The word "mainline" can be used in written English.
It can refer to primary sources of service for a product, or to a primary drug that is used for addiction. Example: "The company's mainline products have been successful for many years."
The east coast mainline from London to Edinburgh, a prize the Virgin boss has long coveted, will be the next big rail competition, to be awarded next year, after the government announced a number of extensions to the current franchises – including allowing Virgin to retain its west coast service until 2017.
The government recently warned that alternatives to HS2 could spell massive disruption on mainline railways, but expects others to accept massively disrupted local lives.
The fact is this: the west coast mainline is almost full.
All Saturday's trains in and out of King's Cross, one of the busiest station's in London, have been cancelled because engineering work on the east coast mainline has overrun.
It's eminently accessible by train – from the starting point of Great Yarmouth, across the Broads from Norfolk; then Oulton Broads and Beccles, both on the line to Lowestoft from Ipswich; Bungay and Harlesden by number 80 bus from Diss, then Diss itself, on the London-Norwich mainline; and Thetford, on the Ely-Norwich train.
Alistair Gordon, chief executive of Keolis UK, said: "What's exciting about the east coast mainline is that there is an opportunity to transform a hugely important national route, which is yet to see the same levels of investment as the west coast mainline".
The party is exploring different modes of rail ownership, such as the non-profit operation of the east coast mainline, but is not in favour of a wholesale return to nationalisation, he added.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused but the work is essential to improve the network and maintain reliable services for the millions of passengers who travel on the west coast mainline every year".
Proper east-west links between the mainline tracks would include all the major cities.
No specific UK targets were identified for the gas limos project but reconnaissance material on several central London hotels, including the Savoy, and three of the capital's biggest mainline railway stations - Paddington, Waterloo and King's Cross - indicated they were being considered.
You can also travel by mainline rail or on the DLR.
