East Coast Trains news
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Rail Business UKInterview: ‘Open access works in Europe and it works here’
UK: Martijn Gilbert, head of FirstGroup’s Lumo and Hull Trains businesses, says the open access model is a proven success, and makes the case for further expansion whatever rail reforms may lie ahead.
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Rail Business UKFirstGroup’s Lumo seeks to launch Rochdale – London open access service
UK: FirstGroup has applied to operate Rochdale – London open access passenger trains, more than 20 years after a short-lived through service ran between the two destinations. On May 17 FirstGroup said that it had applied to the Office of Rail & Road to launch six ...
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Rail Business UKTrain operator’s apprenticeship scheme goes beyond day-to-day roles
UK: ‘We want to continuously ensure that as many local people as possible have the opportunity to join the rail industry, regardless of their previous skill set or background’, Lumo Managing Director Martijn Gilbert said when he announced that 95% of the open access operator’s workforce ...
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Rail Business UKFirstGroup’s open access performing ahead of expectations
UK: Trading in FirstGroup’s First Rail division has been slightly ahead of expectations due to strong performance at the open access businesses, the company said in a pre-close trading update. The announcement on March 12 covers the period since the half year results were published on ...
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Rail Business UKLumo plans to extend open access services to Glasgow
UK: Open access train operator Lumo is has announced plans to extend some of its London – Edinburgh services to Glasgow. The FirstGroup-owned company is working with Transport Scotland and infrastructure manager Network Rail to agree final route options and timings ahead of an application for ...
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Rail Business UKVirtual train tour to help passengers ahead of travel
UK: Open access operator Lumo has worked with Ocean 3D to develop an interactive 360° walk-through tour of its trains to assist people who may be anxious ahead of entering unfamiliar environments.
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Rail Business UKRisk management and luggage recommendations in report into Lumo overspeed incident
UK: The Rail Accident Investigation Branch makes recommendations covering junction risk management and luggage safety in its report into an incident when a Lumo train passed over points north of Peterborough station at excessive speed. This led to some passengers being thrown from their seats and luggage ...
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In depthUK: Lumo takes on the airlines
In the 18 months since its launch on the London – Edinburgh route, open access operator Lumo has driven up ridership and lifted rail’s market share significantly, as FirstGroup’s Commercial & Revenue Director Stuart Jones explains to Tony Miles.
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Rail Business UKRail needs to get out of a pickle, says Minister in Gherkin
UK: ‘The perception that passengers cannot rely on rail is too close to the truth’, Rail Minister Huw Merriman told representatives of the passenger industry.
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Rail Business UKLumo appoints Service Delivery Director
UK: Jen Clare has been appointed as Service Delivery Director at FirstGroup’s London to Edinburgh open access operator Lumo. Clare has almost 20 years of railway operations experience, having started her career as a signalling apprentice. Before joining Lumo, she was Head ...
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Rail Business UKManaging Director of both Lumo and Hull Trains appointed
UK: FirstGroup has announced the appointment of Martijn Gilbert to the new role of Managing Director of its two open access operators Lumo and Hull Trains.
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Rail Business UKSafety was managed well in Class 800 cracking crisis, finds ORR
UK: Rail industry processes ensured that passenger safety was not compromised following the discovery of bodyshell cracks on the Hitachi-built Class 800 series trainsets in May 2021, according to a report published by the Office of Rail & Road on April 7.
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Rail Business UKFirst Rail’s management fee operations meet expectations and open access is ahead
UK: Performance at First Rail’s four management fee-based train operating companies is in line with expectations for the second half of the financial year, while open access operators Hull Trains and Lumo are marginally ahead of expectations, FirstGroup said in a trading update on February 25. ...
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Rail Business UKLumo Managing Director steps down
UK: Helen Wylde stepped down as Managing Director of recently launched London – Edinburgh open access operator Lumo on January 4, in order to take up a position outside the rail industry. Phil Cameron, First Rail’s Commercial Projects Director, will act as Interim Managing Director until ...
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Rail Business UKTicket sales ahead of expectations as low-cost Lumo launches
UK: FirstGroup reports that initial ticket sales at its newly launched London – Edinburgh open access operator Lumo are ahead of expectations, with weekend services proving to be particularly popular. ‘We have always said we intend to reimagine rail travel and we are glad people ...
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Rail Business UKLumo aims to be the green alternative to Edinburgh – London flights
Having unveiled Lumo as the brand name for its Edinburgh to London open access service, FirstGroup explains to Rail Business UK how it is taking a different approach to rail travel with the aim of winning passengers from air and coach.
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Rail Business UKEast Coast Main Line changes in planned May 2022 timetable
UK: LNER and TransPennine Express have begun public consultation over plans to change timetables and service patterns on the East Coast Main Line from the May 2022 timetable. LNER says its proposed new timetable ‘builds on over a decade of planning and investment’ in Azuma trains ...
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Rail Business UKEast Coast Trains Class 803 production begins
UK: Production of the five Class 803 trainsets which FirstGroup subsidiary East Coast Trains has ordered for its future London to Edinburgh open access service is underway at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe factory.
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Rail Business UKEdinburgh – London open access service takes shape
UK: With the first of five Hitachi-built trainsets delivered to the UK for fitting out, FirstGroup has appointed the leadership team for its low-cost open access service between Edinburgh and London, which is scheduled to start running from October 2021. Helen Wylde has been appointed as Managing ...
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Rail Business UKEast Coast Trains open access recruitment underway
UK: FirstGroup subsidiary East Coast Trains Ltd is recruiting a management team for the launch of its planned London – Edinburgh open access services by May 2021. Appointments are expected to be announced early next year, Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of FirstGroup’s First Rail division, told Rail ...