Platinum Trains

Platinum Trains

Franchise(s)	Open access operator
Main region(s)	Edinburgh to Aberdeen East Coast Main

Platinum Trains^[1] was a proposed open access operator that intended to run limited-stop train services from Scotland to London via the East Coast Main Line.^[2] Its plan was to compete with air travel.

The company proposed to use two Class 180 units to operate two outbound and return journeys per day on weekdays and one outbound and return per day at weekends between Aberdeen and London King's Cross, calling at Edinburgh and Dundee.^[3][4] The company anticipated placing an order for new rolling stock in the first year of operation with introduction into service in the third or fourth year.^[3]

In February 2009, the application to operate trains was denied by the Office of Rail Regulation,^[5] along with that of First Harrogate Trains. Difficulties had been highlighted in finding additional paths for the trains to operate in along the busy East Coast Main Line. In a letter from the Department for Transport to the Office of Rail Regulation in January 2009, it was noted that "the Platinum Trains proposal does not appear to be compatible with Transport Scotland’s franchised service specification between Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and we find it difficult to see how a non-stop path could be achieved south of Edinburgh without use of excessive pathing time which could present operational difficulties due to persistent early running."^[6]

References

1. Companies House extract company no 6682366 Platinum Trains Limited
2. Dalton, Alastair (24 September 2008). "Non-stop to London in only four hours". The Scotsman.
3. "Application to the Office of Rail Regulation for a passenger track access contract under section 17 of the Railways Act 1993" (PDF). Office of Rail Regulation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2008.
4. "Platinum Trains targets the ECML". Rail Express. No. 149. October 2008. p. 7.
5. "ORR announces its decision on East Coast Main Line track access applications" (Press release). Office of Rail Regulation. 27 February 2009. Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
6. "Letter from the Department for Transport to the Office of Rail Regulation" (PDF). Department for Transport. 12 January 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2009.