National Express East Coast requested additional services to a number of destinations in its application for access rights on the East Coast Main Line in March 2008, stating that, in addition to its existing InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets, it would require as many as nine Class 180 units. The routes proposed were London to Lincoln (with one train per day extended to Cleethorpes) and London to Harrogate via York. After NXEC's demise, its successor East Coast pressed ahead with the plans, and leased five units, three of which were temporarily sub-leased to Northern (see above). However the planned services were never introduced.