HSTs reprieved

East Midlands Railway HSTs granted a further reprieve as MML electrification scheme suffers further delay.

HIGH Speed Trains that had been due for withdrawal in 2019 owing to accessibility concerns are now set to remain in traffic with East Midlands Railway into 2021.

They are needed because of a delay in delivering their interim replacements, while electrification on the Midland Main Line is also behind schedule (see story below).

RAIL understands that five to six sets will remain. These will likely be former LNER HSTs, branded ‘red trains’ by their new operator.

However, sources close to the project told RAIL that while EMR is due to return its original fleet, discussions are taking place regarding their possible retention due to the poor condition of some of the cascaded vehicles.

Porterbrook owns the existing vehicles as well as three cascaded HSTs, while Angel Trains owns three 2+6 sets used by EMR as well as six ex-LNER sets.

EMR had been due to remove its existing HSTs from traffic by the end of 2019, because they failed to meet accessibility regulations that came into force on January 1 2020.

This followed a lengthy period of negotiations once former Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling had formally cancelled electrification of the Midland Main Line north of Kettering.

But with replacement Hitachi Class 810 bi-mode trains not due in traffic until April 2022 at the earliest, there was much debate and confusion around what would cover the shortfall in the interim, before the Department for Transport confirmed last year that nine former LNER HSTs would transfer to EMR.

With dispensation to operate until December 31 2020, these would replace the original EMR fleet, which had dispensation until July 28.

The ex-LNER sets, while not fully accessible, are nevertheless more compliant with accessibility rules than the former EMR sets.

An EMR spokesman told RAIL: “We are still in discussion with the DfT for how many ‘red HSTs’ we are introducing. The derogation for the original sets currently runs out on July 28 and we have the application in for them to be extended.”

DfT had not responded to RAIL as this issue went to press.

So far, two former LNER sets are in service, along with several extra ‘43’ power cars.

This has allowed two rakes of stock to be scrapped, while some power cars have been either stored or have found new homes.

DAVID BELLAMY. East Midlands Railway 43238 leads the 1819 St Pancras InternationalSheffield between Wellingborough and Kettering on May 14. Both this and the rear power car were moved from LNER to the Midland Main Line, to enable the original HSTs on the route to be withdrawn (the stock in this image). However, delays to various projects means that both ex-LNER and EMR HSTs may be in traffic next year on the MML.