Originally, the lines between Rugby, Birmingham and Stafford were part of the main route, until the Trent Valley Line was built in 1847 this formed a direct connection between Rugby and Stafford. The central core has branches serving the major towns and cities of Northampton, Coventry, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, Stockport, Manchester, Runcorn and Liverpool there is also a link to Edinburgh, but this is not the most direct route between London and Edinburgh. The core section between London Euston and Glasgow Central is 399 miles (642 km) long, with principal InterCity stations at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stafford, Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme Lake District, Penrith and Carlisle. The northern WCML as it weaves through the Lune Gorge in Cumbria alongside the M6 9.1.2 Tunnels, viaducts and major bridges.
9.1.1.1 Rugby–Birmingham–Wolverhampton–Stafford.6.3 Weaver Junction to Liverpool signalling.6.2 Stafford Area Improvements Programme.6.1 Felixstowe and Nuneaton freight capacity scheme.Other traffic is limited to 110 mph (177 km/h). Much of the line has a maximum speed of 125 mph (201 km/h), meeting the European Union's definition of an upgraded high-speed line, although only Class 390 Pendolinos and Class 221 Super Voyagers with tilting mechanisms operated by Avanti West Coast travel at that speed. A number of railway writers refer to it as "The Premier line".
The line has been declared a strategic European route and designated a priority Trans-European Networks (TENS) route. The line is the principal rail freight corridor linking the European mainland (via the Channel Tunnel) through London and South East England to the West Midlands, North West England and Scotland. It is one of the busiest freight routes in Europe, carrying 40% of all UK rail freight traffic. Several sections of the WCML form part of the suburban railway systems in London, Coventry, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow, with many more smaller commuter stations, as well as providing links to more rural towns. The Glasgow–Edinburgh via Carstairs line connects the WCML to Edinburgh, however the main London–Edinburgh route is the East Coast Main Line. With additional lines deviating to Northampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh, this totals a route mileage of 700 miles (1,127 km). The core route of the WCML runs from London to Glasgow for 399 miles (642 km) and was opened from 1837 to 1869. It is one of the busiest mixed-traffic railway routes in Europe, carrying a mixture of intercity rail, regional rail, commuter rail and rail freight traffic. The West Coast Main Line ( WCML) is one of the most important railway corridors in the United Kingdom, connecting the major cities of London and Glasgow with branches to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh. A detailed diagram of the core route can be