# Highland Chieftain
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Highland_Chieftain
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Highland_Chieftain.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Chieftain
> Source revision: 1353690701
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{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](/source/London_North_Eastern_Railway) [Class 800 ''Azuma''](/source/British_Rail_Class_800) at [Kingussie](/source/Kingussie_railway_station)
|type = Passenger train
|status =
|locale =
|predecessor = ''The Clansman''
|first = May 1984
|last =
|successor =
|operator = [London North Eastern Railway](/source/London_North_Eastern_Railway)
|formeroperator = [Virgin Trains East Coast](/source/Virgin_Trains_East_Coast)
[East Coast](/source/East_Coast_(train_operating_company))
[National Express East Coast](/source/National_Express_East_Coast)
[GNER](/source/Great_North_Eastern_Railway)
[InterCity East Coast](/source/InterCity_(British_Rail))
|ridership =
|start = [London King's Cross](/source/London_King's_Cross_railway_station)
|stops =
|end = [Inverness](/source/Inverness_railway_station)
|distance = {{convert|581|mi}}
|journeytime = 8 hours
|frequency = Daily
|trainnumber = 1W16 (northbound)
1E13 (southbound)
|line_used = [East Coast](/source/East_Coast_Main_Line)
[Highland](/source/Highland_Main_Line)
|class =
|access =
|seating =
|catering =
|entertainment =
|baggage =
|otherfacilities =
|stock = [Class 800 ''Azuma''](/source/British_Rail_Class_800)
|gauge =
|speed = {{convert|125|mph|-1|abbr=on}}
|owners =
|routenumber =
|map = }}
{{routemap
|title =Highland Chieftain
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](/source/Perth_railway_station%2C_Scotland)
BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Gleneagles}}
BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Dunblane}} *
BHF~~[Stirling](/source/Stirling_railway_station%2C_Scotland)
BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Falkirk Grahamston}}
BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Haymarket}}
BHF~~{{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}}
STR+GRZq~~''[Scotland / England](/source/Anglo-Scottish_Border)''
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](/source/London_King's_Cross_railway_station)
* {{asterisk}} Sundays, Southbound only
}}
The '''''Highland Chieftain''''' is a named British passenger train operated by [London North Eastern Railway](/source/London_North_Eastern_Railway). It operates daily in each direction between [London King's Cross](/source/London_King's_Cross_railway_station) and [Inverness](/source/Inverness_railway_station) via the [East Coast](/source/East_Coast_Main_Line) and [Highland Main Line](/source/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](/source/London) and the [Scottish Highlands](/source/Scottish_Highlands) was ''The Clansman'', which ran via the [West Coast Main Line](/source/West_Coast_Main_Line).
The ''Highland Chieftain'' was introduced with the May 1984 timetable on the [East Coast Main Line](/source/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.[{{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 }}][{{cite magazine|title=The Titled Trains of Britain|magazine=[The Railway Magazine](/source/The_Railway_Magazine)| issue=1327|date=November 2011 |page=37}}] Today, it has a journey time of eight hours.[[https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/globalassets/downloads/pdf/timetables/vtec_booklet_2nd-edition_web.pdf Timetable 15 May 2016] Virgin Trains East Coast] Originally operated by [InterCity 125](/source/InterCity_125) sets, the service has been operated by [Class 800 ''Azumas''](/source/British_Rail_Class_800) since December 2019.[{{cite magazine|title=Azumas take over LNER's High Speed Train operation|magazine=[Rail Magazine](/source/Rail_Magazine)|issue=894 |date=18 December 2019|page=12}}]
Electric locomotive [87023](/source/British_Rail_Class_87), which operated on the [West Coast Main Line](/source/West_Coast_Main_Line), was named ''Highland Chieftain'' between 1978 and 1984, but never had an association with the passenger service.[[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](/source/AC_Locomotive_Group)] LNER High Speed Train power car [43308](/source/British_Rail_Class_43_(HST)), which has operated the service, was later named ''Highland Chieftain''. The nameplate was auctioned by [London North Eastern Railway](/source/London_North_Eastern_Railway) in 2020.[{{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}}]
== Operation ==
Presently both of the services are operated by a [Class 800 ''Azuma''](/source/British_Rail_Class_800). This is a [bi-modal](/source/Electro-diesel_locomotive) train due to the line being diesel only beyond [Dunblane](/source/Dunblane_railway_station), 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](/source/Hitachi_AT300)
|[Class 800 ''Azuma''](/source/British_Rail_Class_800)
|150x150px
|[Bi-mode multiple unit](/source/Bi-Mode_Multiple_Unit)
|125
|200
|}
Until December 2019, the Highland Chieftain service was operated by an [InterCity 125 HST](/source/InterCity_125) 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](/source/InterCity_125)
|[Class 43](/source/British_Rail_Class_43_(HST))
|150x150px
|[Locomotive](/source/Locomotive)
| rowspan="2" |125
| rowspan="2" |200
|-
|[Mark 3](/source/British_Rail_Mark_3)
|150x150px
|[Passenger coach](/source/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
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Highland Chieftain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Chieftain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Chieftain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.