Where Have the EMR Sunday Direct Services to Leeds Gone ?

The only thing to note is that EMT provide the last train between Sheffield and Wakefield / Leeds on Sunday nights and cancelling the last train is hardly likely to be a good PR move.

Same thing happens at the end of January. On the weekend of 25/26th. major work is taking place on the ECML which will be closed between London and Peterborough. EMR are warning their services will be busier than usual and wont be calling at Bedford, Luton or Luton Airport P/way, presumably to create more seats for LNER passengers.

However, the 2002 EMR service from St. Pancras on Saturday 25th, which normally runs to Leeds will be terminating at Sheffield.

It's not the first time this has happened and it's quite unfathomable to me.

Mugby said:

Same thing happens at the end of January. On the weekend of 25/26th. major work is taking place on the ECML which will be closed between London and Peterborough. EMR are warning their services will be busier than usual and wont be calling at Bedford, Luton or Luton Airport P/way, presumably to create more seats for LNER passengers.

However, the 2002 EMR service from St. Pancras on Saturday 25th, which normally runs to Leeds will be terminating at Sheffield.

It's not the first time this has happened and it's quite unfathomable to me.

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Yes, does look a bit strange, as the set goes empty to Neville Hill from Sheffield. Can only think there is an issue with guard rostering?

43096 said:

Yes, does look a bit strange, as the set goes empty to Neville Hill from Sheffield. Can only think there is an issue with guard rostering?

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Or to stop people using it to get to Wakefield Westgate and Leeds?

Class 170101 said:

Or to stop people using it to get to Wakefield Westgate and Leeds?

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Yes, exactly, but why? I've used it several times to Leeds and even when there's no disruption on the ECML, it usually carries a reasonable number of passengers to Wakefield and Leeds, presumably there's an attractive fare by comparison with LNER.

Mugby said:

Yes, exactly, but why? I've used it several times to Leeds and even when there's no disruption on the ECML, it usually carries a reasonable number of passengers to Wakefield and Leeds, presumably there's an attractive fare by comparison with LNER.

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Depends on whether it was expected that additional displaced passengers would "crowd out" the operator's core market. Safety concerns would be legitimate reasons to amend advertised services.

While not having trawled through the EMR franchise agreement word for word, I would expect clauses having been inserted compared to older franchises preventing the operator cancelling timetabled services willy-nilly just because it is operationally convenient. The change either has to be Network Rail-led, or for very good reasons (eg. not possible to get stock in position for the following day). This change was implemented after some operators over the years literally took the liberty cancelling services en masse with very little notice and avoiding relevant penalties.

Class 170101 said:

The only thing to note is that EMT provide the last train between Sheffield and Wakefield / Leeds on Sunday nights and cancelling the last train is hardly likely to be a good PR move.

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It ran last night and had quite a few passengers on for Wakefield and Leeds (including me) but I notice there is a CrossCountry service at 23:19 for any Leeds passengers so just the last Wakefield connection is lost really

Personally I can't stand the EMT stock used for this journey (the one East Coast used to nick now and again), probably OK in First Class but in Standard no plug sockets and chunky arm rests that don't move would probably provide quite a miserable journey if doing the full route!