LONDON — More than 15,000 people have applied for just 78 jobs driving Britain’s newest intercity expresses, according to Mr Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains, which is seeking to fill the posts.

Each of the positions, which are based in London and Edinburgh, received an average of almost 200 applications, spurred by the opportunity to drive the 65 high-speed Hitachi trains set to commence operations on Britain’s East Coast main line from 2018, Virgin said on Wednesday (Oct 19) in a statement.

Training for the first successful applicants will start in January and include airline-style simulator sessions, the company said. Named Azumas — after the Japanese for “east” — by Virgin, the trains will operate services once the preserve of historic steam locomotives Flying Scotsman and Mallard.

The Azumas will initially operate at 125 miles per hour (200 kph), with Virgin seeking an upgrade to 140 mph. The company’s tilting Pendolino trains operate on the West Coast route, Britain’s other main long-distance line. BLOOMBERG