Lumo 10-car services today

[D1537]

Lumo's 1E82 Edinburgh-Kings Cross and 1S97 return have today been formed of 803001 and 803003. Lumo have posted on social media that this is the highest number of seats ever reserved on a train. There are over 800 seats on a pair of 803s, so in terms of recent services they're almost certainly correct ... but ever?

Edit: Apparently there are "only" 386 seats on an 803. I'm sure they'd previously claimed it was over 400, but perhaps I'm imagining that.

 

[Harpo]

Eurostar E320 with 894 seats??

 

[Russel]

Shame it takes an Open Access operator to make something like that happen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2026 ==

Eurostar E320 with 894 seats??

Suppose Lumo are referring to domestic services.

 

[Retorus]

Shame it takes an Open Access operator to make something like that happen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2026 ==



Suppose Lumo are referring to domestic services.

Is it?

 

[1D54]

Deleted.

 

[D1537]

Shame it takes an Open Access operator to make something like that happen.

They're the only operator with standard class only 80x, so it's hardly unsurprising.

 

[AlterEgo]

Lumo's 1E82 Edinburgh-Kings Cross and 1S97 return have today been formed of 803001 and 803003. Lumo have posted on social media that this is the highest number of seats ever reserved on a train. There are over 800 seats on a pair of 803s, so in terms of recent services they're almost certainly correct ... but ever?

Unlikely given Virgin West Coast did 15 car Voyager blockade busters into Marylebone which were rammed at least one time I did them.

 

[saismee]

And the units that have replaced them on the MML are still unable to do a 10 car service!!

This is Lumo East Coast.

 

[1D54]

Silly me. Just seen one heading up the WCML, still no excuse though.

 

[H F Stephens]

Is it?

Absolutely it’s not a shame; if there’s a place for Open Access in future, then perhaps this is exactly the kind of thing they should be doing to prove concepts.

The DfT/GBR‘s response will then be instructive.

And the units that have replaced them on the MML are still unable to do a 10 car service!!

The 10 car services operated today on the East Coast Main Line are completely unrelated to anything formerly operated on the Midland Main Line.

They're the only operator with standard class only 80x, so it's hardly unsurprising.

It was stated that (at least) the down service was fully-booked, so a 100% load factor on an 800+ seat fully-electric service between the capitals is absolutely newsworthy and should put pressure on other stakeholders to constantly review operations.

I’d also posit that the DfT should, as a result, apply increased pressure on Open Access operators to maximise gross loads, and not occupy paths on restricted infrastructure with short trains.

Of course, that might also have the effect of shining a light on pitiful capacity provision and poor use of paths by other, soon to be GBR, operators.

So, I’d suggest, not a shame at all.

 

[XCTurbostar]

100% of the 803s used on one day? Maybe more should have been ordered!

 

[800001]

100% of the 803s used on one day? Maybe more should have been ordered!

Well, there is the order for additional units to enable more Hull trains and Lumo east coast services to operate as 10 car formations .

 

[Russel]

Is it?

Well, yeah, running trains with 800 seats available is what DFT TOCs should be doing, even adding Frist Class and reducing standard to 650-700 seats would be an absolute game changer for Cross Country.

They're the only operator with standard class only 80x, so it's hardly unsurprising.

I know, but that's not relevant to the point I was making.

 

[dk1]

Unlikely given Virgin West Coast did 15 car Voyager blockade busters into Marylebone which were rammed at least one time I did them.

Terrific days and just summed up the Virgin ‘can do‘ attitude. Caught the ‘Blockbuster’ from Marylebone to Nuneaton where Pendolinos were waiting to continue journeys to Liverpool, Manchester, & Glasgow.

 

[Harpo]

Terrific days and just summed up the Virgin ‘can do‘ attitude. Caught the ‘Blockbuster’ from Marylebone to Nuneaton where Pendolinos were waiting to continue journeys to Liverpool, Manchester, & Glasgow.

It was a logical extension of the BR CP1 (contingency plan) for WCML blockages that saw OOC turn out a train for Paddington - Birmingham while Saltley kicked out locos (of all sorts!) to New St to work to Paddington.

As you say, ‘can do’ days.

 

[swt_passenger]

Terrific days and just summed up the Virgin ‘can do‘ attitude. Caught the ‘Blockbuster’ from Marylebone to Nuneaton where Pendolinos were waiting to continue journeys to Liverpool, Manchester, & Glasgow.

Ran to/from Euston according to previous discussions. But with respect to this thread, they wouldn’t have provided 800 seats anyway.

 

[danielhogg2005]

Unlikely given Virgin West Coast did 15 car Voyager blockade busters into Marylebone which were rammed at least one time I did them.

5 Car Class 221 Super Voyagers only have 246 seats, which means that 3 of them would be only 738 seats (If they where rammed with standing passengers then they would carry more, but then that could also be overtaken by 12 car Class 700s on the Thameslink network).

But from a purely seat perspective, this is the highest capacity of seating offered on one service domestically in the UK, a positive bit of news and hopefully a sign of things to come with the new trains coming in next year.

My question though is, can all 10 cars be accommodated at all 5 stations on this route (Edinburgh, Morpeth, Newcastle, Stevenage and London KX)?

 

[800001]

5 Car Class 221 Super Voyagers only have 246 seats, which means that 3 of them would be only 738 seats (If they where rammed with standing passengers then they would carry more, but then that could also be overtaken by 12 car Class 700s on the Thameslink network).

But from a purely seat perspective, this is the highest capacity of seating offered on one service domestically in the UK, a positive bit of news and hopefully a sign of things to come with the new trains coming in next year.

My question though is, can all 10 cars be accommodated at all 5 stations on this route (Edinburgh, Morpeth, Newcastle, Stevenage and London KX)?

Unsure about Morpeth, maybe a few doors off platform, at all other stations yes 10 cars fit. At Edinburgh only a couple of through platforms will fit them, the two bays 5/6 will not fit 10 cars I believe.

LNER 10 car services call at these stations.

 

[Segedunum]

Unsure about Morpeth, maybe a few doors off platform, at all other stations yes 10 cars fit. At Edinburgh only a couple of through platforms will fit them, the two bays 5/6 will not fit 10 cars I believe.

LNER 10 car services call at these stations.

The 10-car set on a weekday is booked into Edinburgh P5 so both of those are definitely fine.

 

[800001]

The 10-car set on a weekday is booked into Edinburgh P5 so both of those are definitely fine.

Things must of changed since they first sent 10 cars there, as they were never allowed in 5/6 originally, I think due to can being past signal.

 

[Crithylum]

But from a purely seat perspective, this is the highest capacity of seating offered on one service domestically in the UK, a positive bit of news and hopefully a sign of things to come with the new trains coming in next year.

10x720 is significantly higher at 980, even beating Eurostar

 

[saismee]

10x720 is significantly higher at 980, even beating Eurostar

Good luck fitting 980 people in those Aventras. An interior like the 700s would've been much better.

 

[dk1]

Good luck fitting 980 people in those Aventras. An interior like the 700s would've been much better.

More seats though if you’re not of the chunky fraternity.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Back on topic for a moment, is 1S97 expected to be consistent as a 10 car now then?

 

[Nottingham59]

Edit: Apparently there are "only" 386 seats on an 803. I'm sure they'd previously claimed it was over 400, but perhaps I'm imagining that.

Wikipedia says 402?

EDIT: Maybe they took some seats out when they added more luggage racks

 

[JonathanH]

Wikipedia says 402?

Tip up seats were included, and a few seats have been removed.
See https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/east-coast-timetable-dec-24.263780/page-14#post-6962416

 

[saismee]

More seats though if you’re not of the chunky fraternity.

I'm quite the opposite of that category but it all depends on who is sitting either side of you!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Unlikely given Virgin West Coast did 15 car Voyager blockade busters into Marylebone which were rammed at least one time I did them.

They were ad hoc. I think 10-car LUMO may become regular or semi-regular.

 

[JonathanH]

They were ad hoc. I think 10-car LUMO may become regular or semi-regular.

Selling tickets on the basis of all five units being available, with no contingency, is not a very robust idea.

 

[hexagon789]

They were ad hoc. I think 10-car LUMO may become regular or semi-regular.

Leaving no spare unit for maintenance would seem very optimistic and then some.

Launching the West Coast operation with no spare unit demonstrated the issues with that approach.