East Midlands Railway (EMR) has announced the cancellation of hundreds of intercity services on the Midland mainline due to ongoing performance and reliability issues with its new fleet of Hitachi class 810 trains. The operator will cut approximately 20 fast trains per day between London, Sheffield, and Nottingham, while other services will be short-formed and likely crowded. The disruptions are expected to last for several weeks as EMR works with Hitachi Rail to resolve the problems.
Details of the service cuts
The cancellations affect EMR's intercity timetable, with the operator blaming both the new class 810 fleet, previously branded as Auroras, and Hitachi's maintenance of the existing class 222 trains that the Auroras were meant to replace. EMR managing director Will Rogers stated: “The performance of the class 810 fleet has fallen below the levels we and our customers expect, and it is necessary to introduce a temporary reduced timetable while we work with the manufacturer, Hitachi Rail, to improve consistency in service.” He apologized for the disruption and committed to restoring reliable service.
A Hitachi Rail spokesperson said the company continues to “work closely with all industry partners ... implementing improvements and supporting the transition.” The bi-mode trains, which run on diesel and electricity, entered service this year after a three-year delay.
Broader rail disruption across Great Britain
Intercity rail passengers across Great Britain face potential summer disruption on all three north-south mainlines. Drivers on LNER and Avanti West Coast are voting on strike action over pay disputes. Aslef, the train drivers' union, has called a strike ballot on LNER after a pay deal fell through, with drivers already voting on Avanti West Coast. Dave Calfe, Aslef's general secretary, said: “The company’s failure to make a suitable offer is unacceptable and that’s why we are balloting our members for industrial action.”
The Department for Transport (DfT) stated it has given LNER approval for a fair and affordable deal and urged the union to engage constructively. A DfT spokesperson said: “We have given LNER approval for a fair and affordable deal. We know how frustrating disruption can be for passengers and strongly encourage the union to continue engaging constructively with LNER to reach a solution.”
Investigation into fatal crash
Investigations continue into last month's fatal Bedford rail crash, where an EMR Aurora train stopped on the mainline, apparently due to a fault with the automatic warning system, before being struck by another EMR train that passed a red light. The incidents highlight ongoing concerns about the reliability of the new fleet and broader safety issues on the network.
