East Midlands Railway (EMR) will cancel about 20 fast intercity trains daily on the Midland mainline between London, Sheffield, and Nottingham in the coming weeks due to persistent reliability problems with its new class 810 Hitachi trains. Several other trains will operate with fewer carriages, increasing the risk of crowding on these routes.
Class 810 Faults and Maintenance Issues Drive EMR Service Cuts
The class 810 fleet, branded Auroras and introduced this year after a three-year delay, has underperformed against EMR’s reliability expectations, forcing a temporary reduced timetable. Managing Director Will Rogers stated, “The performance of the class 810 fleet has fallen below the levels we and our customers expect,
and it is necessary to introduce a temporary reduced timetable while we work with the manufacturer, Hitachi Rail, to improve consistency in service.” EMR also blamed Hitachi’s maintenance of the legacy class 222 trains for impairing its ability to maintain consistent intercity services.
Aslef Strike Ballots on LNER and Avanti West Coast
Meanwhile, the train drivers’ union Aslef has initiated strike ballots on two of the UK’s other main intercity routes. On Friday prior to 17 July 2026, Aslef opened a strike vote for drivers on London-to-Scotland LNER services due to a failed pay agreement. Union General Secretary Dave Calfe said, “The company’s failure to make a suitable offer
is unacceptable and that’s why we are balloting our members for industrial action.” The Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson responded, “We have given LNER approval for a fair and affordable deal… strongly encourage the union to continue engaging constructively.” Two weeks earlier, Aslef called a similar strike vote at Avanti West Coast, where drivers have also declined to renew a rest-day working agreement, resulting in some cancellations already.
Ongoing Investigation into Bedford Rail Crash Involving EMR Aurora Train
Investigations continue into the fatal Bedford rail crash last month involving an EMR Aurora train. Initial findings indicate a fault in the automatic warning system caused the train to stop on the
mainline before a following EMR train passed a red signal and collided with it. The incident is under thorough examination to determine exact causes.
Official Statements on Service Disruption and Industry Response
EMR’s Will Rogers offered regret for passenger disruption and affirmed a commitment to restore reliable services, stating, “We are sorry for the significant disruption and inconvenience these issues have caused our customers.” A Hitachi Rail spokesperson noted ongoing collaboration with industry partners to introduce improvements and support the fleet’s transition. Aslef’s Dave Calfe attributed strike ballots to unacceptable company pay offers. The DfT reiterated its approval of a fair pay deal for LNER and urged constructive
negotiations.
Passenger Impact Across UK Intercity Rail
Passengers on the Midland mainline corridor should expect 20 daily fast train cancellations between London, Sheffield, and Nottingham during summer 2026, alongside shorter trains likely to produce crowded conditions. Additional disruptions may arise on the major north-south intercity routes operated by LNER and Avanti West Coast if strike action proceeds following Aslef ballots. These issues mark widespread interruption across Britain’s principal intercity rail services this summer.
