East Midlands Railway (EMR) has cancelled a number of its London services until further notice due to ongoing issues with its Aurora (Class 810) and older Class 222 train fleets. To manage these problems, EMR has implemented a temporary reduced Intercity timetable.
Aurora and Class 222 Fleet Problems Drive Service Cuts
The transport operator attributed the cancellations to reliability and maintenance problems primarily affecting the new Aurora Class 810 trains, manufactured by Hitachi Rail, which entered service in December after a three-year delay. Additionally, older Class 222 trains are experiencing faults impacting toilets, air conditioning, and catering facilities, requiring extra maintenance support to cope with increased operational demands.
Intercity Routes Between London and Key Cities Affected
The
disrupted services run on key Intercity routes connecting London, including stations such as St Pancras, with Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Derby, and Sheffield. These cancellations and capacity reductions are part of efforts to stabilise service reliability while fleet issues are addressed.
Passenger Delays and Reduced Capacity on Affected Trains
On July 17, a service from London St Pancras to Nottingham faced severe delays due to maintenance problems, forcing a premature termination at Leicester. Passengers endured nearly three hours of delay and had to transfer to another train that lacked air conditioning on a hot day. Some trains are also operating with fewer carriages, reducing available passenger capacity.
Strike Plans in August Heighten Disruption Risks
The RMT
union has announced strike action involving EMR staff for August 1 and the two following Saturdays, citing significant safety concerns with the new train fleet. The union claims trains have serious faults, sometimes running without active safety systems, and demands withdrawal of the Aurora trains until issues are resolved. EMR maintains the Class 810 trains meet all safety standards and is collaborating with Hitachi Rail to improve reliability while engaging in ongoing negotiations with the RMT.
EMR managing director Will Rogers acknowledged the fleet’s performance has “fallen below the levels we and our customers expect,” justifying the temporary timetable reduction.
South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard criticized the operator’s poor communication and the uncertainty regarding how long cancellations will last. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey emphasized that safety notices have been issued without union consultation, reinforcing the union’s call to take faulty trains out of service.
A National Rail statement said, “East Midlands Railway have introduced a temporary reduced Intercity timetable to help provide a more consistent and reliable service whilst they address issues with the performance and reliability of their trains.” EMR’s controlled rollout of the Class 810 fleet is planned to continue throughout 2026 and 2027 despite current challenges.
