Glasgow or Edinburgh to London--which is more scenic?

The Glasgow-Euston route passes through some hilly bits of NW England, and the Edinburgh-Kings Cross one goes along the coast in the Scotland-England border region. Neither route is massively scenic, though.

Hi Lola, I don't know the Virgin route north of Crewe but know it quite intimately from Crewe south to London. I do understand that on the way from the border it runs near the Lake District - stopping at Oxenholme. The Virgin (West Coast) route is operated by almost all class 390 Pendolino trains, either 9 or 11 coaches, with the 4 coaches of First Class at the London end of the train. I can give more amenity information on request. The train is a tilting model which allows it to go at high speed through many curves which slow down conventional trains. It needs that tilting ability because if there is one thing that the West Coast Main Line is not, it is NOT straight. Maximum speed is 125 mph on a train and track designed for 140 mph, speed held down because the current signalling system isn't capable of faster. South of Crewe, a major train junction and large station (with trains connecting to Manchester, North Wales, Mid Wales, Liverpool, and Chester) the line winds through the hills of Cheshire. Views are of rolling hillside, lots of dairy cattle, the occasional sheep, and rivers. Occasional views of a canal. Stafford has a lovely botanical garden and rose garden across the street from the station but it is invisible from the train. South of Stafford you will have more regular sightings of the Grand Union Canal, and more industry. Pass through Wolverhampton - the heart of the Black Country and mostly you will see abandoned canal and rail side factories. It was known as the Black Country because the sky was black from the factory and steel mill smoke. No longer, the factories are silent and the steel mills are elsewhere now. You are now following the Birmingham Navigations and the Birmingham Level. Through Birmingham New Street Station which is slowly being rebuilt while remaining open. ... more ...

... more .. Having left the canal in Birmingham there is a mix of factories and countryside as the train stops again at Birmingham International where there is an exhibition centre and the international airport, then Warwickshire countryside, Coventry, and more Warwickshire countryside where the Grand Central Canal is back in view from time to time, and will be for the rest of the journey south. Now Rugby, the home of the eponymous game, and quite near Althorp Hall which was the home of Diana who at one time was Princess of Wales. The land is almost all arable agriculture, mostly wheat, corn, barley or rape. Bigger rolling hills as you approach the Chilterns at Berkhamstead (where there is ruined castle across the line from the station - but you won't see much at 125 mph) and pass through Watford where the Harry Potter studio tour is, and you are now in the northern suburbs of London. A few more minutes of factories and houses and you're there. - = - As far as the East Coast route, I haven't done it for years. It actually goes faster because of different signalling constraints, mostly much straighter, with traditional trains. To see the shortish portion of the North Sea sit on the left.