Rail employees at East Midlands Railway (EMR) staged industrial action on Saturday in protest at continuing safety failures connected to the Hitachi-built Class 810 trains that were involved in the collision south of Bedford on 19 July. The crash resulted in the death of driver Shaun Burton and left 162 people injured.
Scope of the action and immediate disruption
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) organised pickets at a number of stations, including Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and London St Pancras. EMR was forced to operate a limited timetable on affected routes, running a skeleton service between Sheffield and Nottingham, with services to London St Pancras reduced to around one train per hour and terminating early across the network at 7pm.
Safety faults at the centre of the dispute
Members of the RMT who work as conductors and onboard hospitality staff have announced further 24‑hour stoppages on the next two successive Saturdays. Their action follows concerns over defects with the Class 810 fleet introduced by EMR in December after lengthy delays in bringing the trains into service.
Among the problems cited are incidents where the Automatic Warning System applied the brakes unexpectedly, one of which led to the Nottingham-to-London service stopping south of Bedford on 19 July. A following Corby-to-London train then collided with the stationary train, killing the driver instantly.
Questions over signalling and onboard protection
Critically, investigators and union representatives have pointed to gaps in line-side protection. The section of track involved does not have the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) installed—an electronic overlay that can automatically apply brakes if a train passes a red signal or approaches too fast. The initial report from the Rail Accident Investigation Board (RAIB) has not addressed that absence in its early findings, according to union commentary.
| Key facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of collision | 19 July |
| Fatality | Driver Shaun Burton |
| Number injured | 162 |
| Train type | Class 810 (Hitachi-built) |
Local impact and passenger advice
The stoppages and resulting timetable reductions have immediate implications for travellers in Bedford and across the East Midlands routes served by EMR. Commuters and leisure passengers should expect reduced frequency and some early terminations on affected services on strike days.
Practical points for passengers:
- Check the EMR website or official operator communications before travelling for the latest timetable and cancellations.
- Allow extra time for journeys on affected days and consider alternative routes or modes where possible.
- Keep booking references and tickets to assist with refunds or exchanges if your service is cancelled or altered.
EMR is part of the Transport UK Group. The operator has continued to deploy the Class 810s despite previously reported faults, including a fault mode that can require a reset taking around 20 minutes and loss of some safety-critical systems in certain circumstances.
The dispute highlights wider questions about the introduction of new rolling stock and line‑side protection on busy intercity corridors. With further stoppages planned, passengers should monitor announcements closely and plan journeys accordingly.
InfoRadar will follow developments locally as the RAIB investigation continues and as unions and the operator respond to outstanding safety concerns.
