About us

Where do you want to be? How about a place where you can travel in a faster, more comfortable and greener way? A place where you are greeted with warmth and a smile? Then welcome to Virgin Trains.

We are one of the most experienced train companies in Britain, having been around for over 12 years, sending our Pendolino and Super Voyager trains speeding between different destinations all over the country. But as inspirational as our past has been, it's our future that we really get excited about...

Social responsibility

We firmly believe that rail has a clear role to play in sustainable transport, and want to lead the charge. But we're also aware of our impacts, from carbon emissions to air quality, and affordability to security.

That's why we're doing everything we can to minimise the negative, and accentuate the positive.

We want to challenge assumptions, solve problems and deliver innovative solutions. It's just our way. Our corporate responsibility report lays out where we are on that journey. That's where you'll discover our:

approach to sustainable development in rail
plans to reduce our carbon footprint while increasing our energy efficiency
sustainable stations philosophy
safety and security targets
approach to sustainable sourcing of our onboard food
waste and recycling targets
employee engagement and empowerment programmes
community work at home and abroad

Download our corporate responsibility report

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Our performance

At Virgin Trains, we always try to perform as best we can. To find out how we're currently doing, just click the links below. Please bear in mind that sometimes we fall short of our targets, but that only serves to fire us up to perform even better.

Performance information for the most recently completed 4-week period.

Detailed daily performance results.

Glossary of terms

Public Performance Measure (PPM): The PPM combines punctuality and reliability into a single performance measure. It measures the performance of individual trains against their planned timetable. Punctuality is expressed as the percentage of trains 'on time' compared to the total number of trains planned. For long distance operators, such as Virgin Trains, a train is defined as on time if it arrives within ten minutes (i.e. nine minutes 59 seconds or less). Reliability is a measure of the percentage of trains that are cancelled or do not complete their full planned journey.

Bi-Di (Bi-Directional) signalling: On tracks equipped with Bi-Directional signalling, trains can travel in either direction on a section of track in a controlled manner.

Block joint: A piece of insulating equipment that prevents the electrical current running through the track. Most points and signals operate by means of this electrical current.

Bridge Bash/Strike: When a road vehicle has a collision with a railway bridge. The bridge must then be inspected by a structural engineer before trains can operate over it.

Joint Performance Improvement Plan Target (JPIP Target): The target PPM percentage agreed as achievable by Virgin Trains and Network Rail.

OHLE/OLE: Overhead Line Equipment - provides the electrical power for the trains.

Possession overrun: A possession is a stretch of line handed over to engineering departments for maintenance, on which no trains can run. A possession overrun is when this engineering work goes on for longer than planned.

TC - Track Circuit: Most points and signals operate by means of this electrical circuit running through the rail. The passage of a train through a section completes the electrical circuits, thus operating the signals.

TCF - Track Circuit Failure: A failure of track circuit equipment.

VHF - Virgin High Frequency: A service of more frequent and faster trains, introduced in December 2008.

Management team

Tony Collins - Chief Executive Officer

Tony Collins has worked for Virgin Trains since 1999, initially as Deputy Chief Executive responsible for the management of major contracts.

These included the delivery of the new train fleets and Network Rail's infrastructure upgrades and, since September 2004, he has held the position of Chief Executive Officer.

Tony was Commercial Director of Alstom (the provider of Virgin's Pendolino trains) before joining Virgin Trains. A native of the West Midlands, he is married with two children.

Favourite activities? "Golf and family holidays. I'm often described by colleagues as a 'bit of a bandit.'"

Little known fact: "Riding scary roller coasters, although my children tell me I'm getting too old to go to Disney, Florida, each year."

Chris Gibb - Chief Operating Officer

Chris became Chief Operating Officer in February 2008, having been Managing Director of Virgin Trains since 31 August 2007.

Before that he was Managing Director, Virgin CrossCountry, following over two years as MD of Wales & West / Wales & Borders. Chris joined British Rail from school in 1981 and has wide experience in running railways across the UK. When he's not eating, sleeping and breathing trains, Chris enjoys cycling and travelling. He has two small children and lives near Coventry.

Favourite holiday spot? "The station buffet at Alp Grum in Switzerland. It's situated on the fabulously scenic railway from St Moritz to Tirano in Italy, which I have cycled and travelled by train."

Top travel tip? "Always thank the helpful staff who work on the railways all over the world."

Andy Cross - Business Support Director

Andy joined the Virgin Trains Board as Business Support Director in 2007 and is responsible for procurement, contracts and IT. In other words, he buys stuff.

He joined Virgin Trains in 1999 and led the project to replace Virgin Train's entire rolling stock fleet before taking responsibility for Procurement in 2004.

Away from the office Andy is a keen golfer and enthusiastic cook... twice a finalist in the Virgin Trains Annual Cooking Competition and recent winner of the Virgin Trains Sandwich of the Year competition.

Favourite dish? "Just like my ideal golf game - plenty of greens, quite spicy, a few meaty hits and occasionally fiery."

Arthur Leathley - Communications Director

Arthur joined Virgin Trains in November 2004 after spending most of his career as a journalist, mainly working at The Times.

He was successively political, transport and City correspondent and now he has to answer the types of questions he used to ask - which is harder!

Favourite activities? "Spending time with family, travelling and cycling (in between London's criminals stealing his bikes)."

Graham Leech - Executive Director, Commercial

Over the past decade, Graham has overseen national marketing campaigns, set up thetrailine.com and pioneered the complicated process of managing revenue and capacity on our trains.

Before he joined Virgin Trains, Graham was involved in the launch of Eurostar - a role that combined his love of rail with his interest in Europe and languages. Graham is Chair of the Commercial Board of Association of Train Operating Companies and a Director of National Rail Enquiries.

Graham and his three boys love cricket and are devoted West Ham fans. He also enjoys piano, tennis and golf, and is a member of his local church council.

Best footy moments? "Watching my home team Cheltenham Town win the FA Trophy at Wembley and get promoted to the Football League."

Patrick McGrath - Human Resources Director

Patrick has been Director, Human Resources, of Virgin Trains since 1999. He joined the HR team in 1998 to kick-off a major cultural change programme.

He has also held a number of senior regional positions with operational and commercial responsibility in the rail network. Patrick joined the rail industry as a graduate trainee in 1991.

Phil Whittingham - Finance Director

Phil became Director, Finance on 1 January 2008. Phil qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996 and joined the company from KPMG's Birmingham office in August 1999, where he worked closely with Virgin Trains.

Phil has held various positions in the Finance team, initially having responsibility for business plans and accounts. He was Finance Director of West Coast before joining the Executive team.

Passenger's Charter

Our Passenger's Charter clearly sets out our ongoing commitment to give you the safe, high quality service you have the right to expect. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Any passenger purchasing a ticket for use on services operated by Virgin Trains should enjoy:

a reliable and punctual journey
clean and safe trains and stations
a Customer Service team member onboard each train to be available to provide assistance if required
a refreshment service on most trains
a seat if reserved in advance

Download our Passenger's Charter (PDF)

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Thu 02 September 2010 11:21

Passengers will benefit from further improvements in the performance of rail services on the West Coast Main Line thanks to investment of more than £2 million by Virgin Trains in Glasgow.Virgin’s Super Voyager tilting trains that link Glasgow and Edinburgh with Birmingham will be serviced at a new facility that was declared open today at Polmadie on the south side of the city.Joe Porter, a train driver whose railway career at Polmadie stretches back to the last days of steam, inaugurated the …

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