They're here - new Azumas trains have started in Harrogate

The first of the much-heralded new scheduled Azuma trains arrived at Harrogate for an 11.15am departure to London Kings Cross at the weekend.
The Harrogate rail board on Sunday morning hailing the new Azumas service to London.The Harrogate rail board on Sunday morning hailing the new Azumas service to London.
The Harrogate rail board on Sunday morning hailing the new Azumas service to London.

Harrogate Line Supporters Group, which has campaigned for regular direct Harrogate-London services for more than a decade, welcomed the first train on Sunday, December 15.

The scheduled new direct LNER services between Harrogate and London Kings Cross are due to begin in full today, Monday, December 16.

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The planned timings for the new services Monday-Friday are as follows:

The new direct LNER services Azumas at Harrogate railway station.The new direct LNER services Azumas at Harrogate railway station.
The new direct LNER services Azumas at Harrogate railway station.

From Kings Cross to Harrogate: 07.33-10.19; 09.33–12.19; 11.33-14.19; 13.33-16.19; 15.33-18.32, 17.33-20.32.

From Harrogate to Kings Cross: 07.34-10.31; 09.36-12.30; 11.36-14.31; 13.36-16.33; 15.36-18.31; 17.36-20.27.

Similarly on Saturday and Sunday – a total of six trains each way every day on Saturdays and Sundays.

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A summary timetable is as follows – excluding stops at Doncaster, Grantham and Stevenage on weekdays and Saturdays.

Most but not all of the Sunday services will call at Doncaster, Newark, Grantham, Peterborough and Stevenage.

As for the much-criticised Harrogate-Leeds services by Northern, Harrogate Line Supporters Group say the fleet of Class 170 Turbostar trains cascaded from Scotrail are steadily coming into service on the Harrogate Line with good results reported to date in terms of capacity, comfort and reliability – and noise level.

Plans to increase services to four trains per hour are on hold pending construction of Platform 0 at Leeds.