FIRST Group has poached the boss of Virgin Trains just in time to take over the West Coast Main Line rail franchise in 12 days' time.

Phil Whittingham, who has been at Virgin since it took control of the country's most lucrative rail network in 1998, will keep running the line, which connects London to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow.

Whittingham has been Virgin Trains' managing director since 2013. He will join First Group with his entire management team from Virgin.

Virgin, which is still owned by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, has run the line with transport giant Stagecoach in recent years.

Nevertheless, Branson remains keen on being a part of Britain's rail industry.

Last month, he told City A.M. that although the current franchising system "needs a rethink," he would be "very keen to have a look at" any new model which comes out of an upcoming major government review into Britain's rail network.

(c) 2019 City A.M., source Newspaper