{{Short description|British passenger train}} {{italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox rail service |box_width = |name = ''Highland Chieftain'' |logo = |logo_width = |image = File:800102 at Kingussie 180624 (53800514559).jpg |image_size = 250px |caption = London North Eastern Railway Class 800 ''Azuma'' at Kingussie |type = Passenger train |status = |locale = |predecessor = ''The Clansman'' |first = May 1984 |last = |successor = |operator = London North Eastern Railway |formeroperator = Virgin Trains East Coast<br>East Coast<br>National Express East Coast<br>GNER<br>InterCity East Coast |ridership = |start = London King's Cross |stops = |end = Inverness |distance = {{convert|581|mi}} |journeytime = 8 hours |frequency = Daily |trainnumber = 1W16 (northbound)<br>1E13 (southbound) |line_used = East Coast<br>Highland |class = |access = |seating = |catering = |entertainment = |baggage = |otherfacilities = |stock = Class 800 ''Azuma'' |gauge = |speed = {{convert|125|mph|-1|abbr=on}} |owners = |routenumber = |map = }}
{{routemap |title =Highland Chieftain<br> route map | title bg =#{{VTEC color}} |map = KBHFa~~{{Stnlnk|Inverness}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Carrbridge}} * BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Aviemore}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Kingussie}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Newtonmore}} * BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Blair Atholl}} * BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Pitlochry}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Dunkeld & Birnam}} * BHF~~Perth BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Gleneagles}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Dunblane}} * BHF~~Stirling BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Falkirk Grahamston}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Haymarket}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} STR+GRZq~~''Scotland / England'' BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Berwick-upon-Tweed}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Newcastle}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Darlington}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|York}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Doncaster}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Newark Northgate}} BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Peterborough}} KBHFe~~London King's Cross * {{asterisk}} Sundays, Southbound only }}
The '''''Highland Chieftain''''' is a named British passenger train operated by London North Eastern Railway. It operates daily in each direction between London King's Cross and Inverness via the East Coast and Highland Main Line. It is one of the longest train journeys in the United Kingdom at {{convert|581|mi}} with a journey time of eight hours.
==History== Historically, the principal train service between London and the Scottish Highlands was ''The Clansman'', which ran via the West Coast Main Line.
The ''Highland Chieftain'' was introduced with the May 1984 timetable on the East Coast Main Line and was intended to replace ''The Clansman''; the running time then was 8 hours 40 minutes southbound and 8 hours 50 minutes northbound.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vallance |first1=H. A. |title=The Highland Railway |edition=4th |year=1985 |orig-date=1938 |publisher=David St. John Thomas |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-946537-24-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/highlandrailway0000vall/page/168 168] |url=https://archive.org/details/highlandrailway0000vall/page/168 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Titled Trains of Britain|magazine=The Railway Magazine| issue=1327|date=November 2011 |page=37}}</ref> Today<!--September 2016-->, it has a journey time of eight hours.<ref>[https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/globalassets/downloads/pdf/timetables/vtec_booklet_2nd-edition_web.pdf Timetable 15 May 2016] Virgin Trains East Coast</ref> Originally operated by InterCity 125 sets, the service has been operated by Class 800 ''Azumas'' since December 2019.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Azumas take over LNER's High Speed Train operation|magazine=Rail Magazine|issue=894 |date=18 December 2019|page=12}}</ref>
Electric locomotive 87023, which operated on the West Coast Main Line, was named ''Highland Chieftain'' between 1978 and 1984, but never had an association with the passenger service.<ref>[http://www.aclocogroup.co.uk/data87.php?sort=&sub=&num=&name=Highland+Chieftain&status= 87023]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} AC Locomotive Group</ref> LNER High Speed Train power car 43308, which has operated the service, was later named ''Highland Chieftain''. The nameplate was auctioned by London North Eastern Railway in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Holden|first=Michael|date=2020-11-17|title=LNER HST nameplates raise £41,000 for CALM charity as "record prices" are paid|url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/11/lner-hst-nameplates-raise-41000-for-calm-charity-as-record-prices-are-paid.html|access-date=2021-07-18|publisher=RailAdvent}}</ref>
== Operation == Presently both of the services are operated by a Class 800 ''Azuma''. This is a bi-modal train due to the line being diesel only beyond Dunblane, with the train being on electric power to and from the latter. {| class="wikitable" |+Current ! rowspan="2" |Family ! rowspan="2" |Class ! rowspan="2" |Image ! rowspan="2" |Type ! colspan="2" |Top speed |- !mph !km/h |- |Hitachi AT300 |Class 800 ''Azuma'' |150x150px |Bi-mode multiple unit |125 |200 |} Until December 2019, the Highland Chieftain service was operated by an InterCity 125 HST for a number of years until the whole fleet of HSTs were replaced by the ''Azuma'' fleet.
From Sunday 14th December 2025, as part of a new LNER timetable, the Highland Chieftain service began calling at {{rws|Doncaster}}, {{rws|Newark North Gate}} and {{rws|Peterborough}}.
{| class="wikitable" |+Past ! rowspan="2" |Trainset ! rowspan="2" |Class ! rowspan="2" |Image ! rowspan="2" |Type ! colspan="2" |Top speed |- !mph !km/h |- | rowspan="2" |InterCity 125 |Class 43 |150x150px |Locomotive | rowspan="2" |125 | rowspan="2" |200 |- |Mark 3 |150x150px |Passenger coach |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}} *[http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ National Rail Enquiries website] - main web portal for UK train fares, times and other travel information *{{cite news|title=Highland Chieftain train service saved|url=http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News/Highland-Chieftain-train-service-saved-27032012.htm|newspaper=Inverness Courier|date=27 March 2012|author=Sweeney, Val|accessdate=12 July 2013|archive-date=28 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728035623/http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News/Highland-Chieftain-train-service-saved-27032012.htm|url-status=dead}}
Category:Named passenger trains of British Rail Category:East Coast Main Line Category:Railway services introduced in 1984 Category:1984 establishments in the United Kingdom