Ashford, Kent to Sheffield Train

East Midlands Railway is a train operating company that provides passenger services across the East Midlands region of England. It was formed in 2019, taking over the franchise previously operated by East Midlands Trains. The company operates services on routes including London St Pancras to Sheffield, Nottingham to Liverpool, and Norwich to Liverpool. East Midlands Railway also operates local services within the East Midlands, connecting towns and cities such as Derby, Leicester, and Lincoln.

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is a train operating company in the United Kingdom that operates intercity services on the "East Coast Main Line" between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland. It was formed in 2018 as a result of the UK government's decision to terminate the franchise of Virgin Trains East Coast. LNER is owned by the Department for Transport and managed by the operator of the East Coast Partnership, a joint venture between infrastructure company Network Rail and train operator FirstGroup. LNER operates a fleet of electric and diesel trains, including the Azuma, which is the fastest train in the UK.

Northern is a train operating company that provides passenger services across the north of England. Northern is owned by Northern Trains Ltd, a division of "DOHL," the public sector holding company for the Department of Transportation. It is owned by Arriva UK Trains and operates over 2,500 services every weekday, serving cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.