London Northwestern plans to extend Euston-Crewe service to Manchester Victoria

London Northwestern Railway (LNR) has announced plans to launch new services between Manchester, the West Midlands and London.

LNR's existing services between London Euston and Crewe would be extended to Manchester Victoria under the plan. Additionally, trains currently running between Stafford and Crewe would be extended to Manchester Airport. These changes, expected to begin in summer 2026, would create new direct connections from Rugeley, Lichfield, Tamworth and Atherstone in the West Midlands to both Manchester and Warrington.

LNR has also confirmed it is planning to run the new services on its Class 730 electric trains. The 10-carriage trains which were manufactured in the midlands by Alstom, will have a capacity exceeding 1,200 passengers, significantly increasing travel options between Manchester and London. It currently runs an hourly service from London Euston.

Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Trains (WMT), which operates LNR believes this could fill some of the capacity difficulties seen since the cancellation of HS2, commenting, "this plan prioritises passengers and offers a practical solution to improve connectivity between the North West and the West Midlands, especially following the cancellation of HS2's northern section", he stated.

LNR’s application joins a growing list of operators hoping to launch services on the crowded West Coast main line, adding to concerns that the increased number of trains on the line will prove to be a tipping point. However, applicants include Virgin Trains, who is applying under an open-access contract to run 33 daily paths from Euston to destinations including Liverpool, Birmingham New Street, Preston, Glasgow and Rochdale. FirstGroup’s open-access operator Lumo who is applying to run services from Rochdale via Manchester Victoria to London Euston and lastly, Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) who is looking to reinstate direct services between Wrexham and London Euston.

However, McConnell highlighted the benefits compared to alternative options including open access. "Extending existing services is the most efficient way to provide new travel opportunities to Manchester, especially considering the limited platform space at Euston," he explained. "Furthermore, unlike Open Access models, the revenue generated by our proposal will be reinvested, benefiting taxpayers."

He continued, "Our environmentally friendly electric trains will provide an attractive and affordable alternative to cars and coaches, with fares potentially 50% cheaper than those offered by the main intercity operator. This echoes the success we've seen with our existing long-distance services to Birmingham and Liverpool."

Dominic Booth, CEO of WMT's parent company, Transport UK Group, echoed the positive outlook. "These proposals represent a significant leap forward in enhancing rail connections between Manchester and London," he added.

LNR is planning on formally submitting its plans to the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) later this year.