Direct Train Services May Arrive In Lincoln

The Lincolnshire Echo today exclusely reveal that direct train services between Lincoln and London could be saved – if a new train operator throws its hat into the ring.

As reported in the last week, East Coast will save £9 million a year by running just one daily return service to and from King's Cross from May next year, instead of the seven originally planned. Most passengers from Lincoln will have to travel to Newark to catch onward trains.

Passengers can currently use East Midlands Trains' much slower direct service to St Pancras, which takes two hours and 50 minutes, departing Lincoln at 7.08am and leaving London at 6.30pm. Now, it has emerged that Grand Central is interested in taking on the direct Lincoln to London services abandoned by East Coast.

Managing director Tom Clift made the revelation at a recent meeting of Railfuture Yorkshire.

Grand Central runs the Sunderland to Kings Cross and West Riding to London services as open access services. This is when the operator receives no taxpayer support and operates services at its own commercial risk.

It would run the Lincoln to London services in the same way.

Grand Central spokeman Rupert Brennan Brown said the company would be looking at using the paths, or slots in the timetable, that East Coast is vacating.

"As I understand it, East Coast is proposing one train in the morning and one train in the evening between Lincoln and London and four return services from London to Newark.

"It is Grand Central's contention that this is not the best use of these paths and that it may be possible to serve other places by extending the trains beyond Newark.

"At the moment, we are trying to get clarity as to what the final proposed timetable is.

"There was a suggestion it would cost £9 million to run the services that have now been scaled down. We are trying to find out what opportunities there might be for us as an open access operator, which is not supported by the taxpayer."

Network Rail spokesman Rachel Lowe said timetabling decisions would be needed before a company could operate.

"Various train operators, whether they be franchises or open access, will be putting bids in for paths.

"If full agreement about timetabling, given the restraints of the network, cannot be made locally, the Office of Rail Regulation will have the final say on who gets to run what services."

New Train Services Will Not Happen

Direct train services between Lincoln and London have been cut even before they have begun. Train operator East Coast expects to save £9 million a year by running just one daily return service to and from King's Cross from May 2011, instead of the seven originally planned.

Most passengers from Lincoln will have to travel to Newark to catch onward trains. East Coast, owned by Directly Operated Railways, which was set up by the Government, will also be using existing engines and carriages on the direct service in and out of Lincoln and will not now introduce an additional fleet of five Adelante Class 180 trains.

Elaine Holt, Chief Executive of Directly Operated Railways and Chairman of East Coast, said: "

We had believed the proposed new Lincoln services would provide more through trains for customers from the region – and this formed an important part of the Eureka! timetable changes.

"However, given the very tough economic climate, all parts of the Government are looking to see where efficiencies can be made."

It was reported earlier in the year that East Coast was to run the seven direct services each way between Lincoln and Kings Cross from May next year.

Mr. Karl McCartney MP (Conservative, Lincoln) has said:

"Having fourteen services a day between Lincoln and London would have been absolutely brilliant for us and put Lincoln on the map.

"I am very disappointed with East Coast's announcement, but I am pleased there will be two services.

"East Coast has made the decision to cut the services. It is not Government cuts."

A single direct service from Lincoln will depart at 7.22am, arriving at King's Cross at 9.21am. The return leg leaves London at 7.06pm, arriving in Lincoln at 9pm.

David Harby, Chairman of the Lincolnshire branch of Railfuture, said members had been anticipating the risk due to tighter public spending given that the service would have needed a Government subsidy.
Mr Harby, who lives off Brant Road, Lincoln, said:

"I highlighted the risk to the service during the election campaign and Karl McCartney refused to give any assurance.

"We are sorry to see the service cut, but can take comfort from the two trains a day and the extra stops at Newark that will benefit morning trips to London.

"Also the use of nine-car trains instead of four-car Adelante trains will answer concerns of overcrowding."

Eureka! Timetable for Lincoln to London Direct Train Service Announced

On Sunday, 22nd May 2011 the biggest timetable change for twenty years is due to come into effect. This change will see more seats, more services and faster journeys on most routes.

The proposed timetable has been developed by the industry over the past decade. So significant and dynamic is the change it has been branded 'Eureka!' in order to signify how much the project is a major breakthrough for the flagship East Coast Main Line.

Yesterday local commuters at Lincoln Central Station learnt details of the new direct Lincoln to London train services scheduled, following a six month delay, to begin in net year. A total of fourteen services between London and Lincoln will operate in addition to the current East Coast service via Nottingham.

The typical journey time to London will be approximately one hour and fifty minutess which is at least one hour faster than current direct service operated by East Midlands Trains and shaves fifteen minutes off a passengers journey who elects to change trains at Newark.

The average journey time from London will be one hour forty-five minutes, again besting by at least one hour the current direct service operated by East Midlands Trains.

This is a new service from East Coast and provides a major improvement for Lincolnshire's transport links to the capital.

The first train of the day is proposed to depart Lincoln for the capitol at 07:22 arriving at 09:18 whilst the final train of the day would depart at 19:25 arriving at 21:20.