This is the full journey from Birmingham New Street to London Euston along the West Coast Main Line (WCML). This was filmed on the once a day service which runs non stop between Birmingham New Street and London Euston, departing Birmingham at 0730 and arriving at London at 0843 taking around 10 minutes quicker than most services on this route and the only regular passenger service not to stop at Birmingham International and Coventry.
I filmed this journey on Tuesday 11th August 2020.
The service on this day was formed of an 11 carriage class 390 Pendolino operated by Avanti West Coast (previously Virgin Trains), the service was very quiet as I had the whole of coach A (quiet carriage) to myself.
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Birmingham New Street (depart) 0:00:15
Adderley Park 0:03:58
Stechford 0:05:10
Lea Hall 0:05:50
Marston Green 0:06:51
Birmingham International 0:07:55
Hampton-in-Arden 0:09:15
Berkswell 0:12:07
Tile Hill 0:14:27
Canley 0:16:53
Coventry 0:18:17
Rugby 0:26:14
Wolverton 0:41:48
Milton Keynes Central 0:43:03
Bletchley 0:44:35
Leighton Buzzard 0:47:45
Cheddington 0:49:44
Tring 0:51:53
Berkhamsted 0:53:41
Hemel Hempstead 0:55:22
Apsley 0:56:06
Kings Langley 0:57:13
Watford Junction 0:59:07
Bushey 0:59:56
Carpenders Park 1:00:38
Hatch End 1:01:24
Headstone Lane 1:01:48
Harrow & Wealdstone 1:02:26
Kenton 1:03:02
South Kenton 1:03:31
North Wembley 1:03:50
Wembley Central 1:04:16
London Euston 1:12:38
Note that only stations visible are included above which is why stations between Wembley Central and London Euston are not included, also Watford High Street is on a loop off the main line.
Long Buckby and Northampton are not included because they are on the slow line loop off the WCML and were not passed by this service or the majority of other Avanti West Coast services with London Northwestern Railway providing most services via Northampton.
Between Watford Junction and London Euston the route is 6 track with the WCML sharing the route with London Overground services between Watford Junction and London Euston which operate 4 times an hour calling at all stations.
Additionally between Harrow & Wealdstone and Queens Park the London Underground (Bakerloo line) runs alongside the WCML and can be seen on this journey between Harrow & Wealdstone and Wembley Central.
This daily non stop service from Birmingham New Street to London Euston does not start of Birmingham though it starts at Wolverhampton, calling at Sandwell & Dudley and passing Coseley, Tipton, Dudley Port, Smethwick Galton Bridge and Smethwick Rolfe Street. There is a 5 minute stop at Birmingham New Street.
This service is also a peak service arriving in to London Euston at 0843 and only runs Monday to Friday as on Saturdays the 0730 has the normal stopping pattern at Birmingham International, Coventry and Watford Junction but is still operated by a class 390 Pendolino.
Services on this route operate every 20 minutes throughout most of the day with all but this one calling at Birmingham International and Coventry and then alternating between either Rugby, Milton Keynes Central or Watford Junction, although there is an extra morning service via Northampton and services in the early morning/late evening stop at more stations.
The rolling stock used by Avanti West Coast on this route is either 9/11 carriage class Pendolinos (EMU) or 5/10 carriage class 221 Super Voyagers (DEMU), both of which are tilting trains.
The photo in the thumbnail of the class 390 Pendolino was taken at Manchester Piccadilly on the 7th December 2019.
The photo in the background of the thumbnail was taken during this journey from Birmingham to London on the approach to Euston at the carriage sidings.
The photo in the background of the end screen was taken near Rugeley Trent Valley on the WCML in may 2019 and the window frame around this was from a photo taken on board an East Midlands Railway class 158 near Mansfield.
Journey sections:
0:00:00 Birmingham New Street to Birmingham International
0:07:59 Birmingham International to Coventry
0:18:22 Coventry to Rugby
0:26:19 Rugby to Milton Keynes Central
0:43:06 Milton Keynes Central to Watford Junction
0:59:10 Watford Junction to London Euston
#FullJourney
#AvantiWestCoast
#Pendolino
