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:
​
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.
​
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!
​
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]

An informal meeting was held in Market Harborough on 24th March between Laura Etheridge, EMR Stakeholder Manager, George Selby, EMR Lead Business Development Manager (on secondment to Stakeholder Engagement Team), and Steve Jones, Chair of Harborough Rail Users and Secretary of Railfuture East Midlands, and Phil Thomas, Chair of Railfuture East Midlands.  The aim was a general catch-up on current topics for EMR, including those of particular relevance to Market Harborough.
Among many matters discussed were:

• The recent management buy-out of EMR’s parent company Abellio UK, to form Transport UK (TUK).  This comprises the rail ex-franchises for EMR, WMT, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail (joint with Serco) plus some London bus routes.  
• The replacement of the previous EMR franchise with a National Rail Contract, starting in October 2022 and running for four years with a further four years at the option of the Department for Transport.  Though highly prescriptive, it does provide for annual business planning rather than the multi-year ‘lock-in’ that was a feature of franchising.
• The new ‘T-3’ performance target, which measures % of departures within three minutes of booked time at all stations.  EMR is currently at just under 78% overall, and is reviewing locations where performance can be most notably improved.  EMR Intercity and Connect are generally performing well; EMR Regional less so.
• Rolling stock, including the withdrawal in May of the four Class 180 trains on the Intercity route.  This will mean more intensive use of the Class 222 Meridians, which are the main Intercity fleet.  The new bi-mode (diesel + electric) Class 810 Aurora Intercity trains will enter service in 2024, with a phased introduction, eventually replacing all the Meridians.  On the Regional routes, the full replacement of ex-British Rail Sprinter trains by newer Class 170 Turbostars will be completed by the end of the year.  However, the withdrawal of the Class 180s means that summer weekend services to Skegness may be supplemented by buses at peak holiday times.
• The May 2023 timetable sees a further restoration of Regional services temporarily withdrawn during the Covid pandemic.  On the Intercity route, including Market Harborough, there is little change.  The two early morning replacement buses from Market Harborough (04:46, 04:59) to Kettering are withdrawn; and the St Pancras – Lincoln through services will start or terminate at Nottingham.  Also, sadly, the 09:45 St Pancras – Melton Mowbray via Corby and 14:43 return will no longer run north of Corby.  If you fancy a trip over Harringworth Viaduct around lunchtime, do it while you can!
• Various station improvements are either in hand or planned.  Leicester station is due to receive a major enhancement at street level, including a new entrance that faces towards the city centre, and better use of the handsome glazed porte cochere structure along the London Road frontage.  
• For Market Harborough specifically, we are hopeful that the booking hall café may soon reopen.  The station forecourt is due to be improved (see next item).  We also asked that connections at Leicester between our trains and those to Birmingham be improved; EMR noted this for future timetable planning.

We are grateful to EMR for being willing to discuss a wide range of matters.  It is clear that they are seeking to provide the best service they can within the stringent financial and other constraints within which they operate.

HRU Chair Steve Jones met EMR’s Stakeholder Manager Laura Etheridge at the station on 3rd February.  We covered a number of topics, including: management changes at EMR; the December 2020 timetable plans; train punctuality; the planned cycle hub at the station; Smartcards; station announcements; rolling stock changes; and the car park.  As always, it was a very open discussion and numerous points were noted for referral to the relevant people in EMR.   It is pleasing that the regular communication we had with East Midlands Trains has continued under the new EMR franchise.

HRU Chair Steve Jones met EMR's Stakeholder Manager Laura Etheridge at the station on 12th September to discuss various topical matters.  They were joined by Celia Davis of Network Rail.  Among matters discussed were:

• The launch of the new EMR franchise;
• Forthcoming engineering works that will close the line between Market Harborough and Bedford over the weekend of 12th - 13th October, with alterations to train services north from Harborough and replacement buses south;
  
• The December 2019 timetable, (which sees little change from now, though we gain a stop on the weekdays 18:34 from St Pancras but lose the stop on the 19:01)
• Various amenities at the station. 

We remain grateful for discussions of this kind and are keen to maintain a good relationship with EMR, just as we had with EMT beforehand.