Northern

[OMGitsDAVE]

I emailed Northern the other day about capacity on the TyneTees Line (IE Middlesbrough - Newcastle & Hexham) and i got this in reply:
"Our Class 142s are in great condition, and Northern have no reason to write off or even move these great pacers. The pacers will most likely be removed in 2015, as that is when our franchise ends - but yet, they are still all in great condition and keeping to timings well."

Yes, but their last point is very untrue. I got a Pacer from Seaton Carew to Stockton the other day to find it was 42 Minutes late. Keeping to timings? Ha!

What are your opinions on the 142's? What about NORTHERN in General?

 

[GNERman]

northern in general are doing a great job
liveries are now on a large majority of stock and some are getting refreshed etc...
as on the pacer situation they need them as they don't have enough trains spare to replace them with...
when they get some ex london midland and london overground 150's it is likely that more sets will be stored...

 

[Jordy]

I emailed Northern the other day about capacity on the TyneTees Line (IE Middlesbrough - Newcastle & Hexham) and i got this in reply:
"Our Class 142s are in great condition, and Northern have no reason to write off or even move these great pacers.

Really? Somehow can't imagine Northern saying that

The ex Arriva 142s that are usually found in the North East are much better than the ex FNW ones, which retain original bus seats!

There are also the ex Merseyrail ones which are much worse than the Arriva ones!

Northern in general I think are doing a good job with the resources they have, they've worked some wonders with recent refurbishments but there is still a lot of work to be done! Pacers could really do with a refurb too!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Really? Somehow can't imagine Northern saying that ...

I imagine it depends on what was actually written in the original e-mail!

 

[1D53]

Yes, but their last point is very untrue. I got a Pacer from Seaton Carew to Stockton the other day to find it was 42 Minutes late. Keeping to timings? Ha!

What was the cause of the delay though? A train is very unlikely to lose 45 minutes on a single trip due to poor train performance, more likely there was another incident or failure involved.

 

[MCR247]

What was the cause of the delay though? A train is very unlikely to lose 45 minutes on a single trip due to poor train performance, more likely there was another incident or failure involved.

exactly

 

[175001]

I agree! Northern really have done wonders with the largest franchise in the country. Thats why i'm looking forward to begin my new job with them by the end of the year!

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

What was the cause of the delay though? A train is very unlikely to lose 45 minutes on a single trip due to poor train performance, more likely there was another incident or failure involved.

Well, the on-board Tannoy said that it was due to Newcastle Signalling, Waiting for a platform at Sunderland & Hartlepool.

But yeah, the 142's here are a lot better than the First ones, i understand anyway. If they were refurbished, they would look and be a lot more attractive and comfortable.

 

[37372]

Northern are doing a good job at the moment, and have improved travel considerably since ATN days!
I might be sick to the back teeth of 144s and FNW/Mersey 142s (the ones I despise the most) but they're doing a good job I suppose, seeing as it'll be a lonnnggg time before any new units are found to replace them.

 

[MCR247]

Well, the on-board Tannoy said that it was due to Newcastle Signalling, Waiting for a platform at Sunderland & Hartlepool.

But yeah, the 142's here are a lot better than the First ones, i understand anyway. If they were refurbished, they would look and be a lot more attractive and comfortable.

So what did that have to do with the 142? :roll:

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

So what did that have to do with the 142? :roll:

If you had read the top post appropriately, you would have noticed that this was only my story. I also wanted to know YOUR opinions on the matter and the 142's themselves.

 

[MCR247]

If you had read the top post appropriately, you would have noticed that this was only my story. I also wanted to know YOUR opinions on the matter and the 142's themselves.

Yes, and it also says

but yet, they are still all in great condition and keeping to timings well."

Yes, but their last point is very untrue. I got a Pacer from Seaton Carew to Stockton the other day to find it was 42 Minutes late. Keeping to timings? Ha!

Which means your blaming the delay on the 142! :roll:

 

[AlexS]

I agree! Northern really have done wonders with the largest franchise in the country. Thats why i'm looking forward to begin my new job with them by the end of the year!

What are you doing with them then?

 

[WillPS]

The ATN refurbished units are okay, but personally I prefer the ones which just have bus seats - for (most of) the journeys they do they're perfectly adequate! The Northern refreshed ones are the best - although they seem to be taking their time about refreshing them. Also, Northern don't seem to be in any hurry to repaint the ATN units - is this because the paint is in warranty or something?

Merseyrail units are absolutely appaling inside. Good job with the destination boards though (I assume they came off scrapped Leyland Nationals :P)

 

[TrainBrain185]

What are your opinions on the 142's? What about NORTHERN in General?

The 142 question seems to mirror a similar thread I have been on.

Northern? I think SercoNed Northern Rail are doing a great job. I use them all the time and had no probs with them. Damn sight better than when ARRIVA:-x were the operator!!
Regards:

 

[LilLoaf]

Well, the on-board Tannoy said that it was due to Newcastle Signalling, Waiting for a platform at Sunderland & Hartlepool.

But yeah, the 142's here are a lot better than the First ones, i understand anyway. If they were refurbished, they would look and be a lot more attractive and comfortable.

If this was around the end of May and it was a Saterday, then there were major signalling probs around Newcastle. I got stuck in the middle of it all. Have to agree that the 142's aren't great like, comical and amusing in small services. Newcastle - Morpeth, Man Vicc to Shaw, Leeds - Selby.

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

If this was around the end of May and it was a Saterday, then there were major signalling probs around Newcastle. I got stuck in the middle of it all. Have to agree that the 142's aren't great like, comical and amusing in small services. Newcastle - Morpeth, Man Vicc to Shaw, Leeds - Selby.

Yep, it was towards the end of May, and was in fact a Saturday. The signalling went down as far as Sunderland as far as i know, and many services were affected.

I also agree with your comment below that!

 

[Aictos]

I had no problems with Northern and indeed find them to be a successful not to mention a decent company not only for it's passengers but also for it's staff.

I had wrote a email to them a few years ago now congratulating them on a job well done, I had got a train from Leeds to Accrington, it's the York to Blackpool service and found it although the carpet needed replacing, I found the train to be clean not to mention safe which compared to my own TOC was saying something! Not to also mention I think how pleased I was with the staff on the service.

I think it was made better by a bunch of guys celebrating a stag do by dressing up in women clothing!

Although I would welcome the chance to replace all 142s/143s/144s with other stock, its ain't going to happen anytime soon! So Northern and FGW for that reason too shouldn't be blamed for operating them.

 

[boing_uk]

I find the standard of Northern's rolling stock hugely variable. For instance, I regularly travel between Blackburn and Blackpool and the ride quality of the 142's varies greatly between units.

There is, what I can only describe as some sort of track defect on the Blackpool-bound road approaching Kirkham and Wesham and also Poulton-le-Fylde. On certain 142's its fine ad you dont notice it (indeed I thought it'd been fixed until the other day!) but on others it feels like they are going to wobble right off the tracks.

(Ive noticed lately that on 142's they slow down on the approaches to these sections... slowing that doesnt happen on other units and there are no TSR boards up).

On the 158s, some have working air-con, some dont. In fact some of them are just so noisy its uncomfortable. Some (Cummins powered) units seem to have plenty of power and some seem to be underpowered. The Perkins units just sound knackered.

Its a shame that there is no prospect of a full refurbishment for Northerns 158's. Theyre a good unit but after 20 years and so many operators, they are seriously showing their age.

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

The 142's are also terrible on the corner(s) here in Hartlepool, near our ASDA.
Grand Centrals just go straight round - no noise. The 142's on the other hand, ouch!

 

[175001]

What are you doing with them then?

Conducting!

 

[boing_uk]

Grand Centrals just go straight round - no noise. The 142's on the other hand, ouch!

Well, they are the worlds longest bogie.

 

[poshbakerloo]

The Stoke-Piccadilly service has always been very good with Northern...
The class 323s have been very good trains, very fast, clean, quiet etc

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

The Stoke-Piccadilly service has always been very good with Northern...
The class 323s have been very good trains, very fast, clean, quiet etc

Yeah, Class 323's are awesome! I fell in love with them in London Midland Livery (City) livery.

 

[LilLoaf]

The 142's are also terrible on the corner(s) here in Hartlepool, near our ASDA.
Grand Centrals just go straight round - no noise. The 142's on the other hand, ouch!

OMG i hate that corner i just dread it. That one and the tight corner coming of the Darlo line at the junction for Stockton. Really bad if your on a Newcastle service. Also the one coming into and out of Gateshead is a bad one, think its a 30MPH one.

AXC has done more in 1 and a half year than Northern has done in 4-5 year whatever it is now.

 

[1D53]

AXC has done more in 1 and a half year than Northern has done in 4-5 year whatever it is now.

You taking the ****?

On what level?

 

[TrainBrain185]

Well, they are the worlds longest bogie.

Nice one!!

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

You taking the ****?

On what level?

Actally, its true. AXC has done well so far, and Northern just seem to be keeping with what they have, and not improving much.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Its a shame that there is no prospect of a full refurbishment for Northerns 158's. Theyre a good unit but after 20 years and so many operators, they are seriously showing their age.

What are you talking about?! The Northern 158's are among the best DMU's in service throughout Britain.

I have spoken many times before about the outstanding job Northern have done with the majority of their stock. I can only imagine what it would be like without them. East Midlands Trains perhaps?

Northern, in general, are a very good TOC. They are easily the best that have operated in my part of the world since privatisation. They have one or two flaws (such as the poor attitude of the on board staff at times), but when one looks at the important stuff (ie getting where you want to go on time; extra services on busy routes; clean trains etc), Northern rank very high indeed.

 

[LilLoaf]

You taking the ****?

On what level?

1. AXC has brought back HST's and referbished them to a high standard.
2. Diagramed HST's and doubled voyagers on services that hit Birmingham around the rush hour.
3. Referbished the 170's again to a high standard.
4. Introduced at seat service, yes i was a bit worried about it at first but having tried it out its really good. The trolley tends to get through the train rather quickly, especially on voyagers. Maybe two trolleys would be good on the HST's.
5***. Might be bringing WIFI to trains.
6. In my experience of travelling around 10 XC trips a month delays are reduced.
7. Overcrowding reduced as a result of HST's and good diagram planning
8. Only had to hire one HST for the summer saterday sevices
9. Brought in a new timetable that seems to be working well
10. SOME services are speeded up a bit.


Northern
1. Painting train fleet
2. Introduced a Nottingham service
3. Two open days
4. Ran a special train around the Blyth and Tyne on behalf of SENRUG.