Class 810 for East Midlands Railway Construction/Introduction Updates

[800001]

810016 is currently sat in the wheel lathe building at Doncaster Carr IEP depot after arriving last night from Merchant Park.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K63580/2026-03-24/detailed

 

[liamf656]

A move for Etches Park to Newton Aycliffe has been activated which would suggest 810, however I've been told it's not running today. That said though it might mean another move may be scheduled in the future (008/009 were supposed to be returned to be brought up to passenger standard but no news on when this may be so it could be to do with that)

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 1349 Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings | 25/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 1349 departure from Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings on 25/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[800001]

A move for Etches Park to Newton Aycliffe has been activated which would suggest 810, however I've been told it's not running today. That said though it might mean another move may be scheduled in the future (008/009 were supposed to be returned to be brought up to passenger standard but no news on when this may be so it could be to do with that)

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 1349 Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings | 25/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 1349 departure from Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings on 25/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Wouldn't surprise me if it is a passenger accepted unit that needs work doing that Etches Park can't.
810008 currently out on 3A25 test/training run.

 

[720144]

A move for Etches Park to Newton Aycliffe has been activated which would suggest 810, however I've been told it's not running today. That said though it might mean another move may be scheduled in the future (008/009 were supposed to be returned to be brought up to passenger standard but no news on when this may be so it could be to do with that)

Realtime Trains | 5Q15 1349 Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings | 25/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q15 1349 departure from Etches Park Sdgs to Merchant Park Sidings on 25/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Could it be 015 going back for some repairs after failing driver it’s first training on Friday ?

 

[liamf656]

Wouldn't surprise me if it is a passenger accepted unit that needs work doing that Etches Park can't.
810008 currently out on 3A25 test/training run.

I know 008/009 still need to go back to Newton Aycliffe to have their interiors completed but I'd imagine it's not happening until Etches have enough usable units

 

[Railperf]

Looked like only three units made it into passenger service this morning.
Any news on unit 013 which seems to have been out of action for over a week now?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Looked like only three units made it into passenger service this morning.
Any news on unit 013 which seems to have been out of action for over a week now?

And 810010 was lucky to make it through. Boarded it at Kettering (14.22 to Nottingham) but nothing happened for a while. First, staff staring intently at the cill of the door at the 1st end of the composite, then a man wearing 'Hitachi' hi vis appeared and walked around. Eventually departed 10 minutes late.
The first class host was much more focused - served me a coffee while all this was going on.

If every 810 in service has an Hitachi staff member on board that's 6 staff at the moment (early and late). Meanwhile the stack of demec 222s build up at Etches Park...

 

[liamf656]

If every 810 in service has an Hitachi staff member on board that's 6 staff at the moment (early and late). Meanwhile the stack of demec 222s build up at Etches Park...

The engineers onboard are extras, loaned by Hitachi from Doncaster Carr and Merchant Park (usually specialising either in the manufacturing of the 810s or maintenance of the LNER/TPE units), and therefore don't have any involvement in 222s

 

[Merle Haggard]

The engineers onboard are extras, loaned by Hitachi from Doncaster Carr and Merchant Park (usually specialising either in the manufacturing of the 810s or maintenance of the LNER/TPE units), and therefore don't have any involvement in 222s

Thanks.
That must be expensive for someone, lodging as well. Hope it's not the tax-payer.
Presumably affecting the pace of construction of 810s and maintenance of LNER/TPE stock, though?

 

[Bald Rick]

Thanks.
That must be expensive for someone, lodging as well. Hope it's not the tax-payer.
Presumably affecting the pace of construction of 810s and maintenance of LNER/TPE stock, though?

Having Engineers riding new build trains is a standard thing, the 700s had them on for ages during introduction. As did the 805s/807s.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Having Engineers riding new build trains is a standard thing, the 700s had them on for ages during introduction. As did the 805s/807s.

Thanks.

A pity he couldn't get involved with the 3 lavatories that were out of order on 810010 but maybe not his remit.

 

[800001]

Thanks.

A pity he couldn't get involved with the 3 lavatories that were out of order on 810010 but maybe not his remit.

If the travelling engineer could fix them they would. These travelling engineers are nothing new and have been around never since the first 800/801s entered service.

I've also seen Siemens, CAF engineers in 700s and 197s etc when they started and continued to enter service.

This is not a hitachi Specific process.

 

[GilfachFargoed]

Only 3 out again today in passenger service. 006 on the 05:49 ex-NOT, 014 on the 05:56 ex-SHF and 012 on the 07:00 ex-SHF (started DBY due to 'above solebar' problems...).

 

[BuhSnarf]

Do we know what the actual issue is that makes the accessible toilets out of action so often?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Do we know what the actual issue is that makes the accessible toilets out of action so often?

Not just the accessible ones - 810011 yesterday had at least two of the ordinary ones out as well.

 

[Gordonman]

There does not appear to be any driver training runs on the MML today at all.
Even the 5Q40 Old Dalby - Kettering and 5Q43 return don't appear to be running.
There is a 5Q15 Etches Park - Merchants Park in for later presumably for 810015 returning for scrapping hopefully.The same path was in for yesterday but was not utilised.
New unit testing resumed on the ECML last night/early morning after a break of 2-3 weeks with 810016 finishing on 5Q70 Darlington - Merchants Park and 810018 finishing on 5Q13 York - Merchants Park

 

[InTheEastMids]

These travelling engineers are nothing new and have been around never since the first 800/801s entered service.

The worst case scenario is that 33 new, permanent jobs are created for travelling engineers, doing work that can't be done by ChatGPT

 

[Merle Haggard]

There does not appear to be any driver training runs on the MML today at all.
Even the 5Q40 Old Dalby - Kettering and 5Q43 return don't appear to be running.
There is a 5Q15 Etches Park - Merchants Park in for later presumably for 810015 returning for scrapping hopefully.The same path was in for yesterday but was not utilised.
New unit testing resumed on the ECML last night/early morning after a break of 2-3 weeks with 810016 finishing on 5Q70 Darlington - Merchants Park and 810018 finishing on 5Q13 York - Merchants Park

Interesting that the 'test run' from York is non stop. Calling at Northallerton and Thirsk would be an opportunity to see if its doors worked.
Perhaps explains why, after 'passing' the test runs and being accepted, doors (and lavatories) are still a problem in passenger service..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Mar 2026 ==

The worst case scenario is that 33 new, permanent jobs are created for travelling engineers, doing work that can't be done by ChatGPT

If they travel every day 06.00 to 22.00 that's a lot more than 33; weekends or rest day cover, holiday relief, sick cover.
But, as an aside, that illustrates how railway staff costs build up.

 

[Amos390]

Interesting that the 'test run' from York is non stop. Calling at Northallerton and Thirsk would be an opportunity to see if its doors worked.
Perhaps explains why, after 'passing' the test runs and being accepted, doors (and lavatories) are still a problem in passenger service..

I’m presuming they test the doors in factory, I know they test 003/4’s doors repeatedly in Dalby, been down there before when these tests were undertook. They repeatedly open and close each door, and the lot of them. I’m presuming a similar thing is undergone at Newton Aycliffe

 

[800001]

I’m presuming they test the doors in factory, I know they test 003/4’s doors repeatedly in Dalby, been down there before when these tests were undertook. They repeatedly open and close each door, and the lot of them. I’m presuming a similar thing is undergone at Newton Aycliffe

The do them at York, Darlington, Newcastle etc when they do over night testing.

 

[Trainman40083]

The worst case scenario is that 33 new, permanent jobs are created for travelling engineers, doing work that can't be done by ChatGPT

But maybe they would need two shifts, to cover

 

[Andy Pacer]

Only 3 out again today in passenger service. 006 on the 05:49 ex-NOT, 014 on the 05:56 ex-SHF and 012 on the 07:00 ex-SHF (started DBY due to 'above solebar' problems...).

Are there more than 3 diagrams per day now then?

 

[Amos390]

Are there more than 3 diagrams per day now then?

Yea a 4th was introduced the other day

 

[liamf656]

Are there more than 3 diagrams per day now then?

A fourth was introduced on Monday 23rd

 

[1D54]

1B07 this morning is cancelled due to fault with train (810013)

 

[Andy Pacer]

1B07 this morning is cancelled due to fault with train (810013)

At least my alternative is a 10 car today!

 

[Spartacus]

1B07 this morning is cancelled due to fault with train (810013)

A few faults, though none appear to be with external doors.

 

[Andy Pacer]

A fourth was introduced on Monday 23rd

Aah right, thanks I've found the information upthread. I see its been a Meridian the past 3 days...

 

[Railperf]

Looks like a disaster this morning with only one class 810 out in service. Already plenty of cancellations.

 

[Amos390]

Looks like a disaster this morning with only one class 810 out in service. Already plenty of cancellations.

Even the driver trainings can’t escape, 810008 failed on 3A23 out of Etches…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Mar 2026 ==

810013 must’ve been quite a bad failure for it to have been pulled at Mansfield Jn and having to return instead of trying to limp the 5 minutes to Notts. If it had gotten to Notts, would they have been able to a tech out to try and fix it up where it was, or is it just better in that scenario to return to base?