Announcing that a high-speed passenger train was to be inaugurated in 1956 between Edinburgh and London, leaving both capital cities at 4pm each weekday - except Saturday - aroused a great deal of interest and favourable comment from railway enthusiasts of the day. Such a service was particularly attractive for the business community.
This new train created real railway history as it was, at the time, the fastest-ever winter timing since the 'Coronation', which ran during the 1937/'39 high-speed era of the LNER.
The link with the pre-War 'Coronation' train is very much a physical one, as 'The Talisman' used some of the former coaches in its consist. All the coaches of this set were painted in the standard BR maroon livery outside. There was accommodation for 62 first-class and 174 second-class passengers.
The inaugural journey from Edinburgh to London on September 17 of that year commenced in the presence of Sir Ian Bolton, Chairman of the Scottish Area to the engine and train crew.
