East Midlands Railway is set to take two Class 220/221 Voyager diesel units on short-term lease from open-access operator Grand Central, Rail Magazine has reported.

The deal, if confirmed, would shift two high-speed diesel multiple units from the East Coast Main Line operator's fleet to EMR, a franchise operated under the Department for Transport's control. Grand Central, owned by Arriva, currently runs its Voyagers on long-distance services from London King's Cross to Sunderland and Bradford Interchange.

What does the reported lease change?

For EMR, two additional Voyagers would add flexible diesel capacity at short notice. The Class 220 and 221 units are 125 mph trains, capable of running on both electrified and non-electrified routes, which makes them useful for covering diagrammed services while EMR's own fleet undergoes maintenance or cascade changes.

For Grand Central, releasing two units would reduce the pool available to its own timetables. The operator's fleet size is small relative to the major franchises, so any withdrawal of capacity tightens its operational margins.

The report describes the arrangement as short-term. That framing matters: it points to a temporary capacity bridge rather than a permanent fleet transfer, with the units expected to return to Grand Central once the lease concludes.

Why the claims need checking

The report is a single-outlet account at this stage. Neither EMR, Grand Central, Arriva nor the DfT has published a formal confirmation of the lease terms, duration, or the specific unit numbers involved, based on the information available.

Trade-press practice in the UK leasing market suggests such deals typically run through a rolling stock company as intermediary, but the report does not name one. Readers should treat the exact financial and operational terms as unconfirmed until an operator statement appears.

Key details still to be verified:

• Which specific Voyager units are involved, and their current modification status
• The lease duration and start date
• Which EMR routes or diagrams the units would cover
• Whether any fleet availability constraints at Grand Central prompted the move

The broader fleet context

Voyagers have moved between operators before. The class, built by Bombardier in the early 2000s, serves several UK operators, and short-term leases between them are an established mechanism for matching seasonal demand, engineering-work cover, or fleet gaps.

For EMR, the reported deal comes as the operator manages the transition of its intercity fleet, where the Class 180 and Hitachi Class 810 units have featured in long-term planning. A short-term Voyager lease would fit that pattern as a stopgap measure.

Rail Magazine's report signals an agreement in place or close to completion. Confirmation from the operators, with unit numbers and lease terms, would be the next step to watch.