The phrase “ghost train” took on new meaning in Manchester when passengers at Piccadilly’s platform 7 watched the 7am express to London pull away with not a single person allowed to board. This ghost train, once filled with commuters racing for early meetings in the capital, was set to run empty due to a decision no one saw coming.
© London Bus Forums™
“It is absolutely bonkers,” one regular commuter said as he watched the train disappear. “We pay a fortune for tickets and now we are left on the platform.” The morning journey, which can cost nearly £200, usually gets business travellers into London before 9. Instead, they are told to find alternative, slower routes.
Rail experts say these firebreak journeys create gaps in the timetable for delayed trains to recover. It may sound logical but to passengers it just looks like a ghost train situation, lots of energy, staff and track space, but no travellers.
The outcry grew quickly. On social media, dozens called the ruling a waste, claiming the empty train uses just as much electricity and manpower as a train full of passengers. “If we can see it and touch it, why can’t we ride it?” asked another traveller.
What the Ghost Train Tells Us About the State of UK Railways
Avanti, which operates the line, said it was disappointed by the plan. It warned customers would lose their only direct shot from Manchester to London before work. Meanwhile, the regulator insisted it had made the call based on strong evidence that it would make services more reliable for everyone overall.
Big changes are coming soon. Avanti’s contract is due to end in 2 years, with services expected to be taken into public ownership by the spring of 2027. For many rail users, the empty 7am train has become a symbol of larger issues in how Britain’s railways are run. Recent efforts to improve rail accessibility for everyone are also in focus, as highlighted in our article Government Expands Railcard Access to Make Train Travel Easier for Disabled Passengers.
As campaigners demand a rethink, one thing is clear. Manchester’s early morning commuters will remember the day their express left the station, doors closed to all but its own staff. For now, it is a ghost of what was once the quickest ride to the capital and a telling sign of just how strange rail politics can get.
