East Midlands Railway (EMR) will reinstate cancelled Intercity train services from 31 August 2026, after reducing its timetable in July 2026 due to reliability problems with new Aurora (Class 810) trains.
Aurora Trains Introduced After Delay Prompt Service Reduction
The Aurora (Class 810) trains entered service in December 2025 following a three-year delay. Reliability issues included faults affecting toilets, air conditioning and catering equipment, leading EMR to reduce its timetable from 20 July 2026 to align services with available trains.
Scale of Service Reinstatement on Sheffield and Nottingham Routes
EMR will increase Intercity operations from 87% to 92% of the full planned timetable. This includes reinstating five weekday and three weekend services on the Sheffield route and
three weekday and one weekend service on the Nottingham route.
Service Reduction Improved Operational Stability
The temporary reduced timetable improved operational stability on the Midland Main Line with fewer short-notice cancellations. Neil Grabham, EMR interim managing director, stated the reduction was a necessary step for consistent service while addressing fleet challenges.
RMT Strikes and Safety Concerns Addressed by EMR and Hitachi
The RMT union took strike action over two Saturdays up to 1 August 2026 citing safety concerns about EMR trains. EMR and Hitachi Rail denied that the Class 810 fleet failed to meet safety standards. They are working on an agreed action plan to improve reliability, including increased maintenance on the Class 222 fleet
and investment in modifications and testing at Long Marston Innovation Centre.
An EMR spokesperson said, “Any suggestion that the Hitachi Rail Class 810 fleet did not meet the required safety standards was incorrect.” Neil Grabham added, “The reduced timetable we introduced on 20 July was a difficult but necessary step to ensure we could offer a consistent and reliable service while working through the Intercity fleet challenges with Hitachi Rail, Rock Rail and other partners. We are now seeing encouraging signs that the reduced timetable has delivered the stability we were aiming for, and while there is still more work
ahead with Hitachi Rail, this stabilisation represents an important milestone.” A Hitachi Rail spokesperson said, “As part of the plan, we have increased maintenance activity on the Class 222 fleet, while also working with our supply chain to improve the availability of materials and components for the legacy fleet. In parallel, we have invested in additional capacity at Long Marston Innovation Centre to conduct modifications and testing on the Class 810s to support the transition from older to newer trains and improve the situation over the long-term. In combination, these actions are helping to rectify the situation. We would like
to apologise again to passengers for the inconvenience caused and reiterate that we remain focused on working with EMR and all partners to deliver further improvements.”
