December 2025 East Coast Timetable

[Bletchleyite]

It’s a shame to now see LNER dropping Berwick as a hourly stop. I was hoping the campaigning from Berwick councillors might have made them try and have the semi fast service stop hourly instead of only every 2 hours. I know there’s still going to be a hourly service from CrossCountry but they are so much more expensive than LNER with advance tickets. The very popular 09:41 LNER service from Berwick to Edinburgh which is usually very cheap due to only starting at Newcastle is also no longer existing. I hope LNER can still offer cheaper fares with its more limited trains stopping at Berwick.

Upside though is more TPEs and an hour later last train from Kings Cross.

 

[Intercity_225]

I see that they have reverted back to having the extended Scotland services (Aberdeen, Inverness etc) with a 1S headcode instead of a 1W, anyone know why?

Example:

Realtime Trains | 1S11 1003 London Kings Cross to Aberdeen | 15/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 1S11 1003 departure from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen on 15/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[bigmanaiq]

I think you dreamt that

Fair enough, need to get better sources next time!

 

[Magdalia]

Interestingly some LNER services are not shown with Public times on RTT whilst others are
With Public Times

Realtime Trains | 1E30 2020 Edinburgh to London Kings Cross | 16/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 1E30 2020 departure from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross on 16/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I was surprised to see the 2020 departure for Kings Cross from Edinburgh in December 2025, arriving Kings Cross at 0140.

50 years ago, in the 1975 timetable, there was a 2020 from Edinburgh that arrived Kings Cross at 0511.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I see that they have reverted back to having the extended Scotland services (Aberdeen, Inverness etc) with a 1S headcode instead of a 1W, anyone know why?

Example:

Realtime Trains | 1S11 1003 London Kings Cross to Aberdeen | 15/12/2025

Real-time train running information for 1S11 1003 departure from London Kings Cross to Aberdeen on 15/12/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I’m sure I heard it was a request from Network Rail owing to the Sheffield-Scarborough services.

It’s a shame to now see LNER dropping Berwick as a hourly stop. I was hoping the campaigning from Berwick councillors might have made them try and have the semi fast service stop hourly instead of only every 2 hours. I know there’s still going to be a hourly service from CrossCountry but they are so much more expensive than LNER with advance tickets. The very popular 09:41 LNER service from Berwick to Edinburgh which is usually very cheap due to only starting at Newcastle is also no longer existing. I hope LNER can still offer cheaper fares with its more limited trains stopping at Berwick.

This timetable looks so visibly set up for an eventual 3tph Edinburgh to Kings Cross. You would expect this has been set up so that the 2 stopping services can simply have their stops changed to be consistent between the two stoppers. Draw your own conclusions on how you could do that. The vast increase of additional ECS moves at Edinburgh as well suggests a hope for more north of Edinburgh services - however likely or unlikely that is. Plenty of future-proofing in all of this.

 

[Starmill]

I’m sure I heard it was a request from Network Rail owing to the Sheffield-Scarborough services.

This timetable looks so visibly set up for an eventual 3tph Edinburgh to Kings Cross. You would expect this has been set up so that the 2 stopping services can simply have their stops changed to be consistent between the two stoppers. Draw your own conclusions on how you could do that. The vast increase of additional ECS moves at Edinburgh as well suggests a hope for more north of Edinburgh services - however likely or unlikely that is. Plenty of future-proofing in all of this.

They've literally just withdrawn the Glasgow and Stirling services, so I am not sure I'd be getting my hopes up.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This timetable looks so visibly set up for an eventual 3tph Edinburgh to Kings Cross. You would expect this has been set up so that the 2 stopping services can simply have their stops changed to be consistent between the two stoppers. Draw your own conclusions on how you could do that. The vast increase of additional ECS moves at Edinburgh as well suggests a hope for more north of Edinburgh services - however likely or unlikely that is. Plenty of future-proofing in all of this.

I did wonder if the TPE Edinburgh path was a natural continuation of the Newcastle, but it isn't, they're not far off being on opposite half hours.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

They've literally just withdrawn the Glasgow and Stirling services, so I am not sure I'd be getting my hopes up.

They’d wanted rid of those for years though. Awkward to run once per day. Aberdeen/Inverness totally different.

I did wonder if the TPE Edinburgh path was a natural continuation of the Newcastle, but it isn't, they're not far off being on opposite half hours.

I had thought the same, but nope completely separate. Room for TPE to merge it with the Newcastle-Liverpool in places, indeed some of the services do this. Terminate ex Edinburgh, depart as a Liverpool. 9N12 forms 9M14 for example. Northbound this is almost impossible though as the ex Liverpool would arrive after the Edinburgh has departed. Granted the Edinburgh is mostly 2 hourly anyway. An ECS is made in some places for the ex Liverpool to become the next hours Edinburgh though.

 

[Judith hambly]

missing from rtt are the 1433 kx nc and 1440 kx lds

 

[The Middle]

The vast increase of additional ECS moves at Edinburgh as well suggests a hope for more north of Edinburgh services - however likely or unlikely that is. Plenty of future-proofing in all of this.

I think you are reading too much into those. It is literally to free up platforms at Waverley

 

[James90012]

Well this is much improved compared to the original consultation for Darlington and Northallerton. Though slower than today for Darlo at least, the original plan to push the ECML calls at Northallerton into Cross Country and dramatically reducing Darlington's LNER connectivity with Edinburgh has been reversed. Should be a transformative amount of capacity overall on the North East to London services, which are often sold out and considerably more expensive than the Leeds route. At the other end of the routes I'm personally interested in, Stevenage will become considerably more useful.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well this is much improved compared to the original consultation for Darlington and Northallerton. Though slower than today for Darlo at least, the original plan to push the ECML calls at Northallerton into Cross Country and dramatically reducing Darlington's LNER connectivity with Edinburgh has been reversed. Should be a transformative amount of capacity overall on the North East to London services, which are often sold out and considerably more expensive than the Leeds route. At the other end of the routes I'm personally interested in, Stevenage will become considerably more useful.

It will also be interesting to see whether an additional 50% capacity on before (ish, give or take the 5 car workings) will mean any impact on the presently swingeing fares on LNER towards Newcastle and Edinburgh under the fare increase trial.

 

[Riverside Redz]

I thought the Kings Cross-York services were being done away with in favour of the Lincoln services alternating with Harrogates, or am I just making that up?

Believe the plan is for the York terminators or at least 6 or 7 of them to be extended to Middlesbrough once the relevant infrastructure work has been finished ? This may also depend on when the CAFs come into service

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I think you are reading too much into those. It is literally to free up platforms at Waverley

Maybe I am, but you’ll see why. I think the biggest reason is the imbalance caused by the existing through services. If there were no through services at all you wouldn’t need these ECS’. I have worked out though that it’s very easy to switch it about to add another 2 Aberdeen’s. Yes you’re right you’ll need some ECS’ but not as many as are actually there.

One example of what I’m on about is 1S07 could theoretically run to ABD and come back as 1E27. 1S06 would make 1E16 and 1S18 would make 1E28. Much like the 3tph EDB-KGX point I made earlier, there’s scope to add stuff here in the years to come.

Obviously getting close to speculation here but I guess what I’m saying is that seems very convenient. Almost too easy. Once the diagrams are worked out it might give some clarity on what’s actually possible, if anything.

 

[Starmill]

They’d wanted rid of those for years though. Awkward to run once per day. Aberdeen/Inverness totally different.

Different in that they'd require new crew to be hired and more trains ordered yes.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

missing from rtt are the 1433 kx nc and 1440 kx lds

The 1433 is one of the class 91 workings so perhaps its not happening now as LNER have gone risk adverse?

 

[800001]

Maybe I am, but you’ll see why. I think the biggest reason is the imbalance caused by the existing through services. If there were no through services at all you wouldn’t need these ECS’. I have worked out though that it’s very easy to switch it about to add another 2 Aberdeen’s. Yes you’re right you’ll need some ECS’ but not as many as are actually there.

One example of what I’m on about is 1S07 could theoretically run to ABD and come back as 1E27. 1S06 would make 1E16 and 1S18 would make 1E28. Much like the 3tph EDB-KGX point I made earlier, there’s scope to add stuff here in the years to come.

Obviously getting close to speculation here but I guess what I’m saying is that seems very convenient. Almost too easy. Once the diagrams are worked out it might give some clarity on what’s actually possible, if anything.

However to do what you suggest, you need bimode trains. Ones which wouldn't be available to work those without taking them off something else.

 

[A S Leib]

Maybe I am, but you’ll see why. I think the biggest reason is the imbalance caused by the existing through services. If there were no through services at all you wouldn’t need these ECS’. I have worked out though that it’s very easy to switch it about to add another 2 Aberdeen’s. Yes you’re right you’ll need some ECS’ but not as many as are actually there.

One example of what I’m on about is 1S07 could theoretically run to ABD and come back as 1E27. 1S06 would make 1E16 and 1S18 would make 1E28. Much like the 3tph EDB-KGX point I made earlier, there’s scope to add stuff here in the years to come.

Obviously getting close to speculation here but I guess what I’m saying is that seems very convenient. Almost too easy. Once the diagrams are worked out it might give some clarity on what’s actually possible, if anything.

Is there enough room for 2tph between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, given that I doubt ScotRail would want to reduce their service?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Is there enough room for 2tph between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, given that I doubt ScotRail would want to reduce their service?

The 12:30 northbound path is effectively vacant. Has been since COVID. Path is there in the planners it just says ‘runs as required’ but it never has in over 5 years now. Coming south might be the harder one.

However to do what you suggest, you need bimode trains. Ones which wouldn't be available to work those without taking them off something else.

Of course. As I say it will depend on what the diagrams are. Obviously the CAF’s might free up 800’s in the future too.

 

[lachlan]

Maybe I am, but you’ll see why. I think the biggest reason is the imbalance caused by the existing through services. If there were no through services at all you wouldn’t need these ECS’. I have worked out though that it’s very easy to switch it about to add another 2 Aberdeen’s. Yes you’re right you’ll need some ECS’ but not as many as are actually there.

One example of what I’m on about is 1S07 could theoretically run to ABD and come back as 1E27. 1S06 would make 1E16 and 1S18 would make 1E28. Much like the 3tph EDB-KGX point I made earlier, there’s scope to add stuff here in the years to come.

Obviously getting close to speculation here but I guess what I’m saying is that seems very convenient. Almost too easy. Once the diagrams are worked out it might give some clarity on what’s actually possible, if anything.

I know some people would be happy with more LNERs as you can often get cheaper tickets for them compared to the regular ScotRail services

 

[ainsworth74]

I think additional LNER services north of Edinburgh probably needs to be in a speculate thread as there's no suggestion in this timetable change that such services are going to be introduced.

 

[Starmill]

Well that's confirmed (no set down only restrictions either).

The 0605 Leeds to London Kings Cross having a Stevenage stop inserted is an interesting one. It provides a much needed additional morning journey option for Yorkshire to the Cambridge area.

If the stop at Stevenage were set down only, LNER would not receive revenue in proportion of this extra capacity, but people would still board the train anyway, making it even more unattractive a proposition. It is a waste of time trying to stop people from getting on even if you make the stop set down only.

A small number of people will leave the train at Stevenage, and a larger number will probably board. This net increase will probably result in larger numbers of standing passengers on this train for the final twenty minutes of the journey. The likes of Rodger Ford would no doubt decry this degradation of service to Leeds to London passengers, but to me this seems like a perfectly fair trade off which squeezes the most capacity possible out of the existing infrastructure without causing too much disruption to the existing user. The journey time for Leeds to London is very slow on this service but isn't any longer as a result of the new stop.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The 0605 Leeds to London Kings Cross having a Stevenage stop inserted is an interesting one. It provides a much needed additional morning journey option for Yorkshire to the Cambridge area.

If the stop at Stevenage were set down only, LNER would not receive revenue in proportion of this extra capacity, but people would still board the train anyway, making it even more unattractive a proposition. It is a waste of time trying to stop people from getting on even if you make the stop set down only.

A small number of people will leave the train at Stevenage, and a larger number will probably board. This net increase will probably result in larger numbers of standing passengers on this train. The likes of Rodger Ford would no doubt decry this degradation of service to Leeds to London passengers, but to me this seems like a perfectly fair trade off which squeezes the most capacity possible out of the existing infrastructure without causing too much disruption to the existing user. The journey time for Leeds to London is very slow on this service but isn't any longer as a result of the new stop.

Similarly early Avanti services have a passenger stop at MKC on the way to Euston (the last one is just after 7, I think) - this is indeed quite a good thing, because it means the much shorter morning peak doesn't crowd out the WMT services, whereas in the evening when things are more spread out they can more easily cope (though there are now a couple of Avanti calls).

This overall does indeed seem a good idea.

 

[Magdalia]

The 0605 Leeds to London Kings Cross having a Stevenage stop inserted is an interesting one. It provides a much needed additional morning journey option for Yorkshire to the Cambridge area.

If the stop at Stevenage were set down only, LNER would not receive revenue in proportion of this extra capacity, but people would still board the train anyway, making it even more unattractive a proposition. It is a waste of time trying to stop people from getting on even if you make the stop set down only.

A small number of people will leave the train at Stevenage, and a larger number will probably board. This net increase will probably result in larger numbers of standing passengers on this train for the final twenty minutes of the journey. The likes of Rodger Ford would no doubt decry this degradation of service to Leeds to London passengers, but to me this seems like a perfectly fair trade off which squeezes the most capacity possible out of the existing infrastructure without causing too much disruption to the existing user. The journey time for Leeds to London is very slow on this service but isn't any longer as a result of the new stop.

Three up ECML morning peak trains are shown to call at Stevenage, 0500/0605 ex Leeds and 0610 ex York. All of them follow Thameslink trains that are a few minutes in front at Stevenage. The ECML trains will only pick up significant traffic at Stevenage if the preceding Thameslink trains are full and standing.

The 0610 from York is an oddity: it forms the 0847 to Lincoln, so is presumably a 5 car. Apart from Stevenage the only other intermediate calls are Retford and Grantham.

The 0605 from Leeds also calls at Peterborough, Cambridge passengers can change there rather than at Stevenage.

 

[Earle Grey]

I’m sure I heard it was a request from Network Rail owing to the Sheffield-Scarborough services

The 1W(Whiskey) headcodes of LNER Far North Services have been in use since the May 19 timetable "specifically to make them easily identifiable for regulation and disruption management purposes" and although crossed the Sheffield-Scarboroughs at Doncaster where in different number sequences, low numbers for LNER and 39 to 51 for Northern, to avoid any issues.

 

[Starmill]

Three up ECML morning peak trains are shown to call at Stevenage, 0500/0605 ex Leeds and 0610 ex York. All of them follow Thameslink trains that are a few minutes in front at Stevenage. The ECML trains will only pick up significant traffic at Stevenage if the preceding Thameslink trains are full and standing.

The 0610 from York is an oddity: it forms the 0847 to Lincoln, so is presumably a 5 car. Apart from Stevenage the only other intermediate calls are Retford and Grantham.

The 0605 from Leeds also calls at Peterborough, Cambridge passengers can change there rather than at Stevenage.

Indeed. All LNER services are just a few minutes behind a GTR service at Stevenage, not only the new ones. Most people will just travel on whichever seems least uncomfortable. LNER do issue their own Advance tickets of course.

It remains to be seen if the Anytime Day Single for LNER only will continue to be available in December.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

The 1W(Whiskey) headcodes of LNER Far North Services have been in use since the May 19 timetable "specifically to make them easily identifiable for regulation and disruption management purposes" and although crossed the Sheffield-Scarboroughs at Doncaster where in different number sequences, low numbers for LNER and 39 to 51 for Northern, to avoid any issues.

Indeed, however those particular Northern services I’m lead to believe has resulted in a request from Network Rail to revert all northbound Anglo-Scot’s to 1Sxx, irrespective of destination. Why 6 years down the line it’s become an issue I’m not sure. I can only think the Northern range could be changing to potentially conflicting numbers.

 

[dk1]

Great improvement into Scottish connections into/out of Norwich EMR services at Peterborough and back to how it was before the Eureka timetable of 2011.

 

[A S Leib]

back to how it was before the Eureka timetable of 2011.

What was the pre-Eureka service pattern, or was it not standardised enough to say?

 

[dk1]

What was the pre-Eureka service pattern, or was it not standardised enough to say?

Most down Scottish services departed Peterborough around xx:45 connecting well with the xx:25 arrival. Eureka made it xx:19 so almost an hour to wait. We are now back to xx:52 northbound. In the other direction the connection reduces from 55minutes to around 35 so giving a bit of flexibility too!