When the Virgin logos are eventually stripped from the sides of West Coast passengers trains, it will be accompanied by a dose of nostalgia usually absent from the world of rail franchise handovers.
Love them or loathe them – and Sir Richard Branson's tilting Pendolino trains divided opinion – Virgin Trains was easily the most memorable brand to emerge in the short history of the privatised rail industry and one of the few that stood out for passengers. For all those that complained about toilets and cramped seats, there were plenty swept away by travelling at 125mph along the West Coast Main line, and seduced by the allure of the trains' low-level lighting and airline-style luxury.
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