Rail passengers will have the opportunity to challenge snooker pro Ken Doherty to a quick game of snooker whilst travelling through Sheffield station today (Friday 17 April) as East Midlands Trains helps to launch the World Snooker Championships.

Customer satisfaction with train services on the East Midlands Trains network stands at 87% according to the latest data issued today by independent watchdog Passenger Focus.

Derby City Council, East Midlands Trains and Network Rail all joined forces to celebrate 175 years since the first ever passenger train ran between Derby and Nottingham.  The Midland Counties Railway, which officially opened on Thursday 30 May 1839, ran the first ever train between these two East Midlands Trains’ cities and hundreds of people along the route greeted the ‘flying wonder’ with shouts of applause as the rail link between Derby and Nottingham opened for the first time.

East Midlands Trains and trentbarton have teamed up again to launch a special, combined rail and bus ticket for shoppers visiting the East Midlands Designer Outlet.

Rail passengers in Alfreton, Kidsgrove and Market Harborough are to benefit from improved access to their stations.

Passengers using Lincoln station will now be welcomed to a completely refurbished ticket office as a £250,000 scheme to improve passenger facilities at the station is completed.