FirstGroup’s new open access service between London and Edinburgh is due to launch on 25 October, branded as Lumo. Tickets for the new service went on sale on 7 September.
First was awarded access rights to operate the five trains per day (tpd) service in 2016, and has ordered a £100 million fleet of 5x5-car Class 803 EMUs for the service from Hitachi, financed by Beacon Rail. Mobilisation for the new service began formally in 2019, beginning with the recruitment of a senior management team. The launch of services in autumn 2021 has been planned since mobilisation began.