In a bizarre move that will leave regular commuters baffled, a popular early morning train service from Manchester to London is set to run completely empty for months. The decision from the rail regulator means the carriages of the usually packed 7am service will be occupied by staff only.
The Ruling and Its Immediate Impact
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has ruled that the Avanti West Coast service departing Manchester Piccadilly at 7am for London Euston must operate without passengers from December 15. This service, which arrives in the capital before 9am on weekdays, is a lifeline for many commuters and business travellers.
The regulator's controversial decision is based on maintaining a 'firebreak' period on the network. This allows for greater flexibility to fix problems and manage performance if disruptions occur. By running the train as an 'Empty Coaching Stock' (ECS) service, it can be delayed or re-routed more easily than a scheduled passenger train, aiding in overall service recovery.
An Avanti West Coast spokesperson expressed the company's disappointment, confirming that the train will still make the journey to position the train and its crew for the rest of the day's timetable. This 'ghost train' is expected to operate for at least five months until a new timetable is introduced.
Full List of Affected Services
The ORR's decision impacts more than just the Manchester service. In total, five passenger services are being altered or removed. Avanti West Coast confirmed the full list of affected trains:
- 07:00 Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston (Monday to Friday)
- 12:52 Blackpool North to London Euston (Monday to Friday)
- 09:39 London Euston to Blackpool North (Monday to Friday)
- 19:32 Chester to London Euston (Monday to Friday)
- 17:53 Holyhead to London Euston (Sunday) - This service will now terminate at Crewe.
Reactions and Broader Consequences
The move has been met with frustration, particularly for those who rely on these specific services for their daily commute or travel plans. Avanti has acknowledged that the decision "will clearly impact those customers who already use these services."
Despite this setback, the rail operator highlighted that it will still be introducing more services across its network from the December timetable change, including extra trains on its Liverpool route. However, for regular users of the axed 7am Manchester service, the sight of their usual train departing without them will be a strange and inconvenient reality until at least Spring 2026.
The ORR maintains that its decision was evidence-based, following robust data from Network Rail that adding services within these critical 'firebreak' paths on the West Coast Main Line would harm network performance.
