Northern Getting their Act Together?

[Max]

Northern seem to be investing a fair bit of money at the moment. We've just has some really attractive new signs installed at Cottingham in Northern dark purple with a blue stripe, and they look considerably better than the old Regional Railways ones (although it is sad to lose the heritage ). They are also refurbishing 158s at the moment, and not just the WY Metro ones. Where are they getting the money from on such a financially tight franchise, and are any other improvements happening across the Northern network?

(Sadly reliability is still pretty poor - there have been a number of cancellations in my area of late due to unit failures)

 

[Darandio]

Nothing up here in Redcar as yet although I haven't been out and about for the last couple of days. This brings me to ask if anyone knows if there have been any 158's working Darlington to Saltburn. Hopefully we will get some changes soon though.

 

[westcoaster]

dont forget they operate over a great distance so things happen slowly, was recentley at silecroft and it's still oldie woldie there, a stark contrast from suburbia im used to

 

[Darandio]

plus, there isn't enough new units to replace everything. Probably never get nothing replaced up here, at lest not until the next franchise. Maybe.

Northern seem to be investing a fair bit of money at the moment. We've just has some really attractive new signs installed at Cottingham in Northern dark purple with a blue stripe, and they look considerably better than the old Regional Railways ones (although it is sad to lose the heritage ). They are also refurbishing 158s at the moment, and not just the WY Metro ones. Where are they getting the money from on such a financially tight franchise, and are any other improvements happening across the Northern network?

(Sadly reliability is still pretty poor - there have been a number of cancellations in my area of late due to unit failures)

As for the question of where the finances are coming from. Didn't Northern and a few other TOC's complain recently about paying far too much to lease old stock, i.e pacers. Probably no financial difference for the 158's although if anyone has the finer details I stand corrected.

 

[1D53]

plus, there isn't enough new units to replace everything. Probably never get nothing replaced up here, at lest not until the next franchise. Maybe.

Heaton is to be one of the main beneficiaries from this stock cascade, Some of the new 158's will remain there while some transfer to the North West and Merseyside, causing a cascade which may see more 156's and possibly even 150's in the North East.

 

[Darandio]

Heaton is to be one of the main beneficiaries from this stock cascade, Some of the new 158's will remain there while some transfer to the North West and Merseyside, causing a cascade which may see more 156's and possibly even 150's in the North East.

Like I have said before, anything up here would be an improvement.

 

[Gizmogle]

Hmmm, Northern, making an effort? Not sure I believe it. Although, we did get a newly painted 156 to Buxton last weekend! Not like Northern to give us something so new...er than everything else.

 

[eezypeazy]

Northern seem to be investing a fair bit of money at the moment. We've just has some really attractive new signs installed at Cottingham in Northern dark purple with a blue stripe, and they look considerably better than the old Regional Railways ones (although it is sad to lose the heritage ).

I've seen reports elsewhere that new signage has been installed at Seaham, Co Durham... and here's a new sign I saw today at the little-used Manors Station in Newcastle...

 

[westcoaster]

I've seen reports elsewhere that new signage has been installed at Seaham, Co Durham... and here's a new sign I saw today at the little-used Manors Station in Newcastle...

every little helps

 

[Gizmogle]

Why are they putting their money into signs? I mean, they're not really gonna make much difference to anyone are they?
They should be improving the state of their trains.
For example the heating on most of the 150s and 156s I get is totally shagged. It's either not working in winter or it's on in summer cause they don't want to turn it off cause it won't come back on again!
Also the Buxton trains are always late in winter cause they can never get the trains going! By the time they've got it going properly, we're at the stop! Then it starts again!

 

[Max]

Why are they putting their money into signs? I mean, they're not really gonna make much difference to anyone are they?
They should be improving the state of their trains.
For example the heating on most of the 150s and 156s I get is totally shagged. It's either not working in winter or it's on in summer cause they don't want to turn it off cause it won't come back on again!
Also the Buxton trains are always late in winter cause they can never get the trains going! By the time they've got it going properly, we're at the stop! Then it starts again!

To be fair, they are investing quite a bit on trains over on this side of the Pennines. The North West does seem to be a pretty poor side of the bargain

And regarding the signs, I think they do help, as people notice them and think 'ooo they're new', and it helps the overall image of the company. One of the things that Northern has been particularly criticised for in the past is failing to spread their mark and branding across their network, and this will certainly help!

 

[Darandio]

Why are they putting their money into signs? I mean, they're not really gonna make much difference to anyone are they?
They should be improving the state of their trains.
For example the heating on most of the 150s and 156s I get is totally shagged. It's either not working in winter or it's on in summer cause they don't want to turn it off cause it won't come back on again!
Also the Buxton trains are always late in winter cause they can never get the trains going! By the time they've got it going properly, we're at the stop! Then it starts again!

I think that doing the signs does help to a certain extent but it will still cause confusion. It would help if they did the signs down here at Redcar because it would maybe let some people know that Northern actually provide the train service. Some people down here still refer to catching a service provided by Arriva and that is annoying but Northern have not done a great deal to change this ideal.

Come to think of it, when Northern took over, the automatic train announcement over the tannoy was still calling the services as Arriva, and that was three months later! I did notice that it changed after I complained though!

 

[Jordy]

And regarding the signs, I think they do help, as people notice them and think 'ooo they're new', and it helps the overall image of the company. One of the things that Northern has been particularly criticised for in the past is failing to spread their mark and branding across their network, and this will certainly help!

I agree, when TPE put new signs up at Grimsby, it really did help bring it away from that run down stage, and Manors desperately needed new signs as we know Max! Nice to see them finally doing something, can we have some new signs at Habrough, pleeeeeease!

Jordy

 

[AlexS]

Paah! All my station signage is Regional Railways and if you believe the tannoy trains are provided by Central Trains and Wales and Borders!

 

[1D53]

Rumour is that a small number of 142's are now in store

 

[332 > 444]

So what about the rumoured Chinese built DMUs?

Now i know i aint been Newcastle in ages, i couldve sworn Manors was a Tyne & Wear Metro station :dontknow:

 

[Nym]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=123180#post123180

my trains to uni are canceled!

 

[Max]

my trains to uni are canceled!

Ah you live on my line

The 1744 from Hull seems to be regularly cancelled thesedays. Do you go to uni in Hull or Scarborough?

 

[Nym]

Hull, and I still get to the station and see the VMS say, CANCELED, get off at cottingham

 

[eezypeazy]

Rumour is that a small number of 142's are now in store

This must have happened in practice... both of my Northern train rides were 158s today... even managed to get a seat from Blaydon on the 0808 this morning!

 

[adambro]

Got a 158 on the 1313 Huddersfield to Sheffield service today. Think I've seen one on the route before but first time I've been on one on the Penistone Line.

 

[eezypeazy]

Could we soon become all misty-eyed and nostalgic as we hark back to the good-old days of the 142s....????

Nahh, don't be silly......

 

[1D53]

This must have happened in practice... both of my Northern train rides were 158s today... even managed to get a seat from Blaydon on the 0808 this morning!

001,030,063,068 & 070 in warm store at Blackpool

 

[Donny Dave]

How long before they make their way to either ATW or FGW???? (They would be just right for Paington - Newton Abbot)....

Any bets?

 

[devon_metro]

How long before they make their way to either ATW or FGW???? (They would be just right for Paington - Newton Abbot)....

Any bets?

2 things:

Spell Paignton correctly.

2ndly 142s would be stupid on this line, the track quality is poor and they just wouldn't be up to scratch. We already have pretty awful trains, so why make it worse?

 

[theblackwatch]

2ndly 142s would be stupid on this line, the track quality is poor and they just wouldn't be up to scratch. We already have pretty awful trains, so why make it worse?

Anyone else here remember the 'Skippers'? Chocolate & Cream liveried Class 142s which infested the Devon and Cornwall branches in the mid 1980s! See http://rjprail.fotopic.net/p24490498.html.

 

[Darandio]

Anyone else here remember the 'Skippers'? Chocolate & Cream liveried Class 142s which infested the Devon and Cornwall branches in the mid 1980s! See http://rjprail.fotopic.net/p24490498.html.

Words cannot describe that livery.

 

[eezypeazy]

Words can describe that livery... sadly, not polite ones!

I seem to recall some of them ended up here in the North East in those colours...

 

[Darandio]

Yeah, I vaguely remember them from way back. If I put any words on this forum to describe that livery i think I would be instantly banned. Its 'vile'. Whoops, is that ok?

 

[Mushroom]

Here in GMPTE Land nothern have spent as fair bit of money. New signage (gmpte and northern) and upgrades, including PIS, bike cabinet thingys, new PA system..