Races to the North
The name given to two summers in the late 19th century (1888 and 1895) when passenger trains belonging to the West Coast companies (LNWR and Caledonian Railway) raced the East Coast companies (Great Northern, North Eastern Railway) from London to Scotland. The two rail trunk routes used the West Coast Main Line, which runs from London Euston via Crewe and Carlisle, and the East Coast Main Line route, which runs from London King's Cross via York and Newcastle.
The first Races to the North were between day trains from London to Edinburgh in 1888, and the second were between night trains from London to Aberdeen in 1895.
