The train consisted of purpose-built British Rail Mark 2 carriages in a special Pullman livery, pearl grey with blue window surrounds (a reversal of the normal British Rail InterCity livery of the period).

Each train operated an outward journey in the morning and a return in the evening, thus being at its base each night and weekend.

Another peculiarity for inter-city trains of that time was that some of the Pullmans were routed via the Styal Line thus precluding a Stockport station stop.

This was part of a revival of the Pullman brand by InterCity, with Merseyside and Yorkshire services being launched on the same day.

[citation needed] The West Coast Main Line InterCity services were taken over by Virgin Trains in 1997 and the Manchester Pullman name was dropped.