The RMT says its members still have "more questions than answers" over faults with East Midlands Railway's new Aurora (Class 810) trains, introduced in December 2025. Strikes have taken place and further action is planned for 8 and 15 August, with additional short-notice disruption expected throughout August. EMR and Hitachi say they have an agreed action plan and have increased testing and modification capacity, but no firm timetable for full service restoration has been given. Reported faults include an auxiliary reset issue, driver-cab access problems, and difficulties accessing emergency equipment and toilets.
RMT Demands Answers as New East Midlands Aurora Trains Cause Disruption and Strikes
The RMT union says plans for strike action is "firmly" in place after East Midlands Railway announced an action plan to improve a new fleet of trains made by Hitachi [Getty Images]
The RMT union says its members still have "more questions than answers" over persistent faults with East Midlands Railway's new Aurora trains (Class 810), amid strikes and continuing service disruption.
Background: EMR reduced services in July citing "reliability issues" with the Aurora fleet, built by Hitachi and introduced into passenger service in December 2025. Union members staged a strike on 1 August and have confirmed further action on 8 and 15 August, with action short of a strike planned on multiple dates through August.
Union Reaction
John Watson, RMT Midlands region organiser, said lengthy talks with EMR have not resolved members' concerns and that industrial action remains "firmly on". He emphasised the dispute affects both staff and passengers and described strike action as a last resort after repeated operational problems.
John Watson, RMT Midlands region organiser, said "numerous rounds" of talks had not resolved the issue with EMR [BBC]
"At the present moment in time, with more questions than answers on many points, members are of the opinion that the action stays on," Watson said.
Reported Technical Problems
The RMT and staff have reported a number of issues with the Class 810 Aurora trains, including:
- A fault requiring an "auxiliary on/auxiliary off" reset
- Problems with driver access to cab controls
- Difficulty accessing emergency equipment for staff
- Issues with access to onboard toilets
Operator And Manufacturer Response
EMR and Hitachi say they have agreed an integrated action plan to address faults across both the new Class 810 fleet and the older Class 222 trains. EMR stated it remains "confident" Hitachi will resolve the performance issues and noted the Class 810 fleet was licensed by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) after meeting required safety tests.
Hitachi said it has increased capacity for modifications and testing, invested in extra activity at the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre to speed software updates and testing, and is working closely with supply chains to improve parts availability for the older Class 222 fleet. Both companies said the work is ongoing but did not provide a definitive timeline for a return to a normal timetable.
Intercity services connecting the East Midlands to London have been reduced since July [Nigel Harris/Getty Images]
Service Impact
EMR will operate a significantly reduced timetable on strike days 8 and 15 August, running services from 07:00 until before 19:00 on Intercity and Connect routes. Intercity services link the East Midlands with London, Manchester and Liverpool; the Connect route runs between London St Pancras and Luton Airport. Action short of a strike is planned for 2–7 August, 9–14 August and from 16 August until further notice, meaning short-notice changes and cancellations are possible.
What passengers should know: Expect disruption across affected routes during August. Check before travel, allow extra time, and follow EMR updates for cancellations and amended timetables.
EMR, Hitachi and the RMT say they are continuing talks and technical work to restore reliability, but until modifications and testing are complete neither operator nor manufacturer can confirm when a full timetable will resume.
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