Class 810 for East Midlands Railway Construction/Introduction Updates

[Amos390]

Have they been cleared for 10 car working yet or is testing still ongoing on that front?

Not to my knowledge. I’m presuming that’s what they’re working on at Old Dalby with GBRf (although ROG seem to have been operating the 810s lately)

 

[Trainben]

Not to my knowledge. I’m presuming that’s what they’re working on at Old Dalby with GBRf (although ROG seem to have been operating the 810s lately)

Thanks

 

[Gordonman]

There were overnight test runs last night

5Q11 Old Dalby - Doncaster
then Newark and return
then 5Q59 Doncaster - Old Dalby

810003 810004 ??

 

[Amos390]

There were overnight test runs last night

5Q11 Old Dalby - Doncaster
then Newark and return
then 5Q59 Doncaster - Old Dalby

810003 810004 ??

Yes, there are runs planned from Dalby all week (and I think next week) under ROG. I can only presume at this moment that it is both, not one if the 810s as there were no units allocated onto the services, but it would make sense to be both

 

[Merle Haggard]

Running in pairs is one thing, but what about coupling and uncoupling? On the 'Avanti service via the Settle and Carlisle' thread today there's report of spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to couple two 807s. They've been in service a while but it seems it's still not been mastered there. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic but can't help wondering whether 'coupling issues' will be added to the list of reasons for train cancellations once there's enough 810s in service to run double sets.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Running in pairs is one thing, but what about coupling and uncoupling? On the 'Avanti service via the Settle and Carlisle' thread today there's report of spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to couple two 807s. They've been in service a while but it seems it's still not been mastered there. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic but can't help wondering whether 'coupling issues' will be added to the list of reasons for train cancellations once there's enough 810s in service to run double sets.

Coupling two 807's ... interesting. Not seen a 14 car set yet!

 

[Merle Haggard]

Coupling two 807's ... interesting. Not seen a 14 car set yet!

Sorry haven't got used to 805 and 807.
However, in my defence I have been on a West Coast 15 car set a few times - 221s on the Chiltern diversion to Euston. The 3rd set's DMF was coach 'Q' and this was even displayed on the screens on the bulkheads.

 

[800001]

Running in pairs is one thing, but what about coupling and uncoupling? On the 'Avanti service via the Settle and Carlisle' thread today there's report of spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to couple two 807s. They've been in service a while but it seems it's still not been mastered there. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic but can't help wondering whether 'coupling issues' will be added to the list of reasons for train cancellations once there's enough 810s in service to run double sets.

No different to LNER and GWR who still have issues coupling and uncoupling 5 car sets.

 

[Railperf]

Running in pairs is one thing, but what about coupling and uncoupling? On the 'Avanti service via the Settle and Carlisle' thread today there's report of spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to couple two 807s. They've been in service a while but it seems it's still not been mastered there. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic but can't help wondering whether 'coupling issues' will be added to the list of reasons for train cancellations once there's enough 810s in service to run double sets.

I've been on Avanti West Coast Class 805's that successfully coupled and uncoupled at Chester.

Edit ; never mind running in multiple. We are still struggling for both units to complete the days diagrams as single units. Looks like 011 did not last the day today.

 

[1D54]

Iooks like 011 did not last the day today.

Indeed, it failed on 1F40 at Loughborough on the way to Sheffield (M8)

 

[LowLevel]

Appears to have had a locked axle alarm, don't know whether it was spurious or whether something had to be isolated but it terminated at Loughborough and then scuttled off empty to Etches Park.

 

[Spartacus]

Running in pairs is one thing, but what about coupling and uncoupling? On the 'Avanti service via the Settle and Carlisle' thread today there's report of spending an hour unsuccessfully trying to couple two 807s. They've been in service a while but it seems it's still not been mastered there. Perhaps I'm being pessimistic but can't help wondering whether 'coupling issues' will be added to the list of reasons for train cancellations once there's enough 810s in service to run double sets.

Snow & ice in couplings can be a swine.

 

[Railperf]

Snow & ice in couplings can be a swine.

Doesn't the nose cone stop that happening - unless the unit was driven with the nose cone open?

 

[Spartacus]

Doesn't the nose cone stop that happening - unless the unit was driven with the nose cone open?

Only to a certain degree, though if it's the one I'm thinking of, 09:24 from Carlisle, it was nothing to do with the coupling anyway.

 

[800001]

Doesn't the nose cone stop that happening - unless the unit was driven with the nose cone open?

Snow and ice still gets in from underneath in large quantities.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Snow & ice in couplings can be a swine.

Thanks, I hadn't realised that was the problem.
Problems with coupling West Coast IETs, primarily at Chester, continued to occur for some time after introduction. The delays at Carlisle on the face of it suggested the process still hadn't been perfected.
I accept what you say about snow and ice but multiple-unit trains (and locos. being mult'd) have been successfully coupled in their presence for many years. Including 222s, as far as I know.

 

[fgwrich]

Snow and ice still gets in from underneath in large quantities.

Similar to the days of old when BR used to put the loco on the leading end of the West Coast Push Pull sets to avoid the whipped up snow finding its way into the traction motors - better to have the loco leading at the direction of travel than have the snow be whipped up by the train.

Though in the case of the 80X, whilst it looks like most of the underframe equipment is boxed in, it isn’t and a lot of them are just covers.

 

[Spartacus]

Thanks, I hadn't realised that was the problem.
Problems with coupling West Coast IETs, primarily at Chester, continued to occur for some time after introduction. The delays at Carlisle on the face of it suggested the process still hadn't been perfected.
I accept what you say about snow and ice but multiple-unit trains (and locos. being mult'd) have been successfully coupled in their presence for many years. Including 222s, as far as I know.

The problem isn't just confined to IETs, I doubt there's any multiple unit that's not affected, and while a shunters pole could knock the majority of it from old fashioned couplings, that'd take time, and of course those had their own problems too.

 

[Pete_uk]

Snow & ice in couplings can be a swine.

If they can put socks on the horns they can put a wooly hat on the couplers

 

[duffield]

If they can put socks on the horns they can put a wooly hat on the couplers

So where do the long johns go?

 

[MCR247]

Stood at Derby waiting for the 1026 to Nottingham which is meant to be an 810. Seems EMR have forgotten about the service as we’ve not even had a delay announcement. I’m gonna guess it’ll eventually be cancelled due to a fault with the train.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Jan 2026 ==

Stood at Derby waiting for the 1026 to Nottingham which is meant to be an 810. Seems EMR have forgotten about the service as we’ve not even had a delay announcement. I’m gonna guess it’ll eventually be cancelled due to a fault with the train.

Never mind, we got underway eventually 17 minutes late. Always disconcerting when there’s delay announcements for other services but your train due 10 minutes ago doesn’t get anything announced. Some orange staff seemingly trying to fix the disabled loo in coach E. They’ve managed to get the door open….the lights went green for a couple of seconds but now out of service again. They seem to have admitted defeat.

I can’t believe how loud the aircon is, I’m sure the rest of the 80x are a bit quieter at least

 

[1D54]

With 810010 which is doing the 11:10 NOT-STP.

 

[LowLevel]

Said accessible loo was also playing up yesterday and going in and out of service. Driver's cab door internal release bar also broken again yesterday. The fitter looked somewhat harassed bless him.

 

[_toommm_]

With 810010 which is doing the 11:10 NOT-STP.

Delete

 

[londonmidland]

008 and 013 are out this morning on test.

 

[Sonyman66]

Looks like 810013 only got as far as Loughborough before returning to Derby

 

[Amos390]

Looks like 810013 only got as far as Loughborough before returning to Derby

It's back out again though - Ran 3A27 all the way to St Pancras all fine and 3A28 is running 7L approaching Syston Jn now

 

[liamf656]

810013 is once again pencilled in for 1C17 tomorrow (14/01), subject to the usual caveats. This should be its first outing in public service

 

[Dood75]

Yes, there are runs planned from Dalby all week (and I think next week) under ROG. I can only presume at this moment that it is both, not one if the 810s as there were no units allocated onto the services, but it would make sense to be both

It was only 1 set as I saw it on the Doncaster railcam , which one though I dont know

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Jan 2026 ==

810013 is once again pencilled in for 1C17 tomorrow (14/01), subject to the usual caveats. This should be its first outing in public service

And 011 looks also to be pencilled in for another go today

 

[PHWO]

@liamf656 thanks for the heads up on 013, it is indeed running and should be arriving into St Pancras with 1C17 in the next few minutes