FERVENT nail-biting, gum-chewing and patch-wearing are expected on the trains as Virgin goes non-smoking.

From the end of September, smoking will be banned from all Virgin trains, with the usual smoking carriage removed "for a number of reasons".

The new policy will apply to all trains on the West Coast Main Line and the Cross Country services through York.

"We have consulted with passengers on this one," said a spokeswoman for the company that lost round one of the battle for the East Coast Main Line to GNER. "The feeling is that they would like to see the end of smoking carriages.

"It will allow us to offer more capacity during special offers, it keeps the trains cleaner and it is healthier."

She said the new generation of trains being brought in by Virgin were all to be non-smoking, so passengers were being eased into the new form of smoke-free travel.

A spokesman for York-based GNER, which runs services from London to Inverness, said it constantly monitored passenger feeling on the subject, but had no immediate plans to remove smoking carriages from its services.

Virgin is now falling into line with airlines which have banned smoking from their flights for the last few years.

Hardened smokers will be praying that none of Virgin's legendary long delays hit services and further increase the wait for that first post-travel cigarette.

Updated: 11:04 Friday, August 31, 2001