Class 810 for East Midlands Railway Construction/Introduction Updates

[InTheEastMids]

You would have thought a MP would understand about leases and contracts, and therefore understand why the trains were moved away.

But I suppose he has to be seen to be asking the question

Agree, he absolutely knows what's going on. But as an opposition constituency MP, it's reasonable for him to ask about, and (if it was me), also develop a narrative that is something like, "Heidi Alexander is more concerned with touring the country to pose in front of red, white and blue trains for social media than she cares about sorting out the basics, like reliable trains with working doors. It's all window dressing, GBR is simply about rearranging the deckchairs"

To be fair, Keir Mather's answer basically says "This is an EMR problem and nothing to do with DfT", which might also be interpreted as DfT being a bit too interested in slapping GBR branding on things and perhaps not interested enough in sorting out stuff like this (yes the realist in me knows there may be nothing DfT can do).

Five 222s have been transferred to Limo

plus 222104 has retired - i.e. EMR are down by 6 Cl222, but have 10 810s that can carry passengers.

Getting 6/10 into service at the start of the day seems to be something EMR is managing. Keeping them in service through the day does seem to be proving to be too hard. It certainly looks like things would've been struggling at St Pancras yesterday evening as 1732 and 1805 departures were cancelled and 1735 and 1835 were both short-formed.

 

[222001]

Five 222s have been transferred to Limo but, I think, more than 5 810s have been 'cleared' for regular service, so there should be no shortage - rather the opposite
The MP would have been better advised, imo, to ask why the 222s replacements didn't work as reliably as the trains they replaced, which seems to me to be the real problem.

Indeed, 6x 222s have been stopped so far 001-005 + 104, but there are 6x 810 diagrams currently in operation daily. The problem is down to reliability with both the 810s and 222s.

 

[Amos390]

Just an observation, is today the day with the most amount of 810s out so far? I can see 810006 on the 1B07, 008/008 are returning to Etches today (as 10-car) on 3A16, 011 on 5F07, 012 on 5C17, 014 on 5C14, 015 on 5C11 and 016 on 5F00. All in all, there are a total of 8 units out today, with 010/013/018/019/022 in depot.

 

[Geoff_K]

Hi, I'm just wondering how the display above the windows to show seat numbers, & which are reserved, or not, compare to the GWR Class 80x trains.

Are they the same ones on both classes?

Travelling on an EMR train from Derby to London last August, I had trouble due to my eyesight being able to read the above window display to find my reserved seat, so I'm a little concerned that I might have the same problem again in September.

Would my train last year have been a Class 222?

 

[Amos390]

Make that one less 810, 810016 failed on 1D26 at Leicester, terminating and returning as 5Z26 to Etches.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Hi, I'm just wondering how the display above the windows to show seat numbers, & which are reserved, or not, compare to the GWR Class 80x trains.

Are they the same ones on both classes?

Travelling on an EMR train from Derby to London last August, I had trouble due to my eyesight being able to read the above window display to find my reserved seat, so I'm a little concerned that I might have the same problem again in September.

Would my train last year have been a Class 222?

It would definitely have been a 222 if it was this time last year.
I am not sure there are any seat reservations on EMR IC services at the moment.
I would sit wherever you can.

 

[Amos390]

I am not sure there are any seat reservations on EMR IC services at the moment.

There aren’t any at the moment, I think when all 810s are in and all 222s are out they might bring them back, but for the transition there are no reservations.

 

[Trainben]

An article today from Harborough FM News. Really feel for the regular commuters who put up with this chaos on a daily basis.

New Train Troubles Blamed for Market Harborough Rail Disruption

Concern is growing about the reliability of rail services through Market Harborough, with passengers reporting frequent delays, cancellations and overcrowding. East Midlands Railway has acknowledged the problems, blaming delays to the rollout of its new Aurora train fleet an

harboroughfm.co.uk

 

[800001]

Just an observation, is today the day with the most amount of 810s out so far? I can see 810006 on the 1B07, 008/008 are returning to Etches today (as 10-car) on 3A16, 011 on 5F07, 012 on 5C17, 014 on 5C14, 015 on 5C11 and 016 on 5F00. All in all, there are a total of 8 units out today, with 010/013/018/019/022 in depot.

I would ignore 008 and 009 in your count, they are test/training units and not to passenger standard.

That leaves 6 that were in passenger use, which I think is the most in use so far.

 

[Amos390]

I would ignore 008 and 009 in your count, they are test/training units and not to passenger standard.

That leaves 6 that were in passenger use, which I think is the most in use so far.

Well I was just looking at units out as a whole, not necessarily just the passenger units. It has been a bit since 008/009 have been out too I believe.

 

[meowtrain]

Was just on 810006 from Sheffield as it was cancelled, looked like they couldn’t get the cab door to shut from where I was sitting, now on a replacement meridian with stickers on all the windows promoting the auroras lol

 

[Amos390]

Was just on 810006 from Sheffield as it was cancelled, looked like they couldn’t get the cab door to shut from where I was sitting, now on a replacement meridian with stickers on all the windows promoting the auroras lol

Noticed that they’ve put these stickers on everything, an aurora version on the 222s, refurb 158 on the 158s and refurb 170 on the 170s, and there are banners advertising the 810s all over (even at places the 810s won’t serve). EMR are clearly going all out with the fleet overhaul, which I don’t mind as long as it actually goes well…

As for the 810, I noticed that yesterday at Notts the drivers instead of going in through the exterior cab door on 006, they used the interior one instead, could’ve just been a one-off, but could also have indicated this is a long-standing issue with 006 maybe?

 

[High Dyke]

As for the 810, I noticed that yesterday at Notts the drivers instead of going in through the exterior cab door on 006, they used the interior one instead, could’ve just been a one-off, but could also have indicated this is a long-standing issue with 006 maybe?

I believe this may be a bit of a longer term issue, and not just that particular unit.

 

[Spartacus]

I believe this may be a bit of a longer term issue, and not just that particular unit.

Yes, door issues are multiple, both in sets affected, location on sets, and causes. Some, like 006's issue causing the cancellation, fall into the 'you couldn't make it up' category.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes, door issues are multiple, both in sets affected, location on sets, and causes. Some, like 006's issue causing the cancellation, fall into the 'you couldn't make it up' category.

I was amazed. I actually saw 810006 heading north from Derby yesterday. "OMG. It moves"

 

[Spartacus]

I was amazed. I actually saw 810006 heading north from Derby yesterday. "OMG. It moves"

It's out today too, for now

 

[dave6]

I had my first trip on one yesterday and unit 006 performed admirably .
When i passed EP depot around 5 yesterday afternoon I noted newly delivered 022 plus 009 & 016.
There were at least 3 others (one with nose cone off) i couldn't ID, can anyone assist with identification please

 

[Amos390]

I had my first trip on one yesterday and unit 006 performed admirably .
When i passed EP depot around 5 yesterday afternoon I noted newly delivered 022 plus 009 & 016.
There were at least 3 others (one with nose cone off) i couldn't ID, can anyone assist with identification please

018/019 would’ve been 2 of them fir sure, not certain in the others though sorry.

 

[Sakuradori]

As for the 810, I noticed that yesterday at Notts the drivers instead of going in through the exterior cab door on 006, they used the interior one instead, could’ve just been a one-off, but could also have indicated this is a long-standing issue with 006 maybe?

I do this on IETs, not for any mechanical reason, but because it saves bending down and less chance of dropping my key down the cess

 

[800001]

I do this on IETs, not for any mechanical reason, but because it saves bending down and less chance of dropping my key down the cess

Yeah the external cab door lock is not in a very good place.

 

[dave6]

018/019 would’ve been 2 of them fir sure, not certain in the others though sorry.

Thank you very much for the info.

 

[800001]

810020 which was having work undertaken on its doors seems be complete, as now 810021 has started getting the work done at Merchant Park.

 

[Amos390]

810020 which was having work undertaken on its doors seems to of had it completed.
As now 810021 has started getting the work done at Merchant Park.

Nice, 020 next out then I suppose?

Also, since Bedford has reopened, EMR ran 2 short-plan services from Derby to St Pancras and back, both 810s (016 and 014), and only one of which returned… 810016 conked out in London and was moved to Cricklewood.

 

[Cowley]

There’s a new thread below to discuss what might happen to the class 810 that was damaged at Bedford.

Will the 810 involved in the Bedford crash be repaired or partly replaced?

mods note - split from this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-810-for-east-midlands-railway-construction-introduction-updates.195052/ Will Hitachi have to build a replacement unit for the 810 involved at Bedford, or is it likely to get repaired?

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Amos390]

My source within the factory stated that 810002 was discovered to have very bad welds on several carriages and they were indeed building replied it.

If this were to be true, could that also be a reason as to why 001, 003, 004, 005 and 007 will be some of the last units out?

Edit: I do also understand there are other factors like electrical work on 007 and 003/004 testing at Melton RIDC as well.

 

[800001]

If this were to be true, could that also be a reason as to why 001, 003, 004, 005 and 007 will be some of the last units out?

Edit: I do also understand there are other factors like electrical work on 007 and 003/004 testing at Melton RIDC as well.

In short no.

005 and 007 were very badly affected by the need for rewiring throughout the unit along with many many quality issues.

001/003/004 will slot to the back end of the delivery queue due to 001 been a shell when testing, 003 and 004 unsure of interior for out but they are still based at Old Dalby for testing. 001/003 and 004 basically require a 'rebuild' to be brought to passenger standard, same with all previous test units on previous builds eg LNER, the test units become some of the last to enter service.

 

[Amos390]

In short no.

005 and 007 were very badly affected by the need for rewiring throughout the unit along with many many quality issues.

001/003/004 will slot to the back end of the delivery queue due to 001 been a shell when testing, 003 and 004 unsure of interior for out but they are still based at Old Dalby for testing. 001/003 and 004 basically require a 'rebuild' to be brought to passenger standard, same with all previous test units on previous builds eg LNER, the test units become some of the last to enter service.

Ah OK thanks, just a an issue on 002 then I suppose.

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

Another question, what are GBRf testing on the 810s now, it seems that 10-car clearance have been granted as EMR do train drivers on the operations of coupling/uncoupling the 810s and are training their drivers to drive the 10-car consists, is there something else that is missing, as I thought 10-car was the final thing needed?

 

[800001]

Ah OK thanks, just a an issue on 002 then I suppose.

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

Another question, what are GBRf testing on the 810s now, it seems that 10-car clearance have been granted as EMR do train drivers on the operations of coupling/uncoupling the 810s and are training their drivers to drive the 10-car consists, is there something else that is missing, as I thought 10-car was the final thing needed?

Could be something as simple as software, or could be to try figure at what causes the many daily failures the sets have in daily traffic eh doors etc

 

[liamf656]

810022 is pencilled in to debut today, and can be searched on RTT

 

[720144]

810022 is pencilled in to debut today, and can be searched on RTT

Brilliant, that’s now 11/33 accepted.