Northern Trains: Difference between revisions
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By mid-2020, Northern Trains had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-rail-franchise-agreements-suspended-to-avoid-company-collapses-11962186 |title = Coronavirus: Rail franchise agreements suspended to avoid company collapses |date = 23 March 2020 |access-date = 23 March 2020 |publisher = Sky News |archive-date = 27 May 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200527060301/https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-rail-franchise-agreements-suspended-to-avoid-company-collapses-11962186 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-christmas-travel-disruption-as-omicron-hits-rail-and-airline-staffing-12504644 |title = COVID-19: Christmas travel disruption as Omicron hits rail and airline staffing |publisher = news.sky.com |first = Samuel |last = Osborne |date = 27 December 2021}}</ref> From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including Northern Trains services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined.<ref name="GS4Jun">{{Cite web |url = https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-4-june-2020 |title = Transport Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 4 June 2020 |website = GOV.UK |access-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-date = 23 June 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200623085630/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-4-june-2020 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-facemask-plans-mired-in-confusion-wlsq7qf82 |title = Coronavirus: facemask plans mired in confusion |first = Graeme |last = Paton |work = The Times |url-access = subscription |access-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200621001614/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-facemask-plans-mired-in-confusion-wlsq7qf82 |url-status = live}}</ref> |
By mid-2020, Northern Trains had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-rail-franchise-agreements-suspended-to-avoid-company-collapses-11962186 |title = Coronavirus: Rail franchise agreements suspended to avoid company collapses |date = 23 March 2020 |access-date = 23 March 2020 |publisher = Sky News |archive-date = 27 May 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200527060301/https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-rail-franchise-agreements-suspended-to-avoid-company-collapses-11962186 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-christmas-travel-disruption-as-omicron-hits-rail-and-airline-staffing-12504644 |title = COVID-19: Christmas travel disruption as Omicron hits rail and airline staffing |publisher = news.sky.com |first = Samuel |last = Osborne |date = 27 December 2021}}</ref> From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including Northern Trains services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined.<ref name="GS4Jun">{{Cite web |url = https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-4-june-2020 |title = Transport Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 4 June 2020 |website = GOV.UK |access-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-date = 23 June 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200623085630/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-4-june-2020 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-facemask-plans-mired-in-confusion-wlsq7qf82 |title = Coronavirus: facemask plans mired in confusion |first = Graeme |last = Paton |work = The Times |url-access = subscription |access-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-date = 21 June 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200621001614/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-facemask-plans-mired-in-confusion-wlsq7qf82 |url-status = live}}</ref> |
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Northern Trains was one of several train operators impacted by the [[2022 United Kingdom railway strike]], which was the first national rail strike in the UK for three decades.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61573206 |title = Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action |work = [[BBC News]] |date = 24 May 2022 |access-date = 24 May 2022}}</ref> Its workers were amongst those who voted to take [[industrial action]] due a dispute over pay and working conditions.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://inews.co.uk/news/strike-dates-this-week-when-train-tube-strikes-start-why-how-travel-affected-1695412 |title = The dates of the train, Tube and bus strikes this week, and how services will be affected |date = 20 June 2022 |website = inews.co.uk |access-date = 24 June 2022}}</ref> Northern Trains urged the travelling public |
Northern Trains was one of several train operators impacted by the [[2022 United Kingdom railway strike]], which was the first national rail strike in the UK for three decades.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61573206 |title = Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action |work = [[BBC News]] |date = 24 May 2022 |access-date = 24 May 2022}}</ref> Its workers were amongst those who voted to take [[industrial action]] due a dispute over pay and working conditions.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://inews.co.uk/news/strike-dates-this-week-when-train-tube-strikes-start-why-how-travel-affected-1695412 |title = The dates of the train, Tube and bus strikes this week, and how services will be affected |date = 20 June 2022 |website = inews.co.uk |access-date = 24 June 2022}}</ref> Northern Trains urged the travelling public to avoid travelling on its services on any of the planned dates for the strikes, being only capable of operating a very minimalist timetable due to the number of staff involved.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/2022/06/20/when-are-the-rail-strikes-dates-and-lines-affected-in-the-black-country-and-staffordshire/ |title = When are the rail strikes? Dates and lines affected in the Black Country and Staffordshire |first = David |last = Stubbings |website = www.expressandstar.com |access-date = 24 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.sunderlandecho.com/business/rail-strike-northern-rail-urges-customers-not-to-travel-during-week-of-rmt-action-3729749 |title = RAIL STRIKE: Northern Rail urges customers NOT to travel during week of RMT action |publisher = sunderlandecho.com |first = Kevin |last = Clark |date = 13 June 2022}}</ref> |
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==Services== |
==Services== |
Revision as of 16:05, 13 September 2022
Overview | |
---|---|
Franchise(s) | Northern 1 March 2020– |
Main region(s) | |
Other region(s) | |
Parent company | DfT OLR Holdings |
Headquarters | York[2] |
Reporting mark | NT[1] |
Predecessor | Arriva Rail North |
Other | |
Website | www |
Northern Trains, branded as Northern, (legally Northern Trains Limited[3]) is a publicly owned train operating company in England. It is owned by DfT OLR Holdings for the Department for Transport, after the previous operator Arriva Rail North had its franchise terminated at the end of February 2020.
Northern Trains commenced operating the Northern franchise on 1 March 2020, taking over from Arriva Rail North. The prior operator had its franchise terminated early by the Department for Transport (DfT) in January 2020 amid widespread dissatisfaction over its performance, particularly in respect to poorly-implemented timetable changes. The DfT had opted to hand the operation of the franchise over to the operator of last resort. At the commencement of operations, Northern Trains publicly stated that its immediate aims were to improve service reliability and to proceed with the introduction of new rolling stock. For the latter, both the Class 195 diesel multiple units and Class 331 electric multiple units were brought into service fully during December 2020.
Services have been disrupted by wider events, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. Northern Trains was also amongst those train operators impacted by the 2022 United Kingdom railway strike, the largest national rail strike in the UK in three decades.
History
Background
In December 2015, the Department for Transport (DfT) awarded Arriva a contract to operate the Northern franchise. It commenced in April 2016 and was originally scheduled to run until March 2025.[4][5] Within two years, the franchise was being widely criticised, in particular for troubled implementation of a new timetable in May 2018 that resulted in widespread delays and cancellations.[6][7] Performance later in 2018 continued to be poor, with many passengers protesting and a reduced service on Saturdays due to industrial action.[8][9][10][11] By November 2018, Arriva were re-evaluating their future involvement in the franchise due to a combination of declining passenger numbers as a result of the chaotic May 2018 timetable change and increasing compensation claims as a result of falling punctuality.[12]
In June 2019, the operator of last resort, managed by the DfT, conducted due diligence into the franchise believing the both operational and financial performance to be "unsustainable".[13] In October 2019, the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, issued a request for proposals to incumbent operator Arriva and the operator of last resort, which would result in termination of the franchise with either Arriva to be awarded a short-term management contract or the operator of last resort to take over.[14] In January 2020, Shapps publicly criticised Arriva's operation of the Northern franchise and suggested that the Government may step in to revoke its franchise agreement, bluntly referring to the service as "completely unacceptable".[15]
On 29 January 2020, the DfT announced its decision to terminate Arriva Northern's franchise and that the operator of last resort would take over.[16][17][18] This was the first time that a franchise has been removed from a train operating company due to poor performance since Connex South Eastern in 2003. On 1 March 2020, the franchise became directly operated by the DfT, adopting the brand name 'Northern Trains, with the stated objective to "stabilise performance and restore reliability for passengers".[19][20]
Changes and events
By mid-2020, Northern Trains had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[21][22] From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including Northern Trains services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined.[23][24]
Northern Trains was one of several train operators impacted by the 2022 United Kingdom railway strike, which was the first national rail strike in the UK for three decades.[25] Its workers were amongst those who voted to take industrial action due a dispute over pay and working conditions.[26] Northern Trains urged the travelling public to avoid travelling on its services on any of the planned dates for the strikes, being only capable of operating a very minimalist timetable due to the number of staff involved.[27][28]
Services
Northern took over all the services operated by Arriva Rail North on 1 March 2020.
Table of off-peak services
Below is a list of frequent off-peak services, per May 2022 timetables.[29] It has been slightly simplified due to some routes' irregular service pattern. Due to the extensive nature of the network, it has been split by region, then majority rail line.
An infrequent service not on these tables runs twice weekly on the Stockport–Stalybridge line calling at Reddish South, Denton, and Guide Bridge.
North East
North West
Yorkshire and the Humber
Regional
Future services
This section needs to be updated.(July 2022) |
Many of the additional services promised at the December 2017 and December 2019 recasts never materialised following the problems which arose at the May 2018 timetable recast (the delayed December 2017 recast.) In January 2021, the government initiated a consultation proposing three options for the May 2022 recast.[30]
Option A involves few changes but does involve reducing the frequency of Buxton services, diverting all Southport services into Manchester Victoria and re-routing Cumbria to Manchester Airport services via Bolton. Option C involves a significant recast to standardise services, which would see at least half-hourly services on most commuter lines in the Manchester area and more evenly spaced services e.g. services every 15 minutes at Heaton Chapel and Levenshulme. However, option C does include some non-standard services operating at peak time e.g. Southport to Manchester Oxford Road and Wigan to Hazel Grove. Option B involves making more changes than option A but involves less significant changes than option C would see. Option A would see the fewest services overall, whereas option C would see the most. [31]
Rolling stock
Northern Trains took over all of the rolling stock operated by its predecessor, namely Class 142, 144, 150, 153, 155, 156, 158, 170 and 195 diesel multiple units and Class 319, 321, 322, 323, 331 and 333 electric multiple units. All Class 321 and 322s were withdrawn in mid-2020 and moved to Greater Anglia.[32] All Class 153s were sent to storage by December 2021.[33]
Current fleet
Family | Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes | Built | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
Diesel multiple units | |||||||||
Sprinter | 150/0 | DMU | 75 | 121 | 6 | 3 |
Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire[34] |
1984–1987 | |
150/1 | 46 | 2 | 1985–1986 | ||||||
150/2 | 26 | 1986–1987 | |||||||
155 Super Sprinter | 7 | 2 |
York, Leeds, Hull and Scarborough[34] |
1987–1988 | |||||
156 Super Sprinter | 51 | 2 | North East, Cumbrian Coast, Lancashire and Cumbria, Merseyside and Cheshire[34] | 1987–1989 | |||||
158/0 & 158/9 Express Sprinter | 90 | 145 | 45 | 2 | South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Fylde Coast, North Yorkshire and the North East[34] | 1990–1992 | |||
8 | 3 | ||||||||
Bombardier Turbostar | 170/4 | 100 | 161 | 16 | 3 | Scarborough - Sheffield, Leeds - Knaresborough and York and Harrogate[34] | 2003–2005 | ||
CAF Civity | 195/0 | 25 | 2 |
Manchester - Derbyshire, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds and Barrow in Furness, York - Blackpool, Windermere and Chester - Leeds[34] |
2017–2020 | ||||
195/1 | 33 | 3 | |||||||
Electric multiple units | |||||||||
BR Second Generation (Mark 3) | 319/3 | EMU | 100 | 161 | 12[35] | 4 | Manchester - Crewe, Liverpool, Blackpool and Liverpool - Wigan.[34] | 1990 | |
Hunslet Transportation Projects | 323 | 90 | 145 | 17 | 3 | Manchester-Hadfield, Manchester-Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester-Crewe, and Liverpool-Crewe[34] | 1992–1995 | ||
CAF Civity | 331/0 | 100 | 161 | 31 | 3 |
Blackpool North - Hazel Grove, Liverpool, Leeds - Skipton, Bradford Forster Square, Doncaster, Ilkley, Bradford Forster Square - Skipton[34] |
2017–2020 | ||
331/1 | 12 | 4 | |||||||
CAF/Siemens Transportation Systems | 333 | 16 | 4 | Skipton - Bradford Forster Square, Leeds - Ilkley[34] | 2000–2003 | ||||
Bi-mode multiple units | |||||||||
BR Second Generation (Mark 3) | 769/4 | BMU | 100 | 161 | 8[36] | 4 | Southport - Alderley Edge | 2017–-2020 (1987–1988 as Class 319) | |
Future fleet
17 Class 323s are to be transferred from West Midlands Trains.[37][38] This will result in the withdrawal of all Class 319 units.[39] 15 Class 156s are to transfer from East Midlands Railway, which includes the 9 Class 156/9s formerly used by Greater Anglia,[40] although they will be renumbered back to 156/4s before they are transferred.[41] The transferral of these units is already underway, with more to follow.[41]
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes | Built | In service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | ||||||||
Diesel multiple units | |||||||||
150/2 Sprinter | DMU | 75 | 121 | 3 | 2 | Local services across the North | 1986–1987 | TBA | |
156/4, /9 Sprinter | 75 | 121 | 11 | 2 | Local, commuter and regional services across the North | 1987–1989 | TBA | ||
Electric multiple units | |||||||||
323[42] | EMU | 90 | 145 | 17 | 3 |
|
1992–1995 | 2023[43] | |
Past fleet
Former train types operated by Northern Trains include:
Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes | Notes | Built | Left fleet | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mph | km/h | |||||||||
142 Pacer | DMU | 75 | 121 | 79 | 2 | Local and commuter services across the North |
Replaced by Class 150, Class 156, Class 158, Class 170, and Class 195 units. |
1985–1987 | 2020 | |
144 Pacer | 23 | 1986–1987 | ||||||||
153 Super Sprinter | 17 | 1 | Replaced by Class 150 units, later sent to storage[33] | 1987–1988 | 2020–2021 | |||||
321/9 | EMU | 100 | 161 | 3 | 4 | Electrified commuter services in West Yorkshire | Replaced by Class 331 units | 1991 | 2020 | |
322 | 5 | 1990 |
Depots
This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2021) |
Northern Trains currently has depots for its train crew at Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool North, Buxton, Carlisle, Darlington (drivers), Doncaster, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Hull, Liverpool Lime Street, Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Middlesbrough (conductors), Newcastle, Sheffield, Skipton, Wigan Wallgate, Workington and York.
Northern Trains' fleet is maintained at depots listed in the table below:
Depot | Picture | Allocation | Nearest station |
---|---|---|---|
Allerton TMD | 150, 156, 195, 319, 323,[44] 331, 769 | Liverpool South Parkway | |
Blackburn King Street TMD | 150, 156, 195 | Blackburn | |
Botanic Gardens TMD | 08, 155, 158, 170 | Hull Paragon | |
Heaton TMD | 156, 158 | Manors | |
Newton Heath TMD | 150, 156, 195 | Moston | |
Neville Hill TMD | 155, 158, 170, 331, 333 | Leeds | |
Wigan Springs Branch TMD | 158, 195, 319, 331, 769 | Wigan North Western |
References
- ^ "National Rail Enquiries - Northern". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "About Northern". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- ^ "Northern Trains Limited". Companies House. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Northern and TransPennine Express franchises awarded". Railway Gazette International. 9 December 2015.
- ^ "Arriva and First win franchises with 500 new carriages promise". The Railway Magazine. No. 1378. January 2016. p. 6.
- ^ Calder, Simon (21 May 2018). "Passenger fury at Northern Rail as train chaos hits Blackpool, Bolton and Manchester Airport on first day of new timetable". The Independent. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- ^ "'Unacceptable #NorthernFail' – the travel chaos passengers faced on first working day of new Northern timetable". Manchester Evening News. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- ^ "Northern is a disaster. Why have commuters been left to face it alone?". The Guardian. 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Rail network 'crippling the North': Leeds commuter's angry open letter about life as a Northern passenger". Yorkshire Post. 14 October 2018.
- ^ Paton, Graeme (16 October 2018). "Manchester Oxford Road station is worst for delays". The Times.
- ^ "UK's railway stations with most train delays revealed". BBC News. 16 October 2018.
- ^ Gill, Oliver (4 November 2018). "German rail giant seeks help to prop up UK arm that owns Northern franchise". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ "Northern rail operator faces end of the line". The Times. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- ^ Northern franchise to end within months Modern Railways issue 857 February 2020 page 8
- ^ Syal, Rajeev; Topham, Gwyn (2 January 2020). "Northern rail to be stripped of franchise, says Grant Shapps". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Northern rail to be stripped of franchise, says Grant Shapps". The Guardian. 2 January 2020.
- ^ "Northern rail to be renationalised – and some Beeching closures could reopen". The Guardian. 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Ministers set to renationalise failed Northern rail franchise". Financial Times. 28 January 2020.
- ^ "Rail firm Northern to be put into public ownership". BBC News. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ "Customer Information". Northern OLR Holdings. 30 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
Q: What are Northern Trains Limited's plans for the franchise? Our initial priority is to continue to stabilise performance across the region and restore reliability for customers. We will then explore opportunities to improve the experience for customers.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; 29 February 2020 suggested (help) - ^ "Coronavirus: Rail franchise agreements suspended to avoid company collapses". Sky News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ Osborne, Samuel (27 December 2021). "COVID-19: Christmas travel disruption as Omicron hits rail and airline staffing". news.sky.com.
- ^ "Transport Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 4 June 2020". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ Paton, Graeme. "Coronavirus: facemask plans mired in confusion". The Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ "Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "The dates of the train, Tube and bus strikes this week, and how services will be affected". inews.co.uk. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ Stubbings, David. "When are the rail strikes? Dates and lines affected in the Black Country and Staffordshire". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ Clark, Kevin (13 June 2022). "RAIL STRIKE: Northern Rail urges customers NOT to travel during week of RMT action". sunderlandecho.com.
- ^ "Northern Trains – Timetables". Northern. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Consultation launched to improve Manchester's railways". GOV.UK. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Manchester Recovery Task Force Public Consultation" (PDF). GOV.UK. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "Northern finishes with Dusty Bins". Railways Illustrated. July 2020. p. 16.
- ^ a b "Northern and East Midlands Railway Class 153 fleets stood down". Rail Express. No. February 2022. p. 26.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Train Types | Northern". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "Northern looks to the future". Modern Railways. 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022.
- ^ "Class 769 fleets". TODAY'S RAILWAYS UK. No. 242. April 2022. p. 35.
- ^ "Class 323 EMUs to remain in traffic with Northern". Rail. No. 886. 28 August 2019. p. 30.
- ^ "First refurbished Class 323 for Northern". Railways Illustrated. January 2020. p. 9.
- ^ "Class 323s to remain with Northern in favour of 319s". Today's Railways UK. No. 214. October 2019. p. 69.
- ^ "More 156s for Northern". Modern Railways. No. 870. March 2021. p. 87.
- ^ a b "Fleet Analysis (Northern)". Railways Illustrated. No. 230. April 2022. p. 50.
- ^ "Northern to retain 323s". Modern Railways. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ^ "Northern to receive first extra 323s in June 2023". Today's Railways UK. No. 242. April 2022. p. 68.
- ^ "Class 323 EMUs to remain in traffic with Northern". Rail. No. 886. August 2019. p. 30.