Edinburgh

Edinburgh: Paterson, Graham, Goosen, Lang, Van der Merwe, Thompson, Vellacott; Schoeman, Ashman, D’arcy Rae, Young, Gilchrist, McConnell, Douglas, Bradbury.

Replacements: Morris, Venter, Hill, Hunter-Hill, Muncaster, Shiel, Scott, O’Conor.

Bulls: Le Roux, Jooste, De Klerk, Kriel, Arendse, Pollard, Burger; Wessels, Grobbelaar, Louw, Vermaak, Nortje, Coetzee, Gumede, Rudolph.

Replacements: Van Staden, Tshakweni, Smith, Ludwig, Carr, Papier, Vorster, Jacobs.

The L0 Series is a magnetic levitation train built in Japan that’s the fastest in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 375mph. It is currently in testing

A lightning-fast train currently under development could potentially whisk passengers from London to Edinburgh in around an hour. The L0 Series, a Japanese creation, is an electric train capable of reaching speeds up to 375mph, making it the world’s fastest.

This extraordinary machine, currently undergoing testing, uses Maglev technology for propulsion. Maglev operates by magnetically levitating the train above the tracks and then employing another electric motor for forward motion. These trains essentially glide through the air powered by magnets and electricity, enabling them to reach staggering speeds.

The L0 series is no exception, with Top Gear reporting that once operational, it aims to cruise at around 311mph, allowing it to travel from Tokyo to Osaka in roughly an hour.

If the L0 Series were implemented, this would equate to a journey time from London to Penzance in Cornwall of just under an hour. The same duration would apply for a trip from the capital to Edinburgh, reports the Express. The current travel time between these iconic UK destinations by trainis just shy of five hours.

But that’s not the only impressive achievement of the L0 Series. Back in April 2015, it managed to cover a staggering 2,525 miles in a single day. That’s akin to travelling from London to one of Europe’s most easterly cities – Sulina in Romania – and back again.

Predictably, such a remarkable feat of engineering doesn’t come with a modest price tag. The scheme has been pushed back by eight years owing to escalating expenses, reaching an eye-watering £52billion.

The Chuo Shinkansen line that will transport the train will connect Tokyo and Nagoya.

“The maglev has been plagued by difficulties excavating tunnels needed to accommodate the train’s high speeds”, reported The Asahi Shimbun.

Around 85% of the scheme involves tunnels, according to a board member from the firm overseeing the venture.

JR Central’s board signed off on the updated budget on October 29, although the organisation emphasised that the 2035 deadline remains tentative.

Meanwhile in the UK, the Government has confirmed the revival of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) which will deliver quicker journeys between northern cities.

This means passengers will be able to travel between destinations such as Leeds, York, Bradford, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, and return more rapidly than previously.

An initial £1.1bn has been allocated for preparation and planning, with the first building work not anticipated to commence until 2030, as the programme receives £45bn worth of improvements, including a new railway station at Bradford plus enhancements to several stations.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Lawrence, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Molony, Pepper, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Frost, Van Wyk, Griffin, Hill, Reid, Carr-Smith, Carreras, Redpath

Edinburgh: Paterson; Graham, O’Conor, Lang, Satala; Thompson, Vellacott (capt); Whitcombe, Ashman, Blyth-Lafferty, Hunter-Hill, Young, Dodd, Douglas, Muncaster.

Replacements: Morris, Jones, Hill, McVie, Boyle, Shiel, Healy, Brown.

Has the new series of BBC’s The Traitors got you yearning for a Scottish staycation? We took a history-filled trip to Edinburgh and found a surprisingly affordable hotel

Looming over the city from up high and lit up in dramatic red lights at night, Edinburgh Castle looks like it could be straight out of a Traitors scene. Tickets (£21.50 for adults) get you access to all parts of the 900-year-old site, including the Scottish crown jewels, St Margaret’s Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh, dating back to 1130) and the Prisons of War exhibit.

It’s off The Royal Mile, however, that we found our favourite tourist attraction in Edinburgh: The Real Mary King’s Close. This guided tour takes you back in time through some of the city’s former residential streets, which were built over in 1753 to construct the Royal Exchange above them. Interesting for adults and older children alike, the guides are engaging and it’s fascinating to see how people lived here over 400 years ago, including through devastating plague years.

Where to eat in Edinburgh

When it was time to rest weary feet – and Edinburgh’s streets are notoriously steep – and fill up rumbling stomachs, we loved Ka Pao for its delicious Southeast Asian sharing dishes (don’t skip over the fried Brussels sprouts, which even had our party’s sprout-hater converted). Booking is essential, as there was a two-hour wait for walk-ins on the Friday night we visited.

For traditional pubs, head to the historic Grassmarket area and nearby Rose Street. For fancier cocktails served with flair, we loved Commons Club (part of the Virgin Hotel), Panda & Co, a cool, speakeasy-style establishment posing as a barber shop, and The Last Word, a romantic, candle-lit gem with an impressive whiskey list in Edinburgh’s upmarket Stockbridge area.

Where to stay in Edinburgh

We stayed at The Bruntsfield, about half an hour’s walk from the city centre, or a cheap taxi ride. Although the hotel could do with a bit of an update (we’re told there are plans for this), the rooms are very big for an affordable city hotel, and come with a complimentary dram of whiskey and square of crumbly Scottish fudge. There’s also a bar and kitchen downstairs serving casual pub-style dishes.

Perhaps the highlight of our stay, however, was the warm and friendly reception staff that welcomed us, pointing out a bowl of help-yourself Tunnock’s Teacakes, handing us a map of the city and, later, helping us successfully locate a bag we’d left in the back of a taxi.

The Bruntsfield Hotel

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

From £90 a night

Booking.com

Book here

An excellent value hotel near to Edinburgh’s city centre with spacious rooms and friendly staff.

How much does it cost to stay at The Bruntsfield?

Rooms at The Bruntsfield start from £90 per night.

Has the new series of BBC’s The Traitors got you yearning for a Scottish staycation? We took a history-filled trip to Edinburgh and found a surprisingly affordable hotel

Looming over the city from up high and lit up in dramatic red lights at night, Edinburgh Castle looks like it could be straight out of a Traitors scene. Tickets (£21.50 for adults) get you access to all parts of the 900-year-old site, including the Scottish crown jewels, St Margaret’s Chapel (the oldest building in Edinburgh, dating back to 1130) and the Prisons of War exhibit.

It’s off The Royal Mile, however, that we found our favourite tourist attraction in Edinburgh: The Real Mary King’s Close. This guided tour takes you back in time through some of the city’s former residential streets, which were built over in 1753 to construct the Royal Exchange above them. Interesting for adults and older children alike, the guides are engaging and it’s fascinating to see how people lived here over 400 years ago, including through devastating plague years.

Where to eat in Edinburgh

When it was time to rest weary feet – and Edinburgh’s streets are notoriously steep – and fill up rumbling stomachs, we loved Ka Pao for its delicious Southeast Asian sharing dishes (don’t skip over the fried Brussels sprouts, which even had our party’s sprout-hater converted). Booking is essential, as there was a two-hour wait for walk-ins on the Friday night we visited.

For traditional pubs, head to the historic Grassmarket area and nearby Rose Street. For fancier cocktails served with flair, we loved Commons Club (part of the Virgin Hotel), Panda & Co, a cool, speakeasy-style establishment posing as a barber shop, and The Last Word, a romantic, candle-lit gem with an impressive whiskey list in Edinburgh’s upmarket Stockbridge area.

Where to stay in Edinburgh

We stayed at The Bruntsfield, about half an hour’s walk from the city centre, or a cheap taxi ride. Although the hotel could do with a bit of an update (we’re told there are plans for this), the rooms are very big for an affordable city hotel, and come with a complimentary dram of whiskey and square of crumbly Scottish fudge. There’s also a bar and kitchen downstairs serving casual pub-style dishes.

Perhaps the highlight of our stay, however, was the warm and friendly reception staff that welcomed us, pointing out a bowl of help-yourself Tunnock’s Teacakes, handing us a map of the city and, later, helping us successfully locate a bag we’d left in the back of a taxi.

The Bruntsfield Hotel

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

From £90 a night

Booking.com

Book here

An excellent value hotel near to Edinburgh’s city centre with spacious rooms and friendly staff.

How much does it cost to stay at The Bruntsfield?

Rooms at The Bruntsfield start from £90 per night.

Motherwell have arguably been the best team to watch in the Premiership this season and are unquestionably the team punching most above their weight in Scotland’s top flight.

Manager Jens Berthel Askou has implemented an eye-catching possession-based style since joining in the summer, a feat several coaches have failed to do with far bigger budgets.

Elliot Watt has been a revelation in midfield, Elijah Just has slotted in seamlessly having worked under Askou previously at Danish club Horsens, while only Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland has scored more goals in the Premiership than Tawanda Maswanhise this season.

It is at the back though that perhaps the most impressive aspect of Askou’s set-up has been.

Motherwell are unbeaten in their past 10 league outings and haven’t conceded in over a month with six straight clean sheets.

They have shipped just 15 goals in the league all season, a record bettered only by Celtic and Hearts (both 14).

Research from my learned colleague Nick McPheat shows Motherwell are averaging their best defensive record in a top-flight campaign – 0.83 goals conceded per match – since the 1931–32 season, when they won the title.

Attacks win matches, but defences win titles. A festive omen of cheer for the Steelmen and Askou before they face Rangers at Ibrox.

Given Rangers’ struggles in attacking areas this term, don’t be surprised if Motherwell’s superb run continues into 2026.