As the East Coast Main Line gears up for its most significant service uplift in more than ten years, the spotlight often falls on faster journeys and extra seats. But behind the scenes, the unseen heroes of the railway—maintenance and engineering teams—are working harder than ever to keep trains clean, reliable, and ready to carry millions of customers each year.
At the heart of this effort is LNER’s Azuma fleet, maintained day and night by Hitachi Rail engineers at specialist train care depots in Craigentinny (Edinburgh), Doncaster, and Bounds Green & Ferme Park (north London). Their mission: ensure trains are available and in top condition for customers.
From Sunday 14 December 2025, LNER will deliver an extra 10,000 services per year, cut journey times between London and Edinburgh to just over four hours, and add 60,000 extra seats each week across the East Coast Main Line (ECML). This ambitious timetable change means more trains in service every day—and those trains working harder than ever.
Depot teams have been innovating and collaborating to meet this challenge. Their focus: keep fleet availability high, ensure trains are spotless and mechanically sound, and guarantee smooth, reliable journeys for customers.
At Bounds Green, LNER and Hitachi have worked hand-in-hand to deliver a critical infrastructure upgrade. LNER funded an extension of the Wheel Lathe road, enabling engineers to perform essential wheel maintenance on a full 9-carriage Azuma train—a task previously limited to seven carriages. This investment means faster, more efficient maintenance and more trains back on the tracks for customers.
Meanwhile, at Craigentinny, LNER’s investment and Hitachi Rail’s installation of a new roof gantry has transformed maintenance operations. Engineers can now access train roofs without relocating units, eliminating the need to move trains during exams and saving a full day of downtime.
Across all depots, teams have streamlined regular 30-day examinations, making them more efficient and further boosting train availability.
Linda Wain, Engineering Director at LNER, said:
“Huge timetable changes like the one coming up in December don’t just happen. We have been working more closely than ever with our colleagues at Hitachi Rail to make sure that our fleet of Azuma trains are maintained and ready for operation, preparing to carry thousands of customers to destinations across our almost thousand-mile route each day.
LNER and Hitachi Rail colleagues have been coming up with creative and innovative solutions to meet the extra services, committing additional funding for new equipment, and are continuing to develop new ways of working that will further enhance maintenance work and keep the availability of the fleet high.”
Mark Frost, Fleet Director at Hitachi Rail, added:
“Throughout 2025, it has been a real team effort supporting LNER’s preparations for its timetable change. We have worked tirelessly and collaboratively to upgrade both depots and maintenance operational arrangements, while simultaneously preparing our workforce to meet LNER’s requirements for train availability.”
This December’s timetable change is more than a milestone for passengers—it’s a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of depot teams and engineers across the network. Their work ensures that every extra service promised translates into a seamless experience for customers, reinforcing the East Coast Main Line’s reputation as a backbone of UK rail travel.
Image credits: LNER
