Capitals Limited Explained

Capitals Limited
Type:	Passenger train
First:	23 May 1949
Last:	1952
Successor:	Elizabethan
Formeroperator:	BR
Frequency:	Daily

The Capitals Limited was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.^[1]

History

After the Second World War the Flying Scotsman was re-instated as an intermediate stop train, instead of holding its former position as the non-stop London to Edinburgh service. British Rail introduced a new summer-only non-stop express called the Capitals Limited on 23 May 1949^[2] which was scheduled to leave King's Cross at 9.30am, with the service in the return direction leaving Edinburgh at 9.45am.^[3] The journey time was 8 hours.

In 1951 the service was accelerated to offer a journey time between Edinburgh and London of 7 hours 20 minutes.^[4] In 1953, the train was renamed the Elizabethan, to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and at the same time the journey was reduced to 6 hours 45 minutes.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Book: Allen, Cecil J. . 1967 . Titled Trains of Great Britain . Ian Allan Ltd. . 75 .
2. News: . New Express Service Inaugurated . The Scotsman . Scotland . 24 May 1949 . 27 December 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
3. News: . The London Letter . Aberdeen Press and Journal . Scotland . 22 April 1949 . 27 December 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
4. News: . Faster Scots expresses . Dundee Courier . Scotland . 2 July 1951 . 27 December 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
5. News: . Speed up of Main Line Trains . Dundee Courier . Scotland . 16 May 1953 . 27 December 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .