May 21st 2015

Travel advice for East Midlands Trains Customers

  • Significant disruption to services on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 May
  • Customers urged to check before travelling
  • Planned Network Rail work also affects services to/from London on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May
  • Latest available information at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk and nationalrail.co.uk/industrialaction

A national rail strike has been called by the RMT and TSSA trade unions involving Network Rail staff. If it goes ahead, it will severely disrupt journeys during bank holiday Monday, 25 May and Tuesday 26 May.

The planned industrial action by Network Rail staff will affect each train company’s services differently, as there are important differences between routes in terms of signalling and other factors. As a result, details of the replacement timetables for each route will not all become available at the same time.

East Midlands Trains customers are urged to check before they travel on both Monday and Tuesday with significant changes to many services right across the network.

In addition, pre-planned improvement work by Network Rail in the Bedford area on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May means that an amended timetable will also be running to/from London on these days. Engineers will be replacing a key junction, which allows trains to cross from one track to another, to deliver more reliable services in and out of Bedford. New track is also being installed in Knighton, south of Leicester.

On Saturday and Sunday, a reduced service will run between Bedford and London St Pancras International. For passengers in Bedford travelling north, buses will replace trains between Bedford, Wellingborough, Market Harborough and Leicester to connect with trains. Southbound services will terminate at Leicester and replacement buses will run between Leicester, Market Harborough, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford to connect with trains.

For more information on the revised timetable on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May, visit eastmidlandstrains.co.uk.

Planned train service – Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 May

Monday 25 May:

  • London route – Trains will start running later than usual in the morning and finish earlier than usual in the evening. The first train to arrive into London St Pancras International will be at 0748 (from Melton Mowbray). The last trains to leave London St Pancras International are the 1657 to Sheffield and the 1730 to Nottingham
  • Norwich to Liverpool via Nottingham – Significantly reduced service. Ely to Norwich will close at midday. Nottingham to Sheffield will close by 2030
  • Derby to Crewe – Near normal service but earlier closedown by 2000
  • Matlock to Newark – Near normal service but earlier closedown by 2000
  • Lincoln to Leicester – Near normal service but earlier closedown by 2030
  • Nottingham to Worksop – Near normal service but earlier closedown by 2030
  • Peterborough to Doncaster – Near normal service but with a later start of services after 0700 and earlier closedown by 1830
  • Newark North Gate to Grimsby – near normal service operates but with earlier closedown by 2030
  • Nottingham to Skegness – no service

Tuesday 26 May:

London route – Trains will start running later than usual in the morning and finish earlier than usual in the evening. The first train to arrive into London St Pancras International will be at 0910 (from Derby). The last trains to leave London St Pancras International are the 1458 to Sheffield, 1601 to Nottingham and the 1626 to Derby

  • Norwich to Liverpool via Nottingham – no service
  • Matlock to Newark – Train service operates between 0700 and 1900 between Matlock and Nottingham only
  • Derby to Crewe – No service
  • Lincoln to Leicester – Train service operates between 0700 and 1900 between Leicester and Nottingham only
  • Nottingham to Worksop – Train service operates between 0700 and 1900 between Mansfield Woodhouse and Nottingham only
  • Peterborough to Doncaster – No service
  • Newark North Gate to Grimsby – No service
  • Nottingham to Skegness – No service

Passengers should be aware that the above situation may change and be updated. Detailed information will be published as soon as possible. Customers are also advised to check before travel on Wednesday 27 May.

Full details of revised train services will be available at nationalrail.co.uk/industrialaction by Saturday 23 May.

Inter-city coach operator megabus.com, part of the same group which operates East Midlands Trains, is sourcing extra vehicles at a number of locations around the country to meet the anticipated increased demand for travel during the planned strike. Megabus.com covers around 100 destinations in the UK and tickets can be booked at www.megabus.com.

Changes to travel, refunds and compensation

  • Customers who already have a valid Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket valid for travel on either the Monday, 25 or Tuesday, 26 May can use their ticket for travel on Sunday, 24 May or Wednesday, 27 May, subject to any travel restrictions that would normally apply to the ticket on those days.
  • Customers holding an Advance ticket for travel on the 25 or 26 May can travel on either the 24 May or 27 May, using the same train service as originally booked on or the services immediately before or after this service.
  • Customers who already have a ticket valid for travel on any of the days affected by the planned industrial action and no longer wish to travel can claim a full refund or exchange their ticket for another ticket without payment of the normal administration fee. If you want to obtain a refund or exchange your ticket please ask the retailer from whom you purchased your ticket.
  • If you have a Season Ticket you will be entitled to compensation for any days you are unable to travel during the period of the Industrial Action, please contact the Customer Service Centre by calling 0345 712 5678 (then choose option 5) or eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/contactus

Customer information and updates

Customers are advised to plan ahead and check before travel through the following options: