East Midlands Railway (EMR) and the RMT union have confirmed strike days on Saturday 1, 8, and 15 August 2026, with additional industrial action short of strike planned from 2 to 7 August, 9 to 14 August, and 16 August onwards until further notice.
Service disruptions and affected routes
On strike dates, EMR will run a significantly reduced timetable with trains operating only between 07:00 and 19:00 on Intercity and Connect routes. Specifically, services will maintain one train per hour between Nottingham and London St Pancras, Sheffield and London St Pancras, and Corby and London St Pancras. Regional rail services will continue unaffected. The operator
has stated no rail replacement buses will be provided during strike days, and travelers should anticipate short-notice cancellations and alterations.
Cause of industrial action
The strikes stem from a dispute that began in April 2026 after EMR introduced the new Class 810 Aurora fleet. The RMT union claims these trains have a significant number of faults, including safety-critical defects, which have not been adequately addressed by EMR. According to the union, trains are being dispatched with faults that might disable safety systems. EMR, however, asserts the Class 810 trains met all independent regulatory safety requirements and successfully completed all necessary testing prior to entering
service.
Impact on passengers and travel advice
Passengers on strike days are advised to travel only if journeys are essential due to reduced service availability and potential last-minute cancellations. Services on the Nottingham-London St Pancras, Sheffield-London St Pancras, and Corby-London St Pancras routes will be limited to one train per hour with operating hours from 07:00 to 19:00. No onward transport by rail replacement buses will be offered during the strikes.
Official statements and operational details
Eddie Dempsey, RMT General Secretary, said union representatives had been “extremely patient” engaging with EMR management, but the company has issued safety notices without union involvement. He stated, “RMT is demanding that whilst these faults
exist and until these trains are shown to be operating properly, they should be taken out of service.”
Philippa Cresswell, EMR Customer Experience Director, apologized to customers affected by the industrial action and emphasized ongoing constructive discussions with the union. She declared, “Any suggestion that the trains do not meet the required safety standards is incorrect. The Class 810 fleet entered passenger service only after successfully completing all required testing and meeting the rigorous safety standards required by the independent regulator.”
Operational protocols for the Class 810 fleet include a reset procedure known as Aux Off/Aux On, which takes approximately
20 minutes to complete. This process temporarily disables several safety-critical systems, removing the driver’s normal communication with signallers and increasing the risk of uncontrolled evacuation. The presence of this reset procedure is central to safety concerns raised by the union.
