Train operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is to increase the number of seats on its Sunday services between West Yorkshire and London King’s Cross in December – and is celebrating with a new mural.

LNER calls red-haired Eleanor its VIP (Very Important Puppet), and has adopted it as its mascot.

The puppet mural will live on Aire Street, round the corner from the award-winning Leeds City station, until Sunday 27 October and LNER says it will “help celebrate the freedom that travelling by train brings”.

Global Street Art hand-painted the mural, which is thirty feet tall.

LNER reports that its services carried almost 1.8 million passengers between Leeds and King’s Cross in 2023-24, and nearly one million since April 2024, which represents an increase.

So, having increased its Sunday seating capacity last December, the operator is now set to increase it further.

It is adding an extra 1,800 seats every Sunday for services travelling between Harrogate, Leeds,
Doncaster and London, which will help to meet growing passenger demand and provide a more comfortable journey.

The operator will introduce the extra seats with its December timetable change which will take place on Sunday 15 December.

“Eleanor has a new home for a while as she becomes a Leeds resident! She’s helping us celebrate the addition of longer trains, meaning extra capacity on our Sunday trains between Yorkshire and London, providing our customers with freedom all the way.

“Services between Leeds and King’s Cross are some of our most popular and we’re delighted that we can provide more seats and better experiences for our customers.”

David Flesher, Commercial Director, LNER