Number of trains between Lincoln and Nottingham to double
Network Rail said services which serve Newark Castle will increase
The number of trains going between Lincoln and Nottingham will double later this year when a new timetable is introduced – with a full review of the region’s services also planned for the next year.
Network Rail said services between the two cities – which serve Newark Castle – will increase from once an hour to twice an hour – and the changes should be introduced in a new timetable which will be launched on December 14.
Representatives from Network Rail announced these changes, alongside bosses from East Midlands Railway, at a highways and transport scrutiny committee at Lincolnshire County Council yesterday (September 8).
Network Rail said it is also planning to speed up the line between Lincoln and Nottingham from 55mph to 70mph by resignalling the Swinderby line and closing down the signal box there.
The current Lincoln to Nottingham service takes between 50 minutes and an hour.
"A lot of changes"
Chris Patman, strategic timetable development manager for East Midlands Railway, said: “What I can say is that we’ve made a lot of changes to our timetables. We’re looking at reducing the turn-around times between trains. We’ve modelled the timetable to ensure that we’ve solved these problems.
“We’re also running additional services. There will be two trains per hour between Lincoln and Nottingham, instead of the current one an hour.
“There’s a big increase in high capacity. There will be a 20% increase in seats.
“We’ve put a lot of focus into the turn-around times of trains after they pull into the station. We believe this new timetable will drive passenger growth.”
Mr Patman went on to say that the rail operator was also looking at tackling the long waits around the change-over time at the Sleaford and Boston stations.
He added: “We’ve achieved this with a focus on connection. We’re not adding more trains, we’re increasing the connectivity, particularly tackling the change-over time when people travel between Sleaford and Boston.
“This extension to capacity will hopefully encourage more people to use the train.”
Jonathan Boot, public affairs manager for the East Midlands route at Network Rail, said: “The December 2025 timetable will provide a series of improvements for services in Lincolnshire.
“There will be a 20% increase in weekend services in the county. This will be achieved by reducing the dwell time between services.”
East Midlands Railway said it was refurbishing older trains to have better quality seating and improved CCTV.
"They’re the backbone of our regional services"
George Selby, stakeholder engagement manager at East Midlands Railway, said: “The older fleet is currently undergoing a £28.2 million refurbishment. The refurbishment will focus on new seats and deep cleaning the carriages.
“The luggage areas and tables are all brand new. They’re the backbone of our regional services.
“CCTV is being replaced to make passengers feel safer when they’re travelling. When they board them, they will feel like they’re on a completely new train.”
Network Rail said the timetable changes will be funded by an increase in rail fares, an expected increase in passenger numbers and a rise in the revenue generated.
But Coun Ingrid Sheard (Reform UK) said it was important that these improvements didn’t ‘overlook’ the changes needed to rural stations across the county.
The Spalding councillor, who is also a member of South Holland District Council, added: “I think it’s really encouraging to see all of the provisions. Any improvements to the passenger experience is a good thing.
“I welcome all of the improvements but it’s important that rural areas are not forgotten. We need to tackle rural stations like Spalding to make sure that they’re not overlooked.
“We also need to look at station safety. People don’t feel that the smaller stations are manned very well. They don’t feel safe getting off the train.”
Coun Kevin Clarke (Labour), who represents the Boultham ward, questioned whether more signage could be put up to help people know when the next train is coming.
He said: “It’s unbelievable the amount of time that people will have to wait at the station for trains to come. Could a display be put up to say how long people will have to wait for?”
Coun Charlotte Vernon (Conservative), who represents the Colsterworth Rural ward, said: “I think it’s really important that the heritage of the Swinderby signal box is protected. It’s a historic building and it should be protected.
“If the services aren’t reliable then people will not use them because they cannot rely that they can get home. If we’re looking to improve our rail network, then it must be reliable.”
Network Rail said it was conducting a further study to identify where improvements are needed across the East Midlands as part of its longer-term plan.
It said the findings are expected to be published in September 2026.
James Bradley, lead strategic planner (south) for Eastern Strategic Planning, said: “Network Rail has a role in carrying out long-term plans. As we move into Great British, that role will be transferred across.
“We have taken the view that it’s time to look at the East Midlands rail network. We’re looking at what growth we expect to see in that time.
“It’s looking at what that growth might be and the capacity challenges that might occur. The HS2 scheme has been reduced over time but we will be looking if there are any benefits which can be brought in for the East Midlands.
“We have a programme of improvements and we’re looking at opportunities for parts of the network where more trains are needed. We’re also looking at how services in Lincoln serve other areas across the country.”
Neil Teather, route asset manager for Network Rail, said: “The Swinderby Signal Box is a listed building. We will look at moving it to another location.
“We do need to preserve its heritage. One option is to try to get a heritage group to move it to a heritage rail network so people can see it for themselves for years to come.”