News Front
The forthcoming schedule change for EMR heralds the culmination of a long-standing programme,
THIS YEAR’S May timetable change is largely one of rebuilding, as operators restore services in line with the easing of pandemic restrictions (see next spread). There is one notable exception: East Midlands Railway’s major overhaul of the Midland main line timetable includes the introduction of the new London to Corby electric services and a recast of Intercity schedules, while there are also significant improvements on EMR’s regional routes.
Originally planned for December 2020 but deferred due to the impact of Covid, EMR’s timetable change is the culmination of a project that has been in the planning for several years. It brings together upgraded infrastructure – not just electrification from Bedford to Corby, but also the reinstatement of a fourth track between Sharnbrook Junction and Kettering, power supply upgrades, platform extensions and other station works, alongside the arrival of the cascaded Class 360 EMU fleet from Greater Anglia and operational preparations including an extensive crew training programme and the setup of a new crew depot at Kettering.
To deliver all this through a pandem…
