#alternate alternate Mail Online Search publisher Mail Online Travel News RSS feed Latest Travel News Stories RSS feed Latest Travel Stories RSS feed MailOnline - news, sport, celebrity, science and health stories [USEMAP:gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw== ] * Home * News * U.S. * Sport * TV&Showbiz * Australia * Femail * Health * Science * Money * Video * Travel * DailyMailTV * Discounts + TUI + Boohoo + Groupon + Argos + Very + First Choice + Travelodge + Debenhams + Nike + John Lewis + Currys + River Island + My Profile + Logout + Login * Latest Headlines * Travel * Destinations * Holiday Types * Holidays * Expert Reviews * Mail Travel * Celebrity Travel * My Profile * Logout * Login [DailyMail.png] Tuesday, Jan 7th 2020 1PM 9°C 4PM 9°C 5-Day Forecast Advertisement show ad Pictured: The British 'bullet train' that will cut London to Edinburgh journey times to four hours travels to Scotland for the first time * The Azuma train uses technology from Japanese bullet trains and can accelerate faster than existing services * The inaugural run north of the border was made as part of a testing programme by manufacturer Hitachi * It will be rolled out on Virgin's east coast route next year and will boost capacity by as much as 28 per cent By Ted Thornhill for MailOnline and Press Association Published: 09:06 GMT, 17 August 2017 | Updated: 09:35 GMT, 17 August 2017 * * * * * * e-mail * 1.6k shares 132 View comments Advertisement A new high-speed train aimed at cutting rail journeys between London and Edinburgh to four hours has travelled to Scotland for the first time. The Azuma train uses technology stemming from Japanese bullet trains and can accelerate faster than existing services on the UK network. The inaugural run north of the border was made as part of a testing programme by manufacturer Hitachi in preparation for roll-out of the 65-strong fleet on Virgin's east coast route next year. Scroll down for videos A new high-speed train aimed at cutting rail journeys between London and Edinburgh to four hours has travelled to Scotland for the first time A new high-speed train aimed at cutting rail journeys between London and Edinburgh to four hours has travelled to Scotland for the first time A new high-speed train aimed at cutting rail journeys between London and Edinburgh to four hours has travelled to Scotland for the first time The Azuma train uses technology stemming from Japanese bullet trains and can accelerate faster than existing services on the UK network The Azuma train uses technology stemming from Japanese bullet trains and can accelerate faster than existing services on the UK network The Azuma train uses technology stemming from Japanese bullet trains and can accelerate faster than existing services on the UK network The inaugural run north of the border was made as part of a testing programme by manufacturer Hitachi in preparation for roll-out of the 65-strong fleet on Virgin's east coast route next year The inaugural run north of the border was made as part of a testing programme by manufacturer Hitachi in preparation for roll-out of the 65-strong fleet on Virgin's east coast route next year The inaugural run north of the border was made as part of a testing programme by manufacturer Hitachi in preparation for roll-out of the 65-strong fleet on Virgin's east coast route next year Virgin plans to cut journey times between the Scottish and UK capitals by 22 minutes and the new fleet will boost capacity from King's Cross by 28 per cent at peak times. 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Share this article Share 1.6k shares The train travelled over the Scottish border at 12.45pm and was piped into Dunbar Station around 15 minutes later, before returning south. Azuma has taken its name from the Japanese word for East, in tribute to the technology used and the route it will operate on. Virgin plans to cut journey times between the Scottish and UK capitals by 22 minutes and the new fleet will boost capacity from King's Cross by 28 per cent at peak times Virgin plans to cut journey times between the Scottish and UK capitals by 22 minutes and the new fleet will boost capacity from King's Cross by 28 per cent at peak times Virgin plans to cut journey times between the Scottish and UK capitals by 22 minutes and the new fleet will boost capacity from King's Cross by 28 per cent at peak times Scotland's Transport Minister Humza Yousaf welcomed the test run. He said: 'Making rail an attractive alternative is an ideal way to encourage more people out of their cars and on to greener transport. That is why it's great to see Virgin's first cross-border Azuma fleet in Scotland as part of their testing programme, which is building towards service introduction next year.' David Horne, Virgin Trains' managing director on the east coast route, said: 'The Virgin Azuma will deliver a step-change in services between Scotland and England, taking regular journeys down to just four hours.' Virgin recently cut the journey time from Scotland to London to just eight minutes - with the help of speeded-up video. more videos * 1 * 2 * 3 * + Watch video Hezbollah leader says retaliation should not target American civilians [23063756-0-image-a-15_1578327909080.jpg] + Watch video Teenage sicario fatally shoots driver near the Mexico-US border [23068850-0-image-a-4_1578336480874.jpg] + Watch video Moment plane's landing gear sparks with flames and detaches itself [23006752-0-image-a-1_1578214167568.jpg] + Watch video Joaquin Phoenix drops f-bomb during 2020 Golden Globes speech [23039790-0-image-m-31_1578291291173.jpg] * + Watch video Mother reveals she is addicted to eating talcum powder [23061738-0-image-a-1_1578325563995.jpg] + Watch video Leonardo DiCaprio brings sophistication to the 2020 Golden Globes [23034934-0-image-m-34_1578280059901.jpg] + Watch video Thousands mourn Iranian general and Iraqi militia commander in Najaf [23001838-0-image-a-13_1578198592416.jpg] + Watch video Kieran Culkin and wife Jazz Charton walk red carpet at Golden Globes [23068262-0-image-m-10_1578335641725.jpg] * + Watch video Klopp hails 'perfect' win over Everton in the FA Cup [video-23020316-818_154x115.jpg] + Watch video Cricket the one eyed cat becomes internet sensation [23072746-0-image-a-16_1578343817803.jpg] + Watch video BellaBot: The new state of the art delivery robot from PuduTech [23048746-0-image-a-12_1578304929269.jpg] + Watch video Truck driver arrested for causing eight-car crash in Indiana [23069186-0-image-a-13_1578337484367.jpg] To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the intercity operator has released amazing clips of drivers'-eye-views on the west coast route between Glasgow and London and Edinburgh and London. The west coast video shows the dramatic Cumbrian hills and Beattock Summit in Scotland. On the east coast the journey covers the beautiful border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and famous bridges spanning the Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. Over the past two decades, Virgin has become famous for speeding up intercity journeys on the west coast route, where it accelerated the Glasgow-London journey time from more than five hours to 4hrs 29min following the introduction of its Virgin High Frequency timetable in 2009. more videos * 1 * 2 * 3 * + Watch video Hezbollah leader says retaliation should not target American civilians [23063756-0-image-a-15_1578327909080.jpg] + Watch video Teenage sicario fatally shoots driver near the Mexico-US border [23068850-0-image-a-4_1578336480874.jpg] + Watch video Moment plane's landing gear sparks with flames and detaches itself [23006752-0-image-a-1_1578214167568.jpg] + Watch video Joaquin Phoenix drops f-bomb during 2020 Golden Globes speech [23039790-0-image-m-31_1578291291173.jpg] * + Watch video Mother reveals she is addicted to eating talcum powder [23061738-0-image-a-1_1578325563995.jpg] + Watch video Leonardo DiCaprio brings sophistication to the 2020 Golden Globes [23034934-0-image-m-34_1578280059901.jpg] + Watch video Thousands mourn Iranian general and Iraqi militia commander in Najaf [23001838-0-image-a-13_1578198592416.jpg] + Watch video Kieran Culkin and wife Jazz Charton walk red carpet at Golden Globes [23068262-0-image-m-10_1578335641725.jpg] * + Watch video Klopp hails 'perfect' win over Everton in the FA Cup [video-23020316-818_154x115.jpg] + Watch video Cricket the one eyed cat becomes internet sensation [23072746-0-image-a-16_1578343817803.jpg] + Watch video BellaBot: The new state of the art delivery robot from PuduTech [23048746-0-image-a-12_1578304929269.jpg] + Watch video Truck driver arrested for causing eight-car crash in Indiana [23069186-0-image-a-13_1578337484367.jpg] Read more: * Virgin trains' incredible speeded up train footage | Daily Mail Online Share or comment on this article: Virgin's new high-speed Azuma train travels to Scotland * * * * * * e-mail * * 1.6k shares Most watched News videos * Moment plane's landing gear sparks with flames and detaches itself * Mother of British teen in gang rape case says she is 'suffering' * Hezbollah leader says retaliation should not target American civilians * Man in Gateshead chews parking ticket before hurling it at warden * Buddhist monk distracted by cat during five-hour prayers * Britain's worst serial rapist prowls streets for victims on CCTV * Thousands take part in funeral procession for General Soleimani * Piers Morgan rants about vegans and bees on Good Morning Britain * Ricky Gervais makes controversial joke about Jeffrey Epstein * Soleimani's replacement vows revenge for US killing * Traffic police signal in sync with Pump It Up playing on the radio * Massive crowds gather as the body of Soleimani arrives for funeral More top stories Next story 'She's coming home!' British teenager, 19, convicted of lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus breaks down in tears as she is spared jail and gets a four-month suspended sentence - leaving her free to fly back to UK TODAY * 736 comments * 4 videos NEW ARTICLESHomeTop Share * Back to top * Home * News * U.S. * Sport * TV&Showbiz * Australia * Femail * Health * Science * Money * Video * Travel * DailyMailTV * Discounts Sitemap Archive Video Archive Topics Index Mobile Apps Screensaver RSS Text-based site Reader Prints Our Papers Top of page Daily Mail Mail on Sunday This is Money Metro Newzit Mail Travel Zoopla.co.uk Prime Location Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group dmg media Contact us How to complain Leadership Team Advertise with us Contributors Terms Do not sell my info Privacy policy & cookies Cookie regulation logo Advertisement Advertisement