Every year, excellence and achievements in the rail industry are celebrated in the National Rail Awards, the ‘Railway Oscars’.  There are numerous categories reflecting achievements in railway operations, customer service, business innovation and many others.  One of these is Infrastructure Achievement of the Year and the 2020 winner was contractor Amey Rail for the Market Harborough Line Speed and Station Improvement project.  This is a major accolade and we congratulate the teams involved in transforming our station at track and platform level plus the new car park. 

EMR and Network Rail have notified stakeholders including Harborough Rail Users that the major timetable change planned for December 2020, when the Corby electrification was due to open, has been deferred until May 2021.  This comes as no surprise; it is a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected: 

• The completion of the electrification work
• The refurbishment of the electric trains being transferred to the Corby route
• The training of drivers on the electric trains.

All this has knock-on effects for the whole Midland Main Line, including our services at Market Harborough.  We await further advice from EMR about the rolling stock fleet; the 'old' ex-EMT HSTs are being replaced by the end of July 2020 by refurbished ones transferred from LNER.  However, these, too, have a special dispensation from the Government to continue in operation until the end of the year.  The deferral of the timetable change to May 2021 may mean a further derogation is needed. 
​EMR also advise that there are 'challenges for the successful introduction of an improved EMR Regional timetable in December 2021.  Work is ongoing to understand the knock-on implications for these long anticipated changes'. 
There was a major consultation earlier in 2020 on the December 2020 timetable plans and HRU submitted a detailed response.  See https://www.harborough-rail.org.uk/home/harborough-rail-users-respond-to-december-2020-timetable-consultation for more.

EMR have issued further updated travel advice as the lock-down is eased to allow non-essential shops to reopen from tomorrow, Monday 15th June.  In summary: 
Face coverings are mandatory - as they are for all public transport in  England.  
EMR advise that new station posters have been distributed and all EMR staff members have been issued with face coverings.  They state that 'Wearing face coverings on trains will help to ensure that those who need to use public transport can do so with confidence. Use of face coverings will boost the other measures we have put in place to keep people safe, like more thorough cleaning, improved information on potential crowding and one-way systems at busier stations.  We expect customers to wear face coverings as they enter our stations and on our trains. We will work closely with the British Transport Police to maintain a safe environment for our staff and customers.' 
Social Distancing – EMR have produced a social distancing video 'to help guide our passengers on effective social distancing behaviours as they navigate through our stations and board our trains': https://youtu.be/N0wvLYHySZ0  
More detail is on the EMR website: https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/ 

After a pause resulting partly from Covid-19 interruptions, work has restarted on the cycle hub in the forecourt at Market Harborough station.  Concrete has been poured for the substantial base for the new structure.  Steelwork for the building, which will feature glazed walls, is awaited but is expected soon.  
The picture below shows the enormous concrete pouring machine doing its thing in the station forecourt on Tuesday 9th June 2020. (Picture: Steve Jones)

East Midlands Railway (EMR) have issued as update on social distancing and other precautions as the lock-down is slightly eased and passenger numbers may rise as a result. Some Government restrictions were eased on 1st June, and non-essential retail shops can re-open on 15th June, so activity is taking place across the rail network to ensure proper precautions are taken.  EMR advise that all their 91 stations plus their train fleet display social distancing guidance, and staff have been briefed.  Non-essential travel continues to be discouraged, however. Further information can be found on EMR’s website at https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/covid-19. 
Our timetable at Market Harborough is back to near-normal levels and can be viewed here.