A landmark will be reached on the West Coast Mainline tomorrow when the first passenger train reaches 125mph and uses its tilting action.
The nine-coach Pendolino will leave London Euston at 8.35am on its historic journey to Lichfield.
Virgin Trains has only previously carried out tests under strict conditions and this will be the maiden journey on a normal line with passengers aboard.
Jim Roe, of Virgin, said: "This is certainly a landmark in the history of the West Coast Mainline upgrade.
"This is the first time we will have carried normal passengers on a fully operational tilting train at 125mph on a working railway.
"The first section of track upgraded for 125mph tilting operation has now been completed and we also have a tilting train that is ready to carry passengers over it.
"Additionally we also have the first of the nine-coach Pendolinos that will provide extra capacity, so this is a real celebration of a key milestone."
Travelling on the train will be Virgin Trains chief executive Chris Green, and Strategic Rail Authority chairman Richard Bowker.
The Pendolino will be travelling at 125mph and tilting on the section of track between Rugby and Atherstone.
The £1 billion Pendolino fleet, is the last to be built by Alstom in Birmingham.
The much-delayed West Coast Mainline is due to be upgraded to run at 125 mph from London to Manchester, past Birmingham, by September 2004, and the project has been hit by spiralling costs.
