On 5th March, EMR announced that they would be removing seat reservations from 1st April 2026. This is a temporary measure while the train fleet transitions from the diesel Class 222 Meridian units to the new bi-mode Class 810 Auroras. These have different seating configurations, but they can also be swapped for one another in service at short notice.
Advice from EMR states:
“Operating two fleets makes it technically and operationally difficult to provide seat reservations as the seating layouts are different and the technology on the Class 222 is old and inflexible. While we know our customers value seat reservations, we also know that failing to honour a booked reservation is one of the biggest causes of dissatisfaction.
We have therefore taken the decision to remove seat reservations on all Intercity services from 1 April 2026 while we transition to our new Aurora fleet. We recognise that inconsistent reservations have created challenges and frustration for customers and colleagues. This temporary measure will allow us to provide greater certainty during the fleet transition.
From 1 April 2026:

• All Intercity seat reservations will be withdrawn
• Existing seat reservations for travel on or after this date will no longer be valid (wheelchair and bicycle reservations will remain in place)

Furthermore, the option to make new seat reservations for travel beyond 1 April has been removed from all booking channels.
We are working closely with our IT team to ensure clear information for passengers is displayed on the reservation screens on the trains and for the management of passenger assistance and bicycle reservations.
We are contacting customers with reservations who are travelling from 1 April and providing them with simple information about what this means for their journey. Clear messaging will be provided through booking channels, stations and on-train announcements.
We will keep you informed as the fleet transition progresses and as we are able to reintroduce a consistent reservation system for our customers.”
We in Harborough Rail Users have discussed this with EMR and are satisfied that it is a reasonable temporary measure during the fleet changeover.  We have also been assured that it will not result in any reduction in the numbers of discounted Advance tickets available at each fare tier.

Ticket refunds
The arrangements for refunds on tickets not used are also changing from 1st April.  This is a change in the National Rail Conditions of Travel.  Further details can be found here: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/help-and-assistance/compensation-and-refunds/refunds-change/
In essence, the previous allowance of up to 28 days after date of travel has been removed, such that refunds can only be requested up until 23:59 on the day before the ticket becomes valid, unless your train is delayed or cancelled.  The reason is to prevent fraudulent misuse of the system.

EMR have recently advised of significant changes to our trains on Sundays from 15th December 2024.  These result from completion of some engineering work south of Bedford such that all four tracks will be available from 09:00 on Sundays.  At present, only two of the four tracks can be used, resulting in congestion and slowing journey times. 
Many of our Sunday trains to London will be significantly speeded up, as follows:
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Southbound
• MH 08:43 – London St Pancras 09:50 – (22-minute improvement)
• MH 09:06 – London St Pancras 10:15 – (23-minute improvement)
• MH 09:41 – London St Pancras 10:51 – (27-minute improvement)
• MH 10:11 – London St Pancras 11:21 – (21-minute improvement)
• MH 10:46 – London St Pancras 11:55 – (15-minute improvement)
• MH 10:59 – London St Pancras 12:10 – (9-minute improvement)

However, the 08:43 (currently 08:40) will be our first train to London.
The present 07:43 and 08:10 will no longer run.
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EMR advise that this is because of Network Rail needing more engineering access to the lines in the Leicester, Nottingham and Derby areas. 
The loss of the first two trains is partly balanced by the faster journey time on the 08:40, so first arrival into London will be at 09:50 compared with 09:16 now, only 34 minutes later.  However, earliest arrival times at the intermediate stations south of Kettering will be between 50 minutes and an hour later.  For example, the first arrival time at Luton Airport Parkway from Market Harborough will be at 09:27, compared with 08:37 now.
EMR advise that our first two trains “are currently significantly amended over 80% of the time, and are a mixture of buses for part of the journey, and / or re-timed and diverted”.  Mind you, they are also capable of arriving early at St Pancras.  Our experience is also that they are well used.

 Northbound

• Our first train north, currently the 10:29 to Nottingham, will become the 10:13.  Though this will be 16 minutes earlier than now, which is welcome, it will still miss the 10:15 from Leicester to Derby and Sheffield.  To be fair, however, we will have a 10:39 direct to Sheffield, arriving at 11:57.

We met with EMR, including one of their timetable planners, on 4th September to discuss this.  We put forward our concerns about the shortening of the operating day on Sunday, and the loss of capacity.  The 07:43 is formed of 10 carriages, the 08:10 is five.  We also expressed concern about the loss of early morning connectivity to the intermediate stations such as Luton Airport Parkway.

There is the irony that, though the electrification is entirely for the purposes of upgrading and improving our line, and is now physically complete, we are faced with a trimming back of our Sunday train service!
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Do you use these first two trains south from Market Harborough on a Sunday?  Let us know if you will be affected by this change.
[email protected]

Abellio EMR – East Midlands Railway – was officially launched on Monday 19th August at an all-day launch event starting with a media reception at Leicester station.  This was followed by presentations from numerous speakers at the Roundhouse conference centre in Derby, after which a newly re-liveried Meridian train was unveiled at Derby station.  Invited guests, including Harborough Rail Users Chair Steve Jones (in his capacity as Railfuture East Midlands Branch Secretary) travelled on the train to Nottingham and then to St Pancras, at each of which were further media events and presentations.  At St Pancras, partnership agreements were signed between Abellio and HS1 (whose London terminus is at St Pancras) and Luton Airport.
Many organisations from the East Midlands, including rail industry bodies, rail user representative groups, local authorities and other interested parties were present.  The event gave a good opportunity to meet people from these organisations as well as senior Abellio and EMR management.  It was all very well organised and sets the scene for the next stage in the development of our railway and the services on it. 
In a press release, EMR promise 'More services with faster journey times on intercity routes and better regional and local services, especially including at peak times and weekends from St Pancras to Leicester and Market Harborough'.  Harborough Rail Users will be seeking to meet EMR before too long, now they are in place as our train operator.  We want to explore their plans for our station and train services, especially from 2020 as the HSTs are withdrawn and the Corby electrification comes into service.

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Senior representatives of Abellio, HS1 Ltd and Luton Airport proclaim the partnerships signed at St Pancras during the EMR launch event on 19th August. (Photo: Steve Jones)

Abellio EMR, who take over the East Midlands Railway franchise on 18th August, have today confirmed that they have ordered a complete new fleet of inter-city trains for the Midland Main Line, which serves Market Harborough.  The £400m contract is for a fleet of 33 five-car trains, which will start operating in 2022.  They will regularly operate in 10-car formations (two units coupled together) and will operate on electric power where possible and diesel elsewhere.  The trains will be built by Hitachi in County Durham and are the latest version of a type of train entering service with numerous other operators across the country including GWR and LNER. 
An image of the new train appears below, courtesy of Abellio and Hitachi.  

Abellio, who take over from East Midlands Trains on 18th August 2019, have released details of the new brand and livery for our rail service.  It will be known as East Midlands Railway (EMR), with a deep purple livery and house-style.  The new East Midlands Railway name has been designated as a long term and enduring brand for this and successive East Midlands railway franchises.  In other words, it is intended to apply irrespective of any future operator, in much the same way as London buses are all red no matter which company is actually operating them.
According to Abellio:
The EMR brand has white lettering with a ‘lavender’ shadow as its primary logo colours.  The colour scheme is contemporary but pays respect to the strong and proud railway heritage of the East Midlands.  Each train carriage will have distinct markings to reflect three distinct market segments:

• ‘EMR Intercity’ – services on the Midland Main Line from cities like Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby to London via Leicester, Market Harborough and Kettering.
• ‘EMR Regional’ – serving longer distance East-West routes such as Nottingham to Lincoln, Crewe to Derby and Norwich to Liverpool.  
• 'EMR Electrics’ – electric train services that will run twice hourly between London St Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway and Corby.

The introduction of the EMR identity will be gradual. The first item to change overnight on Sunday 18th August will be the introduction of a new EMR website.  Trains will be rebranded in stages from 2020 through to December 2022.  In the meantime, trains will receive an ‘interim’ branding with ‘EMR’ inscribed on the sides of many carriages. Stations will be given an EMR design ‘makeover’ together with station signage, leaflets and posters.

East Midlands Trains (EMT) continue to operate our trains until 17th August and the EMT name and brand remain unchanged until then.