Capitals Limited
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox rail service
|box_width =
|name = Capitals Limited
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|image = Up Capitals Limited express on the ECML at Wymondley, south of Hitchin 2282866.jpg
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|caption = Up Capitals Limited at Wymondley, south of Hitchin, on 8 September 1951
|type = Passenger train
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|predecessor =
|first = 23 May 1949
|last = 1952
|successor = Elizabethan
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|formeroperator = BR
|ridership =
|start = London King’s Cross
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|end = Edinburgh Waverley, through coaches to Aberdeen
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|frequency = Daily
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The Capitals Limited was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.{{cite book |last=Allen |first=Cecil J. |date=1967 |title=Titled Trains of Great Britain |url= |location= |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd. |page=75 |isbn= |author-link= }}
History
After the Second World War the Flying Scotsman was re-instated as an intermediate stop train, instead of holding its former position as the non-stop London to Edinburgh service. British Rail introduced a new summer-only non-stop express called the Capitals Limited on 23 May 1949{{cite news |author= |title=New Express Service Inaugurated |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19490524/093/0005 |newspaper=The Scotsman |location=Scotland |date=24 May 1949 |access-date=27 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} which was scheduled to leave King's Cross at 9.30am, with the service in the return direction leaving Edinburgh at 9.45am.{{cite news |author= |title=The London Letter |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19490422/028/0002 |newspaper=Aberdeen Press and Journal |location=Scotland |date=22 April 1949 |access-date=27 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} The journey time was 8 hours.
In 1951 the service was accelerated to offer a journey time between Edinburgh and London of 7 hours 20 minutes.{{cite news |author= |title=Faster Scots expresses |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19510702/036/0003 |newspaper=Dundee Courier |location=Scotland |date=2 July 1951 |access-date=27 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} In 1953, the train was renamed the Elizabethan, to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and at the same time the journey was reduced to 6 hours 45 minutes.{{cite news |author= |title=Speed up of Main Line Trains |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19530516/095/0005 |newspaper=Dundee Courier |location=Scotland |date=16 May 1953 |access-date=27 December 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}