Project Rio
From May 2003 until September 2004 Midland Mainline operated an hourly service between St Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly at the request of the Strategic Rail Authority whilst the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Manchester underwent engineering work using former Virgin CrossCountry High Speed Trains. This service was named Project Rio after footballer Rio Ferdinand who had recently crossed the Pennines in a £30 million record transfer to from Leeds United to Manchester United.
The service used the Midland Main Line as far as Trent Junction, before taking the Erewash Valley Line (avoiding Derby) to Clay Cross, rejoining the Midland Main Line until Dore South Curve, before heading west along the Hope Valley Line towards Manchester Piccadilly. South of Leicester the service ran in the path of the xx:30 semi-fast Nottingham train, with an additional Leicester to Nottingham service introduced using the displaced Class 170 Turbostar.
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