were revealed, which would see the 7am Avanti West Coast service to the capital run without passengers. However, the train regulator, the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), has abandoned these plans and will now see the peak-morning train service operate as normal.
The ORR reverses its decision to run Manchester to London ‘ghost train’
The ORR previously announced it had blocked the train, which would still have run with staff on board, from carrying passengers on capacity grounds. The ghost train from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston was set to begin from the December 14 timetable change, but after listening to feedback, the ORR has reversed its decision.
An ORR spokesperson said: “We have taken account of all the evidence and feedback, and we have given Network Rail and Avanti the go ahead to arrange for the 7am service to continue running with passengers. On the basis of the information we have, we believe the running of this 7am service could have a negative impact on reliability and punctuality of services on the West Coast Main Line, but we recognise its importance and popularity and will support its continued operation.”
As the only service to run from Manchester to London in one hour 59 minutes, as it runs non-stop from Stockport and conveniently arrives in the capital shortly before 9am, it has long been a popular service for commuters. The service has run since 2008 under Virgin Trains, but was paused during the Covid pandemic, however, in 2024 it returned when Avanti restored a full timetable.
“The original decision would have had a detrimental impact on customers who use this train”
Welcoming the decision, a spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said: “We are delighted that the Office of Rail and Road has given us permission to reinstate the 07:00 Manchester to Euston weekday service in our December timetable. The original decision would have had a detrimental impact on customers who use this train and this development is a welcome boost for those who want to take advantage of a sub two-hour service between two of the UK’s major cities.”