Northern franchise awarded to Arriva.

[nottsnurse]

Hopefully, this will now signal the nail in the Home Counties coffin containing the usual "What shall we do with our old trains when our new ones arrive...Let's send them up North to Northern" mantra.

At least you still appear to have a chip on both shoulders, that will keep your posture from suffering too much.

You know who owns the rolling stock right? You know they're don't care about the whole southern/Home Counties vs northern thing right? They just want to make money leasing their stock.

 

[northwichcat]

Arriva Press release

Arriva, one of Europe’s leading transport operators, has welcomed the Department for Transport’s decision to award it the Northern rail franchise.

Arriva’s winning bid is based on ambitious plans to drive improvements and transform rail travel in the North of England through a £1bn investment programme. These plans include:

Substantial investment in new and refurbished trains: The introduction of 281 new carriages, the full refurbishment of the remaining fleet and the removal of all Pacer trains within three years.More services and faster journeys: Over 2,000 more trains each week – an increase of 12 per cent across the Northern network by 2019 - with more frequent, earlier and later trains offering passengers greater choice. Beginning in December 2017, new timetables will provide 100 new through journey opportunities across Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and other regional hubs.More capacity: With more and longer trains there will be a 37 per cent increase in peak time capacity.Significant station improvements: Investing in station facilities to make rail travel simpler and more comfortable by giving customers easier access to information and providing new seating and waiting areas.Value for money and choice: Creating easier ticketing options which include new advanced and off-peak fares – alongside improved retailing at stations.Connecting customers: Launching in 2019 with new trains, enhanced inter-urban Northern Connect services will provide faster city connections with free WiFi.Northern employees: 45 currently unstaffed stations will be staffed while there will be extended opening hours at 54 locations.
The Northern franchise is one of the largest in the UK, currently providing more than 16,000 train services each week to a population of 15 million people.

Arriva’s successful bid demonstrated its ability to provide innovative service improvements and value for money for customers. Arriva has drawn on its experience in the UK rail market where it already operates the award-winning CrossCountry, Chiltern Railways, Arriva Trains Wales, Grand Central and London Overground networks. Each is known for their innovation while Chiltern and Grand Central are rated as leaders in customer satisfaction.

Arriva will operate the franchise under a refreshed Northern brand and working closely with transport partners Rail North, will deliver the services to help support the Government’s plans to revitalise the North’s economy.

On 1 April 2016 over 5,500 Northern employees will join Arriva. They will share in Arriva’s experience in providing train services in seven countries, coupled with a track record of innovation that will deliver a transformation in the travelling experience for customers.

Chris Burchell, Managing Director of Arriva’s UK Trains division, said: “We are proud to be given the opportunity to transform rail travel for passengers in the North of England and to work closely with our partners to connect towns, cities and communities like never before.

“We will be investing more than £1billion to deliver a step-change in quality for customers and dramatically improving services, stations, information and ticketing.

“Our aim is to be the communities’ local railway and to leave a positive lasting legacy for the North of England.”

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “We promised passengers a world class rail service that would make the Northern Powerhouse a reality – and I’m delighted that we have found an operator that will deliver exactly that. As a one nation government we are committed to closing the economic gap between north and south. This deal will bring the Northern Powerhouse to life.

“In 2004, the last time the contract was awarded, the government did not plan for growth – today we’ve put that right.

“Arriva Rail North Ltd went far beyond our requirements with exciting, ambitious plans that will make a real difference to customers, and – coupled with our commitment to push ahead with electrifying the vital Transpennine route – will help the region realise its full economic potential, ensuring it has a modern 21st century transport system. This is fantastic news for the north.”

Northern franchise highlights

New and refurbished trains: Through an investment of over £400m, Arriva will introduce 98 new trains (281 carriages) delivering extra capacity and with a top speed of 100mph, refurbish the remaining fleet and remove all Pacer trains by 2019. All trains will have improved connectivity with free WiFi by 2019.

More services and faster journeys: Across the Northern network, services will be faster with some local and long distance routes up to 20 per cent faster. This includes journeys from Nottingham to Leeds, from Carlisle to Newcastle, and from Sheffield to Lincoln.

Significant station improvements: Arriva will invest in station ticketing, including new retail facilities at 243 stations that don’t currently offer such services. Customers will see refurbished seating and waiting areas at 355 stations, improved information, enhanced CCTV security, and staff will be provided at 45 currently unstaffed stations. Video help points will be introduced at 447 stations and customer information screens at more than 160 new locations.

Value for money and choice: Arriva will introduce more understandable fares and advance tickets that can be bought just 15 minutes before departure. New off-peak products will be introduced where they do not currently exist. This will encourage leisure journeys and help to reduce peak overcrowding.

Northern Connect: Northern Connect will be a new network of 12 long distance routes. Introduced in 2019 it will provide faster connections across Northern England to Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield, including brand new services from Bradford to Manchester Airport and Lincoln to Leeds. Northern Connect services will offer free WiFi, plug sockets, tables, air conditioning and seat reservations.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Northern franchise will run from April 2016 until March 2025.Under a new timetable journeys from Nottingham to Leeds will be up to 20% faster and from Carlisle to Newcastle and from Sheffield to Lincoln, journeys will be faster by up to 12%. Arriva is one of the largest providers of passenger transport in Europe,employing some 55,000 people and delivering more than 2.2 billion passenger journeys every year In UK rail, Arriva currently operates CrossCountry, Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways, London Overground, Grand Central, and Tyne & Wear MetroArriva is part of Deutsche Bahn, one of the world’s leading passenger transport and logistics service providers. Headquartered in Sunderland, UK, Arriva is responsible for Deutsche Bahn's regional passenger transport services outside Germany

http://www.arriva.co.uk/media/news/2015/09-12-2015

 

[Paul Duck]

Interesting reading about half-hourly Middlesbrough to Newcastle benefiting Stockton as quoted, seems strange to just mention Stockton. Are these services continuing up the coast or Stillington branch? I say this as no mention about Hartlepool receiving half hourly services. Great to see announcement finally out!

 

[47802]

Looks like there will still be a fast Leeds-Sheffield service via Barnsley though hourly rather than half hourly as it is at present, what with the through trains to Nottingham being rerouted. I'm not sure about extending this service to Lincoln though - when the Huddersfield-Sheffield services used to run on to Lincoln they always seemed to get delayed.

From a personal point of view, the extra line capacity will hopefully enable Elsecar to get its stop back on Huddersfield services, though the wording "the new operator will seek to provide half-hourly services at Elsecar" is a bit vague. Why "will seek to provide" rather than "will provide"?

It says existing frequencies will be maintained so I read that there will still be a half hourly Leeds - Sheffield fast/semi fast perhaps with a few more stops.

I thought the original plan to improve journey time between Leeds and Nottingham was to make some significant improvements to the Leeds Barnsley Sheffield line, looks like that's gone down the pan.

Sheffield Lincoln improvements are long overdue the service on that route is a disgrace.

 

[dk1]

I still have a feeling that the Bradford/Leeds-Nottingham will become the eventual service forward to Norwich. Seems to be the better fit if longer trains are eventually ordered for Nottingham-Liverpool.

 

[northwichcat]

Looks like a number of tpe 185's may transfer to northern. They were mooted on blackpool-scarborough, warrington and calder valley workings. 350's may also transfer over so liverpool blackpool maybe?

Why do you say that? The interactive map refers to both new DMUs and EMUs not cascaded modern DMUs and EMUs http://maps.dft.gov.uk/northern/index.html

 

[hwl]

"98 new trains with 281 carriages."

Maths wise this is 85x 3 car units and 13x 2 car units = 281 cars

 

[Bletchleyite]

Certainly good news about Preston to Ormskirk going hourly

Back to the 1990s service

Is that a linespeed improvement to allow one unit hourly, or is it two units passing at Rufford, perhaps interworked with something else to save wasted layover time? (I think it used to be Ormskirk-Blackpool South, but may be wrong).

 

[northwichcat]

"98 new trains with 281 carriages."

Maths wise this is 85x 3 car units and 13x 2 car units = 281 cars

Note it's a mix of new DMUs and EMUs. The new EMUs will be both 3 and 4 car - 3 car is mentioned for Leeds to Ilkley and 4 car is mention for Manchester to Hadfield, other routes are getting an unspecified length of new train: http://maps.dft.gov.uk/northern/index.html

 

[47802]

Why do you say that? The interactive map refers to both new DMUs and EMUs not cascaded modern DMUs and EMUs http://maps.dft.gov.uk/northern/index.html

I'm not so sure in some cases it says 'New' and other cases it says 'Brand New' and it would seem unlikely that with the number of new trains for TPX they would keep all the 185's.

 

[matacaster]

Seems odd that, the 16 piece 333 fleet is too much for the Doncaster shuttles and the 321/322 have only recently been refurbished.

I think a lot of other stock needs attention first.

Unless they plan a single unit electric fleet across the whole network.

Perhaps they might introduce a BFD FSQ->York or Doncaster and use 333's there.

 

[andyb2706]

Having had a look at the Northern Franchise Improvement page on the dft.gov website (link at bottom of post) I have jumped to conclusion that Manchester Victoria could be losing their electric Northern service until further electrification is completed.

My reasoning behind this is that if you look at the Liverpool via Newton-le-Willows section it states that there will be 2 Northern services an hour:

1. Liverpool to Manchester Airport (of course electric)
2. Liverpool to Bradford via Calder Valley (of course diesel)

No mention of the current electric service operating between Liverpool and Manchester Victoria.

Now, here is another leap of thought. By the end of 2017 the 323 units will be gone according to the same website and will be replaced by re-furbished 4 car electrics until the brand new 4 car electrics arrive on the Hadfield line, could the re-furbished 4 car electrics be the 319's that have been displaced from the Liverpool to Manchester Victoria service?

I love this time of a franchise. The gossip and conjecture going around is great,
http://maps.dft.gov.uk/northern/index.html

 

[northwichcat]

I'm not so sure in some cases it says 'New' and other cases it says 'Brand New'

But the press release mentions "281 brand new air-conditioned carriages to be rolled out across the north – more than double the minimum required in the government’s invitation to tender."

 

[HH]

45 currently unstaffed stations will be staffed while there will be extended opening hours at 54 locations.

This sounds like a precursor to the elephant in the room, DOO, to me.

 

[northwichcat]

No mention of the current electric service operating between Liverpool and Manchester Victoria.

It was anticipated that the stopper would be diverted to Piccadilly and possibly be joined on to the Piccadilly-Airport stopper.

TPE will run a Liverpool-Edinburgh via Chat Moss service and a Liverpool-Scarborough service via Chat Moss both using new 5 car trains, which suggests to me those will be bi-mode. Both those services are to include calls at Newton-le-Willows.

 

[47802]

But the press release mentions "281 brand new air-conditioned carriages to be rolled out across the north – more than double the minimum required in the government’s invitation to tender."

Well yes but quite of lot of those new trains would appear to be electric, so I'm not sure how much it will be above the minimum in Diesel terms, TPE says that over 70% of its fleet will be new so that suggests to me retaining around half the 185 fleet with the rest to potentially go to Northern?

There may be no difference between what describes as 'New and 'Brand New' I guess we will find out in due course

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Is there any improvement for Brigg/Barton/Scunthorpe lines or have we been ignored over here completely?

 

[CdBrux]

In the North-East, a note that the Metrocentre station will be upgraded. It will be interesting to see how this is done - the facilities at the moment are very limited and very tired. The challenge will be to provide something that people actually want to use, given that there's a wopping big shopping center next door!

You would hope that the owners of the Metrocentre could be persuaded to at least part fund such a project!

 

[Iskra]

Is there any improvement for Brigg/Barton/Scunthorpe lines or have we been ignored over here completely?

Yes, you'll lose any pacers. The entire North will be having that improvement. ...I could work for the DFT me.

 

[bradders1983]

Also Leeds - Nottingham services to be diverted via Wakefield Westgate, extended to Bradford and use some of the new diesels.

Where will they go after this? Assuming via Moorthorpe? Barnsley loses a train an hour then?

 

[sprinterguy]

Is there any improvement for Brigg/Barton/Scunthorpe lines or have we been ignored over here completely?

The Barton branch will be going over to East Midlands Trains operation - Same stock, different colour (a 153 will transfer from the Northern to the EMT franchise for this purpose). Other than that, I can't see any mention for the new Northern franchise, unfortunately. TPE improvements look to be limited to "fully refurbished trains", increased Sunday services and improved waiting facilities at Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe, too.

 

[Camden]

It was anticipated that the stopper would be diverted to Piccadilly and possibly be joined on to the Piccadilly-Airport stopper.

TPE will run a Liverpool-Edinburgh via Chat Moss service and a Liverpool-Scarborough service via Chat Moss both using new 5 car trains, which suggests to me those will be bi-mode. Both those services are to include calls at Newton-le-Willows.

Is there a link to the actual franchise documents rather than the maps? I suspect some of these details aren't quite right. Liverpool to Scarborough, for example. My understanding is that this service will not exist any longer once the two Liverpool to Newcastle (one extended to Edinburgh) services are in play. Liverpool is mentioned on the Scarborough part of the map, but Scarborough isn't mentioned on the Liverpool bit.

As for five carriage trains, well it's better than three, but it's not six. And the platforms can't accommodate 7 let alone 10. So what does that tell you about rush hour overcrowding?...

 

[A0]

Hopefully, this will now signal the nail in the Home Counties coffin containing the usual "What shall we do with our old trains when our new ones arrive...Let's send them up North to Northern" mantra.

The mantra being something of a lie in any case - because the vast majority of trains in use across the North have never seen service in the 'south'.

To prove my point:

142 / 143 / 144 - most started their life in the North - only a few did time in Cornwall / Devon.
150s - deployed in pretty much every area except the South East when new.
155 / 156 / 158s- most started their life outside the south-east
175s - never worked in South East
185 - never worked in South East

323s - never worked London / South East
333s - never worked London / South East
321/9s started life in the North
350/4s - meant to be with LM, instead leased to TPE

507s - started life in North

What is being forgotten is large parts of east Anglia were still using first gen DMUs well into the 90s and their replacements were cast-off Sprinters from the North.

SWT exchanged 170s (which they'd had from new) for used 158s from the North.

In pretty much every decade since the 1970s some of the oldest stock in use on the network has been in daily use in the South East - usually being used far more intensively than similarly aged stock elsewhere in the country.

 

[DaiGog]

As for five carriage trains, well it's better than three, but it's not six. And the platforms can't accommodate 7 let alone 10. So what does that tell you about rush hour overcrowding?...

I guess if there is an overall capacity enhancement, those services with 5 cars as opposed to the current three will take some of the load from other services and spread it around a bit more, so in theory the six car services will cope with 5?

 

[Camden]

I guess if there is an overall capacity enhancement, those services with 5 cars as opposed to the current three will take some of the load from other services and spread it around a bit more, so in theory the six car services will cope with 5?

People don't travel on averages, overalls, nor do they spread their working day out to the quieter trains - hence the rush hour.

And if a three carriage train is full off-peak, a six carriage train is full peak (and indeed a three carriage train full to bursting peak), then no, a maximum of five carriages turning up at a platform doesn't tell you that.

 

[RAPC]

Cautious optimism from me about this. I look forward to hearing more details as they are released. Until then, I will enjoy the speculation and gossip here instead

 

[IanXC]

Where will they go after this? Assuming via Moorthorpe? Barnsley loses a train an hour then?

Stated that Barnsley will retain its current service frequency.

Is there a link to the actual franchise documents rather than the maps? I suspect some of these details aren't quite right. Liverpool to Scarborough, for example. My understanding is that this service will not exist any longer once the two Liverpool to Newcastle (one extended to Edinburgh) services are in play. Liverpool is mentioned on the Scarborough part of the map, but Scarborough isn't mentioned on the Liverpool bit.

Two per hour to Newcastle, seems to be made up of a Liverpool to Edinburgh via Newcastle, plus a Manchester Airport to Newcastle. The Liverpool to Scarborough appears to remain as is, save for its planned rerouting away from Warrington.

 

[northwichcat]

150s - deployed in pretty much every area except the South East when new.

Outside the North, Wales and South West most 150s have been replaced by newer trains like 172s. The majority of the remaining 150s are being used in the North.

350/4s - meant to be with LM, instead leased to TPE

Incorrect. LM were supposed to get 7 x new 350s, in the end they got 10 in the form of 350/3s, the 350/4s were an add-on to that order as the number of EMUs TPE required was too small for a new order by themselves.

507s - started life in North

But what about their sisters - the 508s?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Thanks to replying to my earlier question Iskra and Sprinterguy.
I'm sad Brigg and Gainsborough won't have weekday trains still despite the campaign. I'm sure they'll be happy to take pacers since they have nothing.

Have any service improvements to reach 'Parliamentary' or very low service lines?

 

[Iskra]

People don't travel on averages, overalls, nor do they spread their working day out to the quieter trains - hence the rush hour.

And if a three carriage train is full off-peak, a six carriage train is full peak (and indeed a three carriage train full to bursting peak), then no, a maximum of five carriages turning up at a platform doesn't tell you that.

They could easily have a similar or even better capacity than 2x3 car units, due to less cab space, only one accessible toilet, one first class section and an overall more efficient carriage design.