East Midlands Railway (EMR) has cancelled several of its London services until further notice due to reliability and maintenance problems affecting its new Class 810 Aurora trains and older Class 222 trains.
The Class 810 trains, manufactured by Hitachi Rail and introduced in December after a three-year delay, have encountered faults impacting toilets, air conditioning, and catering equipment. The Class 222 fleet requires increased maintenance support to meet operational demands. These issues have led to cancellations and services running with fewer carriages on Intercity routes connecting London with Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Derby, and Sheffield.
Temporary Timetable Changes and Passenger Disruption
EMR implemented a temporary reduced Intercity
timetable to stabilise service reliability during the ongoing technical challenges. National Rail confirmed the changes aim to provide a more consistent service while performance issues are addressed. The adjusted timetable has caused extensive disruption, including a reported journey on July 17 from St Pancras to Nottingham that was rerouted and arrived nearly three hours late without air conditioning.
RMT Strike Action Over Safety Concerns
The RMT union, representing EMR workers, announced strike action starting August 1 and continuing for the following two Saturdays. The union cites safety concerns related to a significant number of faults in the new Class 810 trains, claiming these faults risk train
systems failing, requiring resets that disable safety features. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey demanded affected trains be withdrawn from service until issues are resolved.
Responses from EMR and Officials
Will Rogers, EMR managing director, acknowledged the new fleet’s performance as below expected standards, justifying the timetable adjustment. An EMR spokesperson maintained that the Class 810 trains met all safety requirements and underwent comprehensive testing before entering service. They confirmed ongoing engagement with Hitachi Rail and discussions with RMT while working to resolve reliability problems. South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard criticised EMR’s communication on cancellations, calling it late and inadequate.
Controlled Rollout of New Fleet Continues
Despite current difficulties, EMR plans to
continue rolling out the Class 810 fleet in a controlled manner through 2026 and 2027. The operator is working closely with Hitachi Rail to address ongoing maintenance and reliability issues to restore full service levels on key Intercity routes serving London and major regional cities.
