Northern
Class 331 in November 2023 in Northern livery at Stoke-on-Trent
Overview
Franchise(s)Northern
Main region(s)
Other region(s)
Fleet size368[1]
Stations called at474[2]
Parent companyDfT OLR Holdings
HeadquartersYork[3]
Reporting markNT[4]
Dates of operation1 March 2020 (2020-03-01) – 1 March 2025 (2025-03-01)[5]
PredecessorArriva Rail North
Other
Websitewww.northernrailway.co.uk

Northern Trains,[6] trading as Northern, is a publicly owned train operating company in England. It is owned by DfT OLR Holdings for the Department for Transport (DfT), after the previous operator Arriva Rail North had its franchise terminated at the end of February 2020.

The company 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 DfT in January 2020 amid widespread dissatisfaction over its performance, particularly in respect of 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 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 is also being impacted by the 2022–2023 United Kingdom railway strikes, the largest national rail strikes 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 as Arriva Rail North. It commenced in April 2016 and was originally scheduled to run until March 2025.[7][8] 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.[9][10] Later in 2018 performance continued to suffer, with many passengers protesting and a reduced service on Saturdays due to industrial action.[11][12][13][14] 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.[15]

In June 2019, the DfT's operator of last resort, DfT OLR Holdings, conducted due diligence into the franchise believing the both operational and financial performance to be "unsustainable".[16] 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.[17] 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".[18]

On 29 January 2020, the DfT announced its decision to terminate Arriva Rail North as operator of the franchise, to be taken over by the DfT's operator of last resort.[19][20][21] 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 DfT OLR Holdings with the stated objective to "stabilise performance and restore reliability for passengers".[22][23]

Changes and events

By mid-2020, Northern had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[24][25] From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including Northern 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.[26][27]

In 2021 Northern was given a contract by the Department for Transport to run services for three years, with an optional extension of a further two years.[28] The contract was updated in 2022, to run until 1 March 2025.[5]

Northern is one of several train operators impacted by the 2022–2023 United Kingdom railway strikes, which are the first national rail strikes in the UK for three decades.[29] Its workers are amongst those who voted to take industrial action due a dispute over pay and working conditions.[30] Northern 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 minimal timetable due to the number of staff involved.[31][32]

Services

Northern took over all the services operated by Arriva Rail North on 1 March 2020.

Table of off-peak services

Below is a simplified list of frequent Monday to Saturday off-peak services, as of December 2023 timetables.[33] Due to the extensive nature of the network, it has been split by region, then majority rail line. One of the changes to the December timetable is the four trains per day service between Huddersfield and Castleford (which was frequently run as a bus rail replacement service), has been moved to TransPennine Express, and extended to start at Manchester Piccadilly, and run to York via Castleford.[34]

North East

Tyne Valley, Durham Coast, Esk Valley Lines and East Coast Main Line
RoutetphCalling at
Carlisle to Newcastle1
Carlisle to Morpeth1
Hexham to Nunthorpe1
Middlesbrough to Whitby1⁄4
Darlington to Newcastle1tpd
Tees Valley Line
RoutetphCalling at
Saltburn to Darlington1
Saltburn to Bishop Auckland1

North West

Furness, Windermere and Cumbrian Coast lines
RoutetphCalling at
Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness1
  • 4 trains per day each run as Manchester Airport to Windermere, and Lancaster to Carlisle, services instead.
Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle1
  • 4 trains per day run as Lancaster to Carlisle services
Oxenholme Lake District to Windermere1
  • 4 trains per day run as Manchester Airport to Windermere services
Morecambe branch line
RoutetphCalling at
Lancaster to Morecambe1Bare Lane
  • Hourly service supplemented/modified by additional trains from Leeds.
  • 1 train per day extends to Heysham Port.
Liverpool–Wigan and Blackpool branch lines
RoutetphCalling at
Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western2
Liverpool Lime Street to Blackpool North1
Manchester Airport to Blackpool North2
Preston to Blackpool South1
East Lancashire and Ormskirk branch lines
RoutetphCalling at
Preston to Colne1
Ormskirk to Preston1
Liverpool–Manchester lines
RoutetphCalling at
Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road1
  • Most trains either call at Glazebrook and Chassen Road or Humphrey Park and Trafford Park.
Liverpool Lime Street to Warrington Central1
Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport1
Warrington Bank Quay to Liverpool Lime Street1tpd
  • westbound only
Ellesmere Port to Helsby2tpd
Crewe-Manchester, Mid-Cheshire, Stafford–Manchester, and Buxton lines
RoutetphCalling at
Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe1
1
Manchester Piccadilly to Alderley Edge1
  • Levenshulme, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, Cheadle Hulme, Handforth, Wilmslow
Manchester Piccadilly to Chester1
Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent1
Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton1
  • Services either call at Middlewood or Dove Holes.
Manchester Piccadilly to Hazel Grove1
  • Levenshulme, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, Davenport, Woodsmoor
Glossop and Hope Valley lines
RoutetphCalling at
Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield2
Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple4⁄3
Manchester Piccadilly to New Mills Central1
Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield1
Manchester–Southport and Kirkby branch lines
RoutetphCalling at
Southport to Manchester Oxford Road1
Southport to Stalybridge1
Headbolt Lane to Blackburn1
Ribble Valley line
RoutetphCalling at
Blackburn to Rochdale1
Clitheroe to Rochdale1

Yorkshire and the Humber

Huddersfield Line
RoutetphCalling at
Bradford Interchange to Huddersfield1⁄2
Wharfdale and Airedale lines
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Bradford Forster Square2
Leeds to Ilkley2
Bradford Forster Square to Ilkley2
  • Frizinghall, Shipley, Baildon, Guiseley, Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding
Leeds to Skipton2
Bradford Forster Square to Skipton2
  • Frizinghall, Shipley, Saltaire, Bingley, Crossflatts, Keighley, Steeton & Silsden, Cononley
Harrogate Line
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to York via Harrogate2
Pontefract Line
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Knottingley via Castleford1
Leeds to Knottingley via Streethouse1
Wakefield Line
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Doncaster1
Leeds to Sheffield via Wakefield Westgate1
Penistone Line
RoutetphCalling at
Sheffield to Huddersfield1
Hallam Line
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Sheffield via Castleford1
Leeds to Nottingham1
Sheffield–Lincoln line
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Lincoln1
Sheffield to Cleethorpes1tpd.
See #Parliamentary services below for more.
York and Selby Lines
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to York via Cross Gates1
Halifax to Hull1
South Humberside Main Line, Dearne Valley Line and Yorkshire Coast line
RoutetphCalling at
Doncaster to Scunthorpe1⁄2
Sheffield to Adwick1
Sheffield to York3tpd
Doncaster to Hull1
Sheffield to Scarborough1
Bridlington to York1
Settle to Carlisle and Leeds to Morecambe
RoutetphCalling at
Leeds to Carlisle1⁄2
Leeds to Morecambe1⁄2
Calder Valley line
RoutetphCalling at
York to Blackpool North1
Leeds to Manchester Victoria1
Leeds to Wigan Wallgate1
Leeds to Chester1

Parliamentary services

Twice weekly on Saturday mornings, once in each direction, Northern operates a parliamentary train on the Stockport–Stalybridge line between Stockport and Stalybridge calling at Reddish South, Denton, and Guide Bridge.[35][36] From 1992 until 2018, this service ran once weekly.[37]

Multiple campaigns were conducted to request increase in services to the line,[38] but in 2022, Transport for Greater Manchester published two surveys in relation to the line.[39]

As of May 2023, there is one train per day between Sheffield and Cleethorpes, via Gainsborough Central and Brigg. This service runs on weekdays only.[40] The service was suspended between January and October 2022 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[41] Between October 1993 and May 2023, this service ran on Saturdays only, but had three trains each way and on weekdays, a few peak services terminated at Gainsborough Central.

Rolling stock

Northern 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 322 units were withdrawn in mid-2020 and moved to Greater Anglia.[42] All Class 153s were sent to storage by December 2021.[43] 23 Class 156 units were transferred from East Midlands Railway, which includes eight of the nine Class 156/9 units formerly used by Greater Anglia,[44] although they were renumbered back to 156/4s before the transfer.[45] For the December timetable change in 2022, five more Class 156 units were transferred.[46] The final Class 156 units were delivered in May 2023.[47]

Current fleet

Family Class Image Type Top speed Number Carriages Routes Built
mph km/h
Diesel multiple units
Sprinter 150 DMU 75 121 6 3 Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire[48] 1984–1987
72 2 1985–1987
155 Super Sprinter 7[28] 2 York, Leeds, Hull and Scarborough[48] 1987–1988
156 Super Sprinter 66[1] 2 North East, Cumbrian Coast, Lancashire and Cumbria, Merseyside and Cheshire[48] 1987–1989
158 Express Sprinter 90 145 45 2 South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Fylde Coast, North Yorkshire and the North East[48] 1990–1992
8 3
Bombardier Turbostar 170 100 161 16[28] 3 Scarborough - Sheffield, Leeds - York via Harrogate[48] 2003–2005
CAF Civity 195 25[1] 2 Manchester - Derbyshire, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds and Barrow in Furness, York - Blackpool, Windermere and Chester - Leeds[48] 2017–2020
33[1] 3
Electric multiple units
BR Second Generation (Mark 3) 319 EMU 100 161 11[1] 4 Liverpool - Wigan and Blackpool. 1990
Hunslet Transportation Projects/Holec[49] 323 90 145 17[28] 3 Manchester-Hadfield, Manchester-Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester-Crewe, and Liverpool-Manchester Airport[48] 1992–1995
CAF Civity 331 100 161 31[1] 3 Blackpool North - Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds - Skipton, Bradford Forster Square, Doncaster, Ilkley, Bradford Forster Square - Skipton, Ilkley 2017–2020
12[1] 4 Electric services in the North West.[50]
CAF/Siemens Transportation Systems 333 16[28] 4 Leeds - Bradford Forster Square, Skipton, Ilkley,
Bradford Forster Square - Skipton, Ilkley		 2000–2003
Bi-mode multiple units
BR Second Generation (Mark 3) 769 Flex
BMU 100 161 8[51] 4 Southport - Manchester Oxford Road and Stalybridge 2017–2020 (1987–1988 as Class 319)

Future fleet

In August 2023, Northern issued a tender to acquire a contract for up to 450 new trains to replace the older rolling stock in their fleet.[52]

17 Class 323s are to be transferred from West Midlands Trains.[53][54] This will result in the withdrawal of all Class 319 units.[55]

Class Image Type Top speed Number Carriages Routes Built In service
mph km/h
Electric multiple units
323[56] EMU 90 145 17 3 Electrified commuter services in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Merseyside 1992–1995 2024[57]

Past fleet

Former train types operated by Northern 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[43] 1987–1988 2020–2021
321
EMU 100 161 3 4 Electrified commuter

services in West Yorkshire

 Replaced by Class 331 units 1991 2020
322 5 1990

Depots

Northern 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's fleet is maintained at depots listed in the table below:

Depot Allocation Servicing Nearest station
Allerton TMD 08, 319, 323,[58] 331, 769 150, 156, 195 Liverpool South Parkway
Blackburn King Street TMD None 150, 156, 195 Blackburn
Botanic Gardens TMD 170 155, 158 Hull Paragon
Heaton TMD 156, 158 Manors
Newton Heath TMD 150, 156, 195 158, 769 Moston
Neville Hill TMD 08, 150, 155, 158, 331, 333 170, 195 Leeds
Wigan Springs Branch TMD None 158, 195, 319, 331, 769 Wigan North Western

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ford, Rodger (November 2023). "Northern train requirements short on detail". Informed Sources. Modern Railways. No. 902. pp. 30–31.
  2. ↑ Clifton, Paul (19 April 2023). "What customers want has changed". Rail Magazine. No. 981. pp. 24–27.
  3. ↑ "About Northern". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "National Rail Enquiries - Northern". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  5. 1 2 "DfT OLR Holdings Limited and Northern Trains Limited 2022: services contract" (PDF). Department for Transport. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Northern Trains Limited". Companies House. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  7. ↑ "Northern and TransPennine Express franchises awarded". Railway Gazette International. 9 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "Arriva and First win franchises with 500 new carriages promise". The Railway Magazine. No. 1378. January 2016. p. 6.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "'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.
  11. ↑ "Northern is a disaster. Why have commuters been left to face it alone?". The Guardian. 21 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Rail network 'crippling the North': Leeds commuter's angry open letter about life as a Northern passenger". Yorkshire Post. 14 October 2018.
  13. ↑ Paton, Graeme (16 October 2018). "Manchester Oxford Road station is worst for delays". The Times.
  14. ↑ "UK's railway stations with most train delays revealed". BBC News. 16 October 2018.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "Northern rail operator faces end of the line". The Times. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  17. ↑ "Northern franchise to end within months". Modern Railways. No. 857. February 2020. p. 8.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ "Northern rail to be stripped of franchise, says Grant Shapps". The Guardian. 2 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Northern rail to be renationalised – and some Beeching closures could reopen". The Guardian. 27 January 2020.
  21. ↑ "Ministers set to renationalise failed Northern rail franchise". Financial Times. 28 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Rail firm Northern to be put into public ownership". BBC News. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  23. ↑ "Customer Information". Northern OLR Holdings. 30 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 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.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ Osborne, Samuel (27 December 2021). "COVID-19: Christmas travel disruption as Omicron hits rail and airline staffing". news.sky.com.
  26. ↑ "Transport Secretary's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 4 June 2020". GOV.UK. 4 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  27. ↑ Paton, Graeme. "Coronavirus: facemask plans mired in confusion". The Times. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 "Northern's commitment to transformation". Modern Railways. No. 893. Stamford: Key Publishing. February 2023. pp. 62–67.
  29. ↑ "Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  30. ↑ Finnis, Alex (20 June 2022). "The dates of the train, Tube and bus strikes this week, and how services will be affected". i. London: Daily Mail & General Trust. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  31. ↑ Stubbings, David. "When are the rail strikes? Dates and lines affected in the Black Country and Staffordshire". Express and Star. Wolverhampton: MNA Media. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  32. ↑ Clark, Kevin (13 June 2022). "RAIL STRIKE: Northern Rail urges customers NOT to travel during week of RMT action". Sunderland Echo. Sunderland: National World.
  33. ↑ "Timetables Change". northernrailway.co.uk. Northern Trains. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  34. ↑ Stone, Mike (January 2024). "The new December timetable". Today's Railways. No. 263. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 35. ISSN 1475-9713.
  35. ↑ Halle-Richards, Sophie (16 July 2022). "Greater Manchester town with gridlocked traffic and trains only twice a week". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  36. ↑ Wilkinson, Damon (3 December 2022). "Greater Manchester 'ghost station' has only ONE passenger a week". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  37. ↑ "Ghost train in reverse gear". Manchester Evening News. 15 February 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  38. ↑ Kirby, Dean (30 April 2013). "'We won't give up the ghost' on Denton station with 30 passengers a year". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  39. ↑ "New surveys launched in bid to help improve local rail connections". Quest Media Network. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  40. ↑ "Timetable change | May 2023". Northern Trains. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  41. ↑ "Brigg rail service from Sheffield to Cleethorpes makes comeback after outcry". GrimsbyLive. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  42. ↑ "Northern finishes with Dusty Bins". Railways Illustrated. July 2020. p. 16.
  43. 1 2 "Northern and East Midlands Railway Class 153 fleets stood down". Rail Express. No. February 2022. p. 26.
  44. ↑ "More 156s for Northern". Modern Railways. No. 870. March 2021. p. 87.
  45. ↑ "Fleet Analysis (Northern)". Railways Illustrated. No. 230. April 2022. p. 50.
  46. ↑ "Class 156 'Super Sprinter'". Units. Rail Express. No. 319. December 2022. p. 27.
  47. ↑ "EMR stands down '180s' and '156s". Rail Magazine. No. 984. 31 May 2023. p. 23.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Train Types". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  49. ↑ "Hunslet has had enough of 'misery line' battles". Birmingham Post. 23 March 1994. p. 3. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  50. ↑ Russell, David (January 2024). "Class 331". Units. Rail Express. No. 332. p. 23.
  51. ↑ "Class 769 fleets". Today's Railways UK. No. 242. April 2022. p. 35.
  52. ↑ "SUPPLY OF NEW ROLLING STOCK AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES - Find a Tender". www.find-tender.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  53. ↑ "Class 323 EMUs to remain in traffic with Northern". Rail. No. 886. 28 August 2019. p. 30.
  54. ↑ "First refurbished Class 323 for Northern". Railways Illustrated. January 2020. p. 9.
  55. ↑ "Class 323s to remain with Northern in favour of 319s". Today's Railways UK. No. 214. October 2019. p. 69.
  56. ↑ "Northern to retain 323s". Modern Railways. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  57. ↑ "West Midlands Trains turns back the clock with retro repaint for Class 323". Today's Railways Uk. No. 252. February 2023. p. 55.
  58. ↑ "Class 323 EMUs to remain in traffic with Northern". Rail. No. 886. August 2019. p. 30.
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