EMR regional 158897 DMU, Diesel Multiple unit,at Warrington Central Railway station, Cheshire, England, UK - The Lincoln Castle Explorer

In March 2017, the Department for Transport announced that Arriva, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, and incumbent Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the next East Midlands franchise. Abellio was added in February 2018. FirstGroup and Trenitalia pulled out of the bidding process in April 2018 to focus on the West Coast Partnership franchise. In April 2019 the franchise was awarded to Abellio, with East Midlands Railway (EMR) to take over the franchise from East Midlands Trains (EMT) on 18 August 2019 for a period of eight years EMR operates commuter services from London St Pancras to Corby, as well as intercity services from London St Pancras along the Midland Main Line to Nottingham and Sheffield with limited extensions to Lincoln. EMR also operate the local East Midlands services and inter regional services to Liverpool and Norwich (Express service). Services from Nottingham to Liverpool Lime Street were to transfer to another operator during the life of the franchise, although following a review by the DfT, this will no longer take place; the service instead being split at Nottingham as intended but remaining with EMR. The Barton line was expected to transfer from Northern in 2019 but this was delayed until May 2021 Warrington Central railway station is one of three main railway stations serving the town of Warrington in the north-west of England. It is located on the southern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Lines (the former Cheshire Lines Committee route between Liverpool and Manchester), being situated approximately halfway between the two cities. Central station is served by diesel trains to Liverpool, Manchester, Manchester Airport and East Anglia.