Putting Hull on the map for 25 years

HULL TRAINS REFLECTS ON ITS SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY YEAR

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On the first annual Bee Lady DayHull Trains celebrated the occasion recognising the life of well-known Hull fundraiser Jean Bishop

THIS year has been a significant one for Hull’s own train company. September saw the 25th anniversary of the start of Hull Trains and the beginning of what has been an eventful and ultimately successful journey - a journey which goes on into the New Year and beyond.

Hull Trains is the only train operator in East Yorkshire to be funded purely by selling tickets. Northern, TransPennine Express and LNER are all run by and receive funding from the government, but Hull Trains is the UK's first open access operator, relying on revenue to run the service.

That first service ran on September 25, 2000, with a 3-carriage train borrowed from another operator. A quarter of a Century on, and Hull Trains now operates a fleet of 5-carriage state-of-the-art 125mph bimodal (electric and diesel) trains.

It’s been a busy year for the company, starting 2025 with the news that Hull Trains served 1.5 million customers in the previous year, and it now has capacity for 40,000 customers to travel onboard every week.

The year started with a new station to tick off the list. Due to engineering works, Hull Trains services called at Goole instead of Howden and Selby for a week in January, part of the company’s policy of keeping customers on the move and diverting trains during works on the line where possible, rather than just relying on replacement coaches.

You'll no doubt see the iconic, blue-coated volunteers around Hull; a programme started in 2016 to support Hull’s year as UK City of Culture. The volunteers continue to support arts, culture and heritage across East Yorkshire and, as a thank you, Hull Trains treated volunteers to a return trip to London on Mondays in January.