Overview | |
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Franchise(s) |
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Main region(s) | |
Other region(s) | |
Fleet size | |
Stations called at | 140 |
Parent company | Transport UK Group |
Reporting mark | EM [2] |
Predecessor | East Midlands Trains |
Other | |
Website | www |
East Midlands Railway (EMR; legally Transport UK East Midlands Limited [3] ) is a British train operating company owned by Transport UK Group, and is the current operator of the East Midlands franchise.
Originally owned by Abellio, EMR took over operations from East Midlands Trains (EMT) on 18 August 2019, on an agreement to run the franchise for eight years. As part of the franchise commitments, EMR placed an order for 33 new bi-mode Class 810 Aurora high speed train sets, and sourced over 40 pre-existing Class 170 Turbostar diesel multiple units from other operators.
During early 2020, passenger numbers and ticket revenues collapsed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the original franchise agreement being initially suspended before being replaced entirely. Under the new National Rail Contract signed in 2022, the franchise is to last until October 2030. In February 2023, Transport UK Group concluded a management buyout of Abellio's United Kingdom business, which included EMR.
In March 2017, the Department for Transport announced that Arriva, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, and incumbent Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the next East Midlands franchise. [4] [5] [6] Abellio was also shortlisted for the franchise during February 2018. [7]
In April 2018, FirstGroup and Trenitalia pulled out of the bidding process, their stated reason for doing so being to focus on the West Coast Partnership franchise. [8] [9] During April 2019, it was announced that the franchise has been awarded to Abellio, with East Midlands Railway (EMR) to take over the franchise from East Midlands Trains (EMT) on 18 August 2019 for a period of eight years; [10] rival bidder Stagecoach had been disqualified from the process because its submission failed to meet employee pension obligations. [11] [12]
In June 2019, Abellio revealed its branding and colour scheme for EMR, which featured distinct purple and white colours that reflected the heritage of the East Midlands. The company also confirmed that it would divide the franchise's services into three segments: [13]
EMR Electrics was later rebranded as EMR Connect following an announcement in April 2021. [14]
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a resulting collapse in both passenger numbers and ticket revenues in March 2020, the franchise agreement was suspended and replaced by an Emergency Measure Agreement for six months under which the Department for Transport assumed responsibility for all revenues and costs and EMR was instead paid a management fee. [15] This arrangement was superseded by an Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement (ERMA) under which the original franchise agreement was terminated. At the time, it was announced that the EMR franchise would operate until March 2022. [16] [17]
In October 2021, the DfT issued an updated prior information notice that confirmed that the ERMA period would be extended until 16 October 2022. [18] During October 2022, it was announced that EMR had received a direct award of a four-year National Rail Contract, the terms of which included the option of extending it for a further period of up to four years. [1]
EMR was one of several train operators impacted by the 2022-2023 United Kingdom railway strikes, which was the first national rail strike in the UK for three decades. [19] Its workers were amongst those who participated in industrial action due to a dispute over pay and working conditions. [20] On multiple occasions, EMR has requested that the travelling public avoid using its services on certain dates due to these strikes. [21] [22]
During February 2023, Transport UK Group concluded a management buyout of Abellio's United Kingdom business, which included EMR. [23] [24]
Parts of this article (those related to the out-of-date service tables) need to be updated.(September 2024) |
EMR operates commuter services from London St Pancras to Corby, as well as Intercity services from London St Pancras along the Midland Main Line to Nottingham and Sheffield with limited extensions to Lincoln. EMR also operate the local East Midlands services and inter regional services to Liverpool and Norwich (Express service). Services from Nottingham to Liverpool Lime Street were to transfer to another operator during the life of the franchise, [25] although following a review by the DfT, this will no longer take place; the service instead being split at Nottingham as intended but remaining with EMR. [26] The Barton line was expected to transfer from Northern in 2019 but this was delayed until May 2021. [27] [28]
On 19 June 2021, EMR Regional services were cut to enable the timetable to run effectively. [29] Although EMR stated that 85% of services were still running, there was still an impact to local commuter services. [30]
Contactless payment cards can be used between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway. [31]
Over the course of the franchise, several planned timetable changes are to be made: [25]
As of December 2023, East Midlands Railway's regular off-peak services Monday-Friday include: [32]
Route | tph | Calling at |
---|---|---|
London St Pancras International – Nottingham | 2 |
|
London St Pancras International – Sheffield | 2 |
|
EMR Regional is a brand used on regional routes, most of which terminate at or pass through Nottingham, including services from Norwich to Liverpool Lime Street and from Crewe to Newark Castle.
They run a mixture of Class 158s and 170s with 158s normally confined to the Norwich to Liverpool stretch. [33] EMR introduced Class 170s to replace the 153s and 156s which have since been withdrawn, [34] and initially the 158s, which will now be kept for the foreseeable future and are planned for refurbishment along with the 170s. [35] [36] [37] [38] [39]
The Norwich to Liverpool service was initially planned to terminate at Nottingham with the stretch to Liverpool Lime Street taken over during the franchise by another operator, likely TransPennine Express. [26] However, this is no longer taking place.
Overview | |
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Locale | |
Current operator(s) | East Midlands Railway, 17 May 2021 –16 October 2030 |
Website | https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/our-fleet/connect |
Route | |
Termini | |
Train number(s) | EM |
Line(s) used | |
Technical | |
Rolling stock | 21 Class 360s |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
Electrification | |
Track owner(s) | Network Rail |
EMR Connect is a commuter service linking Corby with St Pancras. The service began in May 2021 using Class 360s formerly used by Greater Anglia following the electrification of the Midland Main Line from Bedford to Kettering and Corby in 2020. [40] It was initially planned to be known as EMR Electrics until just before its launch date in April 2021.
In March 2023, the Luton DART, an automated guided people mover, opened between Luton Airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station. [41] From then on, EMR simultaneously brands EMR Connect as the airport rail link Luton Airport Express since the services are non stop from St Pancras to Luton Airport Parkway, with a headline figure of 32 minutes from London St Pancras to the airport terminal using the Luton DART, the cost of which is included in the train ticket price. [42] [43]
Route | tph | Calling at |
---|---|---|
London St Pancras International – Corby | 2 |
East Midlands Railway inherited a fleet of 28 Class 43, 21 Class 153, 15 Class 156, 26 Class 158, and 27 Class 222 units from East Midlands Trains. In January 2020, nine additional Class 156 units from Greater Anglia were introduced into service. Nine 8-carriage InterCity 125 sets were also transferred from London North Eastern Railway, with the first set having entered service on 4 May 2020. They were replaced in May 2021. [44] To replace the former Grand Central “buffered” HST sets, EMR commenced a lease of the four former Hull Trains Class 180 fleet despite their history of technical difficulties, with the first units entering service on 13 December 2020. [45] [46] On 16 May 2021, East Midlands Railway launched EMR Connect services between Corby and London St Pancras, which has enabled the final HSTs to be withdrawn. [47] The Connect service is operated by ex-Greater Anglia Class 360s. [48] [49]
By 2023, East Midlands Railway planned to run EMR Regional services using 40 Class 170 units (in fact, they have 43 170s so far), and by 2024 plans to run EMR Intercity services using 33 new bi-mode Class 810 Aurora units. [50]
The final Class 170s from West Midlands Trains were delivered in May 2023. [51] The last Class 170 from Transport for Wales was transferred on 28 January 2024. [52] EMR also has 170s acquired from ScotRail and Southern; the latter were converted back to 170s from previously converted 171s by reinstating their original type of couplers.
The company is refurbishing the stock used for its regional services. [53] [36] [37] [38] [54]
Family | Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | Built | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
EMR Intercity | |||||||||
Bombardier Voyager | 222 Meridian | DEMU | 125 | 200 | 23 [55] | 5 |
| 2003–2005 | |
4 [55] | 7 | ||||||||
EMR Connect / Luton Airport Express | |||||||||
Siemens Desiro | 360 Desiro | EMU | 110 | 180 | 21 [56] | 4 |
| 2002–2003 | |
EMR Regional | |||||||||
Sprinter | 158 Express Sprinter | DMU | 90 | 145 | 26 [56] | 2 |
| 1989–1992 | |
Bombardier Turbostar | 170 Turbostar | 100 | 161 | 27 [56] | 2 |
| 1999–2002 | ||
16 [58] | 3 | ||||||||
|
To replace the Class 222 units, 33 five-carriage Class 810 bi-mode trains will be introduced in early 2025 to make use of the newly electrified Midland Main Line. [59] [60] The Class 810 is an evolution of the Class 802 units that Hitachi have delivered to a number of British train operators; [61] amongst other changes, it has a reduced car length as to better facilitate its use of stations such as St Pancras and is fitted with uprated diesel engines that enable the Class 810 to equal, if not exceed, the acceleration of the Class 222. [50] During May 2020, EMR opened a competition to give the class their own unique brand name. [62] In October 2020, EMR announced that the fleet will have the 'Aurora' brand. [63] The earlier-than-planned withdrawal of the Class 180 fleet, now occurring at the May 2023 timetable change, means that 'Aurora' units will only directly replace the Class 222 fleet. [64]
Family | Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | In service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
EMR Intercity | |||||||||
Hitachi AT300 | 810 Aurora | BMU | 125 | 200 | 33 [65] | 5 | Early 2025 [66] |
The last of the InterCity 125 sets East Midlands Railway inherited from East Midlands Trains were withdrawn in December 2020, having been replaced by five ex LNER InterCity 125 sets which had greater compliance with new regulations and four Class 180s. [67] Originally nine former LNER sets were to replace a similar number of sets inherited from East Midlands Trains. However, after the carriages were found to require more repairs than originally envisaged, this was cut back to five sets. [68]
In December 2021, the final Class 153s were withdrawn, as they were not PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) compliant, with Class 156s replacing them on the Barton line from 13 December. [69] [70] These units were placed into storage at Long Marston and Ely Papworth Sidings in December 2021. [71]
In December 2022, four Class 156 units went off lease and were sent for storage at Barrow Hill, with East Midlands Railway stating that they will be moved to Ely Papworth sidings at a later date. [72]
East Midlands Railway withdrew the last of its Class 156 fleet and its entire 180 fleet in May 2023. [51]
Class | Family | Image | Type | Top Speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | Withdrawn | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
EMR Intercity | |||||||||
43 (HST) | InterCity 125 | Loco | 125 | 200 | 24 | N/A |
| 2020 | |
6 [73] | |||||||||
23 | 2020–2021 | ||||||||
Mark 3 | Coach | 94 [74] | 2020 | ||||||
78 [75] | 2020–2021 | ||||||||
180 Adelante | Alstom Coradia | DHMU | 125 | 200 | 4 [60] | 5 |
| 2023 [51] | |
EMR Regional | |||||||||
153 | Super Sprinter | DMU | 75 | 120 | 21 [74] [76] | 1 |
| 2019–2021 | |
156 | 24 [77] | 2 | 2021-2023 |
EMR operates two depots: Derby Etches Park and Nottingham Eastcroft. [78] The Class 360s are maintained at Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot by Siemens Mobility. [79]
East Midlands Railway was investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority, who in September 2021 found that they had breached marketing codes. The firm had launched a competition in February 2021 asking participants for ideas to "Build Back Better" with the chance of winning £5,000. However, the competition was closed and the prize not awarded; East Midlands Railway stated that this was due to financial concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as due to the low quality of entries received. [80] [81]
Midland Mainline was a train operating company in the United Kingdom that operated the Midland Main Line franchise between April 1996 and November 2007. It was owned by the British transport company National Express.
The Midland Main Line (MML), sometimes also spelt Midland Mainline, is a major railway line from London to Sheffield in Yorkshire via the East Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield.
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger train. A total of 114 sets were built between 1987 and 1989 for British Rail by Metro-Cammell's Washwood Heath works. They were built to replace elderly first-generation DMUs and locomotive-hauled passenger trains.
The British Rail Class 360 is an electric multiple unit class that was built by Siemens Mobility on its Desiro platform between 2002 and 2005 for First Great Eastern and Heathrow Connect. The remaining members of the class are operated by East Midlands Railway.
The British Rail Class 170 Turbostar is a British diesel-hydraulic multiple unit passenger train designed and built by Adtranz, and later by Bombardier Transportation, at Derby Litchurch Lane Works.
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter are single-coach diesel-hydraulic railcars which were converted from two-coach Class 155 diesel multiple units in the early 1990s. The class was intended for service on rural branch lines, either where passenger numbers do not justify longer trains or to boost the capacity on services with high passenger volume.
The British Rail Class 222 Meridian is a group of 5- or 7- car diesel-electric multiple-unit high-speed passenger train capable of 125 mph (200 km/h). Twenty-seven sets were built by Bombardier Transportation in Bruges, Belgium.
Bedford railway station is the larger of two railway stations in the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to the East Midlands and the terminus of the Marston Vale line from Bletchley through Bedford St Johns.
Luton Airport Parkway station is on the Midland Main Line in England, serving south Luton and Luton Airport in Bedfordshire. The station is situated in Luton's Park Town district, being 29.27 miles (47.11 km) from London St Pancras between Harpenden to the south and Luton to the north. Its three-letter station code is LTN, also the IATA code for the airport.
Luton railway station is located in the town centre of Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The station is about three minutes' walk from The Mall Shopping Centre. It is situated on the Midland Main Line and is operated by Thameslink.
Wellingborough railway station is a Grade II listed station located in the market town of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. It lies on the Midland Main Line and is 65 miles (104 km) from London St. Pancras. The station is operated by East Midlands Railway, which is also the primary operator serving the station with passenger services under the Luton Airport Express brand.
Kettering railway station serves the market and industrial town of Kettering in Northamptonshire, England. It lies south-west of the town centre, on the Midland Main Line, 71 miles (115 km) north of London St. Pancras.
Corby railway station, owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway, is in Corby, Northamptonshire, England. The current station, opened on 23 February 2009, replaces an earlier one dating from 1879, first closed on 18 April 1966 but reopened between 1987 and 1990.
Luton is a town in the United Kingdom less than 30 miles (50 km) north of the centre of London, and has good transport links via the motorway network and the National Rail system. Luton is also home to Luton Airport, one of the major feeder airports for London and the southeast. The town is also served by buses run by Arriva Herts & Essex and other operators and has a guided busway. As a Unitary Authority, Luton Borough Council is responsible for local highways and public transport in the borough.
East Midlands Trains (EMT) was a British train operating company owned by the transport group Stagecoach, which operated the East Midlands franchise between November 2007 and August 2019.
Abellio is a Dutch public transport company that operates bus and rail services in Germany, and formerly also in Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is wholly owned by the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
Greater Anglia is a British train operating company owned as a joint venture by Transport UK Group and Mitsui & Co. It operates the East Anglia franchise, providing the commuter and inter-city services from its central London terminus at London Liverpool Street to Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, as well as many regional services throughout the East of England.
Abellio ScotRail, operating services under the name ScotRail, was the national train operating company of Scotland. A subsidiary of the Netherlands-based transport conglomerate Abellio, it operated the ScotRail franchise between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022.
West Midlands Trains (WMT) is a British train operating company. It operates passenger trains on the West Midlands franchise between London and the English Midlands under two trading names: within the West Midlands region as West Midlands Railway (WMR) and outside the region as London Northwestern Railway (LNR).
The British Rail Class 810 Aurora is a type of bi-mode multiple unit being constructed by Hitachi Rail for East Midlands Railway. Based on the Hitachi AT300 design, 33 five-car units will replace Class 222 units on EMR's intercity routes.
A newly branded Luton Airport Express train from London St Pancras will run nonstop every half-hour with a journey time of just 22 minutes.