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East Midlands Railway

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This article is about the current operator of the East Midlands franchise. For the former operator, see East Midlands Trains.

East Midlands Railway
Class 222 at Leicester in EMR Intercity livery
Overview
Franchise(s)
  • East Midlands
  • 18 August 2019 – 16 October 2030[2]
Main region(s)
Other region(s)East of England
Fleet size
Parent companyTransport UK Group
Reporting markEM[1]
PredecessorEast Midlands Trains
Other
Websitewww.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk Edit this at Wikidata

East Midlands Railway (EMR; legal name Abellio East Midlands Limited,[3]) is a train operating company in England, owned by Transport UK Group, and is the current operator of the East Midlands franchise.

History

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] Abellio was added in February 2018.[5]

FirstGroup and Trenitalia pulled out of the bidding process in April 2018 to focus on the West Coast Partnership franchise.[6] In April 2019 the franchise was 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.[7]

In June 2019, Abellio revealed branding and colour scheme using distinct purple and white colours to reflect the heritage of the East Midlands. It also confirmed it would divide the services into three segments:[8]

  • EMR InterCity for long-distance services from London St Pancras
  • EMR Regional for services across the East Midlands
  • EMR Electrics for the outer suburban London St Pancras to Corby service

In April 2021 it was announced that EMR Electrics would be rebranded as EMR Connect.[9]

In February 2023, Transport UK Group concluded a management buyout of Abellio's United Kingdom business, which included EMR.[10][11]

Franchise suspension and termination agreement

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a collapse in revenues in March 2020, the franchise 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for Transport assumed responsibility for all revenues and costs and EMR was paid a management fee.[12] This was superseded by an Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement (ERMA) under which the original franchise agreement was terminated. The franchise will operate until March 2022.[13][14]

In 2021, the DfT issued an updated prior information notice, which confirmed that the ERMA period would be extended until 16 October 2022.[15] Following this the company was given a direct award of a four-year National Rail Contract, with the option of extending it for a further period of up to four years.[2]

Strike

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.[16] Its workers were amongst those who participated in industrial action due to a dispute over pay and working conditions.[17]

Services

Route map of the East Midlands Railway network
A vector map of EMR InterCity and EMR Connect services

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,[18] 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.[19] The Barton line was expected to transfer from Northern in 2019 but this was delayed until May 2021.[20][21]

On 19 June 2021, the EMR Regional services were cut to enable the timetable to run effectively.[22] Although EMR said that 85% of services were still running, there was still an impact to local commuter services.[23]

Contactless payment cards can be used between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway.[24]

Over the course of the franchise, several planned timetable changes are to be made:[18]

  • earlier and later trains between Sheffield and Nottingham to East Midlands Parkway
  • earlier and later trains between Sheffield and London St Pancras and more regular evening service to London St Pancras
  • two trains per hour between Nottingham and Kettering
  • two trains per hour between Corby and London St Pancras
  • regular Sunday service between Corby and London St Pancras
  • Liverpool to Norwich split at Nottingham
  • Norwich to Nottingham extended to Derby
  • regular hourly Sunday service between Norwich and Derby
  • Crewe to Derby service extended to Nottingham and hourly service on Sundays
  • hourly Sunday service between Matlock and Nottingham
  • hourly service between Nottingham and Grimsby Town with limited extension to Cleethorpes
  • hourly Sunday service between Lincoln and Grimsby Town
  • hourly service between Nottingham and Newark Castle
  • hourly Sunday service between Worksop and Nottingham and later evening services on weekdays
  • additional peak services between Nottingham and Grantham
  • earlier and later trains between Nottingham and Boston
  • later evening service on weekdays and a new Sunday service
  • hourly through service between Doncaster and Peterborough via Lincoln
  • new Sunday service between Doncaster and Lincoln
  • enhanced Sunday service on Barton to Cleethorpes route
  • two trains per day between Lincoln and London St Pancras
  • Newark Northgate to Grimsby Town service cut back to Lincoln except to for the limited extension to Cleethorpes and timed to run with LNER's London King's Cross – Lincoln service

As of May 2023, East Midlands Railway's off-peak services Monday-Friday include:[25]

EMR InterCity
Route tph Calling at
London St Pancras International – Nottingham 2
London St Pancras International – Sheffield 2
EMR Connect / Luton Airport Express
Route tph Calling at
London St Pancras International – Corby 2
EMR Regional
Route tph Calling at
Nottingham – Matlock 1
Crewe – Newark Castle 1
Leicester – Lincoln 1⁄2
Leicester – Grimsby Town 1⁄2
Newark Northgate – Lincoln 5tpd
Nottingham – Skegness 1
Nottingham – Worksop 1
Peterborough – Lincoln 1
Peterborough – Doncaster 1⁄2
Liverpool Lime Street – Norwich 1
Barton-on-Humber – Cleethorpes 1⁄2

Luton Airport Express

In March 2023, an automated guided people mover, the Luton DART, opened between Luton Airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station.[26] EMR now advertise the Luton Airport Express as an airport rail link, 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.[27][28]

Rolling stock

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.[29] 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.[30][31] 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.[32] The Connect service is operated by ex-Greater Anglia Class 360s.[33][34]

By 2023, East Midlands Railway plans to run EMR Regional services using 40 Class 170 units, and by 2024 plans to run EMR InterCity services using 33 new bi-mode Class 810 Aurora.[35]

Current fleet

Class Family Image Type Top Speed Number Cars Routes operated and notes Built
mph km/h
EMR InterCity
222 Meridian Bombardier Voyager DEMU 125 200 23[36] 5 2003–2005
4[36] 7
EMR Connect / Luton Airport Express
360 Desiro Siemens Desiro EMU 110 180 21[37] 4 2002–2003
EMR Regional
158/0 Express Sprinter Sprinter

DMU 90 145 26[37] 2
  • Regional routes
 1989–1992
170 Turbostar Bombardier Turbostar 100 161 8[38] 3
  • Regional routes
 1999–2001
100 161 22[37] 2
  • Regional routes
 1999–2002

Future fleet

To replace the Class 180 and Class 222 units, 33 five-carriage Class 810 bi-mode trains will be introduced in 2024.[39] In May 2020, EMR opened a competition to give the class their own unique brand name.[40] In October 2020, EMR announced that the fleet will have the 'Aurora' brand.[41] 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.[42]

Other existing stock to be added consist of 39 Class 170s; 23 from West Midlands Trains, 12 from Transport for Wales and four from Southern.[43][44][45][46] Those altogether will enable the Class 153, Class 156, and Class 158 sets to be withdrawn, although some of the gaps were to be filled in when the Liverpool-Nottingham service was taken over by another operator. This will now not take place, with a proposal made to transfer 15 Class 185 units from TransPennine Express to prevent the shortfall in stock caused by EMR retaining this service, with another solution being to retain the Class 158s.[19][47] It was expected that 12 Class 171 units would transfer from Southern.[43][48][49] However, due to no replacement units being sourced, this will not take place, with the Transport for Wales Class 170s replacing the planned transfer of Class 171s from Southern.[43][47] In May 2022 however, it was announced that four Class 171s would transfer from Southern, with expected entry into service being in the autumn of 2022. These units will be converted to Class 170s, reformed into three-carriage sets and work alongside the rest of the fleet.[46] Three of these units were transferred to EMR on 7 September 2022 having been reformed from their previous two-and-four-car formations.[38] The fourth unit is due to transfer in late 2023 as 170421.[50]

Class Family Image Type Top Speed Number Cars Routes operated In service
mph km/h
EMR InterCity
810 Aurora Hitachi AT300 BMU 125 200 33[51] 5 2024[39]
EMR Regional
170 Turbostar Bombardier Turbostar DMU 100 161 5[52] 2
  • Regional routes
 2023
100 161 8 3
  • Regional routes
100 161 1 3
  • Regional routes

Past fleet

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 were more compliant with new regulations and four Class 180s.[53] 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.[54]

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.[55][56] These units were placed into storage at Long Marston and Ely Papworth Sidings in December 2021.[57]

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.[58]

East Midlands Railway withdrew the last of it's Class 156 fleet and its entire 180 fleet in May 2023[59]

Class Family Image Type Top Speed Number Cars Routes Withdrawn
mph km/h
EMR InterCity
43 (HST) InterCity 125 Loco 125 200 24 N/A 2020
6[60]
23 2020–2021
Mark 3 Coach 94[61] 2020
78[62] 2020–2021
180 Adelante Alstom Coradia DHMU 125 200 4[63] 5 2023[59]
1[37] 4
EMR Regional
153 Super Sprinter Sprinter DMU 75 120 21[61][64] 1
  • Regional routes
 2019–2021
156 Super Sprinter
24[65] 2 2021-2023

Depots

EMR operates two depots: Derby Etches Park and Nottingham Eastcroft.[66] The Class 360s are maintained at Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot by Siemens Mobility.[67]

Controversy

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 and due to the low quality of entries received.[68]

References

  1. ^ "National Rail Enquiries - East Midlands Railway". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "East Midlands Railway signs National Rail Contract". London: Abellio East Midlands. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  3. ^ "ABELLIO EAST MIDLANDS LIMITED". Companies House. HM Government. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  4. ^ Three prequalify for next East Midlands franchise Railway Gazette International 1 March 2017
  5. ^ Abellio joins East Midlands franchise shortlist Railway Gazette International 6 February 2018
  6. ^ First Group and Trenitalia pull out of East Midlands franchise contest International Railway Journal 23 April 2018
  7. ^ More seats, services and state-of-the-art trains for passengers on new East Midlands railway Department for Transport 10 April 2019
  8. ^ Pegden, Tom. "How Midland Mainline trains will soon look". Leicester Mercury. Reach plc. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  9. ^ "New train timetable from Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough revealed for May electric revolution". Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Abellio UK to be renamed Transport UK Group as management buyout deal completes". Abellio.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. ^ Deakin, Tim (28 February 2023). "Transport UK Group MBO of Abellio UK completes". routeone.net. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 March 2023 suggested (help)
  12. ^ Covid-19: government suspends rail franchise agreements The Guardian 23 March 2020
  13. ^ UK government announces the end of rail franchising Railway Gazette International 21 September 2020
  14. ^ Transitional ERMAs pave the way to management contracts Modern Railways 23 September 2020
  15. ^ "Prior information notice (PIN) for direct award of East Midlands Railway contract (corrigendum)" (PDF). Department for Transport. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  17. ^ Finnis, Alex (20 June 2022). "The dates of the train, Tube and bus strikes this week, and how services will be affected". i. London: Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  18. ^ a b East Midlands Rail Franchise Department for Transport
  19. ^ a b "EMR set to retain Liverpool – Nottingham service". Railway Gazette International.
  20. ^ East Midlands rail franchise consultation Department for Transport
  21. ^ May Milestone for MML Timetable Modern Railways issue 872 May 2021 page 23
  22. ^ "Amended Timetable across EMR Regional routes | EMR | East Midlands Railway". www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk.
  23. ^ "East Midlands Railway announces cuts to services". BBC News. 18 June 2021.
  24. ^ "nationalrail.co.uk" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Timetables". London: East Midlands Railway. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Luton Dart airport shuttle welcomes first passengers". BBC News. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  27. ^ "Luton Airport Express". East Midlands Railway. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  28. ^ "Luton airport Dart rail shuttle finally set to open – at a price". The Independent. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023. 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.
  29. ^ Cameron White. "WATCH: Final East Midlands Railway VP185 Class 43 locomotive at Chesterfield". Rail Advent. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  30. ^ Clinnick, Richard. "Cascaded LNER HSTs to plug the gap in East Midlands fleet". Rail. Peterborough: Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  31. ^ "First EMR HST replacement in service next week". Railway Herald. No. 673. 22 January 2020. p. 8.
  32. ^ "Introducing EMR Connect – more seats and a simpler timetable on our greenest ever fleet" (Press release). London: East Midlands Railway.
  33. ^ "EMR Connect: All electric train service launches next week" (Press release). London: East Midlands Railway.
  34. ^ Longhorn, Danny (11 May 2021). "EMR Connect: All electric train service launches this week". Rail Business Daily. Wakefield: Business Daily Group. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  35. ^ "Enter the Aurora". www.modernrailways.com. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021. (subscription required)
  36. ^ a b "Class 222". Eversholt Rail Group.
  37. ^ a b c d "East Midlands Railway fleet in focus". Today's Railways UK. No. 242. April 2022. p. 31.
  38. ^ a b "EMR EVOLVES FOR THE FUTURE". Modern Railways. No. 889. August 2022. pp. 51–56.
  39. ^ a b "EMR to lose Class 180 fleet". Rail Express. No. 322. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. March 2023. p. 11.
  40. ^ "EMR launches competition to name new Intercity fleet | EMR | East Midlands Railway". www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  41. ^ "Aurora – the name for East Midlands Railway Class 810 trains". RailAdvent. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  42. ^ "EMR confirms withdrawal of Class 180s". Modern Railways. No. 895. Stamford: Key Publishing. March 2023. p. 11.
  43. ^ a b c "Fleet Analysis (East Midlands Railway)". Railways Illustrated, issue 230 April 2022 page 48.
  44. ^ Clinnick, Richard. "Progress on new train fleets continues". Rail. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  45. ^ 153s acquired Modern Railways issue 874 July 2021 page 13
  46. ^ a b "Four GTR Turbostars moving to EMR". Modern Railways. No. 885. June 2022. p. 102.
  47. ^ a b "EMR takes stock". www.modernrailways.com. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021. (subscription required)
  48. ^ A New Era for the East Midlands as Abellio starts its fifth franchise Today's Railways UK issue 214 October 2019 page 26
  49. ^ Replacements sought for 171s Rail issue 889 9 October 2019 page 29
  50. ^ "Reformed 'Turbostars' into traffic with Southern". Rail Express. No. 319. December 2022. p. 26.
  51. ^ Pritchard, Robert, ed. (September 2019). "Hitachi Scoops Order for East Midlands". Today's Railways. No. 213. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 6. ISSN 1475-9713.
  52. ^ "More Turbostars for EMR". Railway Illustrated. No. 242. April 2023. p. 21.
  53. ^ "Double Paxman Demise". Modern Railways. No. 868. January 2021. p. 50.
  54. ^ "Ex LNER 43 moved to Barrow Hill". Rail Magazine. No. 917. 4 November 2020. p. 31.
  55. ^ "EMR introduce Class 156 fleet and own traincrew on Barton-on-Humber route". www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  56. ^ "East Midlands Railway introduces Class 156 trains on Barton-on-Humber route". RailAdvent. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  57. ^ "Northern and East Midlands Railway Class 153 fleets stood down". Rail Express. No. 309. February 2022. p. 26.
  58. ^ East Midlands Railway (20 December 2022). "They will be moving to Ely Papworth ^PB". Twitter. Retrieved 21 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  59. ^ a b "EMR stands down '180s' and '156s'". Rail Magazine. No. 984. 31 May 2023. p. 23.
  60. ^ Coward, Andy (editor) (2021). INTERCITY 125 HIGH-SPEED TRIBUTE. Pages 49-50.
  61. ^ a b "REVEALED: Every single heavy rail vehicle granted disability dispensation by DfT". Rail Magazine. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  62. ^ "Cascaded LNER HSTs to plug the gap in East Midlands fleet". Rail Magazine. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  63. ^ "EMR to lose Class 180 fleet". Rail Express. No. 322. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. March 2023. p. 11.
  64. ^ "East Midlands Railway plans spring 2020 start for Class 170s". Rail. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  65. ^ "Class 156 'Super Sprinter'". UNITS. Rail Express. No. 319. December 2022. p. 27.
  66. ^ "A New Era for the East Midlands as Abellio starts its fifth franchise". Today's Railways UK. No. 214. October 2019. pp. 24–26.
  67. ^ "EMR Looks To 2020 Timetable Change". Modern Railways. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  68. ^ Holden, Michael (22 September 2021). "East Midlands Railway says "poor quality entries" resulted in cancellation of competition, but breached ASA rules". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abellio East Midlands Railway.
Preceded by Operator of East Midlands franchise
2019–2030 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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