A revolution in long-distance train services will open up the rest of the country to Sussex rail travellers.

The ordeal of taking a crowded Tube across the capital to connect with trains heading to the North will be replaced by frequent 125mph straight-through services from Brighton.

Under the transformation, more cross-country train services will be introduced, giving Sussex a two-hourly link to the North-West.

Virgin Trains plans to increase the number of trains it runs from Brighton to Manchester and Liverpool with a two-hourly weekday service to at least one of the two cities in 2003.

The rail company has been impressed with demand for its services from Brighton to Manchester via Reading, Oxford, Birmingham and Stafford.

Two trains from Brighton leaving at 9.20am and 2.18pm make the journey each weekday, taking six hours.

One of the trains, the Sussex Scot, continues on to Edinburgh in one of the longest continuous rail journeys in Britain today.

Virgin's Jim Rowe said: "There is a demand for more cross-country routes, especially between Brighton and North-West England.

"There is also a strong demand for services between Oxford, Gatwick and Brighton.

"It seems people do not want to spend time negotiating the Underground and prefer to stay on one train in comfortable surroundings.

"We believe the demand is there for more routes where travellers do not have to use the Underground.

"In 2003 we hope to be able to offer a two-hourly link to either Manchester or Liverpool. We hope to be able to speed up the journeys on our new trains."

Exact timetabling and the frequency of the additional service have yet to be announced.

The new services will be operated by Voyager trains capable of 125 mph.

They will have comfortable seats, a trolley service, and self-service shops where CDs, sandwiches and books will be available, with audio facilities for each seat.

On Friday one of the new trains will be named the Brighton Voyager.

The ceremony will be performed at Brighton station by Mayor Harry Steer before the train makes its ten-hour journey to Edinburgh.