Northern Rail

Northern Rail

Overview
Franchise(s):	Northern 12 December 2004 – 1 April 2016
Main Region(s):	North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Other Region(s):	East Midlands and Staffordshire
Fleet size:	319
Stations called at:	526
Stations operated:	463
Passenger km 2007/8:	1,831.9 million
Route km operated:	2,695.7
National Rail abbreviation:	NT
Parent company:	Serco-Abellio
Web site:	www.northernrail.org

Northern Rail,^[1] often referred to as Northern, is a British train operating company owned by Serco-Abellio operating the Northern Rail franchise.

Northern runs a mix of commuter rural and some longer-distance services around Cheshire, County Durham, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumberland, Teesside, Tyne and Wear and Yorkshire. Northern's services also extend to the north Midland counties of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire. Most services are supported by passenger transport executives. Of all the Train Operating Companies in the UK, Northern Rail operates the most stations.

History

In 2000 the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it planned to reorganise the North West Regional Railways and Regional Railways North East franchises operated by First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern. A TransPennine Express franchise would be created for the long distance regional services with the remaining services to be operated by a new Northern franchise.^[2]

On 1 July 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the franchise to Serco-NedRailways, beating FirstGroup.^[3][4][5] The franchise was awarded for six years and nine months, with a two-year extension subject to performance targets being achieved.

Serco-NedRailways' bid had assumed that some Class 142 Pacer trains would be released imminently when Manchester Metrolink services started between Manchester and Oldham. Due to a substantial delay in extending the Metrolink, it became clear that this was not going to be the case.^[6] As a result the contract signing was delayed, and the services operated by First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern did not transfer to Northern until 12 December 2004.

In May 2010 the Department for Transport confirmed that Northern had met the performance targets, and the franchise was extended for two years until September 2013.^[7][8] In May 2012 the Department for Transport granted Northern a six-month extension until 31 March 2014.^[9][10][11] In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the franchise would be further extended to April 2016.^[12]

In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced Abellio, Arriva and Govia had been shortlisted to bid for the next franchise.^[13]

Services

Additional services

In December 2008 Northern Rail introduced an express service from Leeds to Nottingham calling at Wakefield Kirkgate, Barnsley, Meadowhall, Sheffield, Dronfield, Chesterfield, Alfreton and Langley Mill^[14][15] using a Class 158 unit.

Former services

Services on the route from Thorpes Bridge Junction, Newton Heath to Rochdale East Junction via Oldham, known as the Oldham Loop Line, ceased on 3 October 2009. The line was subsequently converted for Metrolink operation and reopened as a Metrolink route in 2012.^[16]

Performance

Northern Rail won Public Transport Operator of the Year 2007 at the National Transport Awards and was praised by the judges for attracting 20% more passengers since 2004.^[17] When the extension of its franchise was announced, Northern stated that it had improved punctuality from 83.7% in the 12 months to December 2004 to 91.6% in the 12 months to May 2010, meaning that around 200 more trains per day were on time than in 2004.^[7]

In the period 15 October 2009 to 14 November 2009, Northern's punctuality was 91.1% and reliability was 92.2%.^[18] Northern's passenger charter targets are 91% for punctuality and 99% for reliability.

The franchise agreement commits to a 15% reduction in delays in the first five years and to a new 'incentive/penalty regime' and a more 'local focus on performance'.^[19]

The latest official figures released by NR (Network Rail) rate punctuality (PPM) at 91.9% and an MAA of 90.7% for period 7 (2013/2014) and the 12 months up to 12 October 2013.^[20]

The annual report for 2012, published in March 2013, of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen^[21] stated that Northern Rail transported 263,000 passengers daily. The customer satisfaction decreased to 80%. In May 2011 Northern Rail received the "Sustainable Business of the Year" award.

Rolling stock

Northern Rail operates a large diesel fleet, which is used on most services. There is also a smaller electric fleet used on shorter distance services around Leeds and Manchester and on services between Liverpool and Manchester.

Northern inherited a fleet of Class 142, Class 144, Class 150, Class 153 Class 155, Class 156, Class 158, Class 321. Class 323 and Class 333s from Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western.

In October 2006 Northern leased six former Central Trains Class 158s that had been on loan to First Great Western.^[22]

In March 2007 Northern announced it would be acquiring a further 30 Class 158s from Arriva Trains Wales, Central Trains and First Great Western to replace 26 Class 142 Pacers.^[23][24] Northern ended up only receiving 19 Class 158s, but did gain eight centre carriages from East Midlands Trains in 2008 that were inserted into Northern’s ex First North Western Class 158s.^[25][26] 12 Class 142 Pacers were placed in store but reactivated by the end of 2008 when they were sublet to First Great Western from December 2008 and the balance returning to service with Northern.

In Autumn 2008 five Class 142 Pacers returned from First Great Western with the remaining seven following in Autumn 2011.

From December 2008 until December 2011 Northern leased three Class 180s for use on Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria and Hazel Grove services.^[27]

From July 2011 Northern received 18 Class 150s from London Midland. From October 2011, five Class 322s from First ScotRail entered service.^[28]

In January 2015 it was confirmed Chiltern Railways will take five of the First TransPennine Class 170s from May 2015. First TransPennine will sublease class 156 trains off Northern Rail (which were originally intended to be used for extra capacity on Northern Rail services) to cover for the shortfall until February 2016.^[29][30]

In March 2015 the first Class 319 units entered service on the Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport service.^[31]

Current fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 142 Pacer		DMU	75	120	79	Manchester Victoria–Southport/Kirkby Chester–Manchester Piccadilly Southport–Chester (Sunday only) Manchester Piccadilly–New Mills/Rose Hill Marple/Sheffield Leeds–Morecambe/Lancaster/Sheffield/York Liverpool Lime St–Manchester Victoria/Manchester Oxford Rd/Blackpool North/Warrington Bank Quay Huddersfield–Manchester Victoria Colne–Blackpool South Cumbrian Coast, Newcastle–Hexham/Middlesbrough Bishop Auckland/Darlington–Saltburn Middlesbrough–Hexham Crewe/Alderley Edge/Macclesfield–Manchester Piccadilly Metrocentre & Newcastle–Morpeth & Chathill Sheffield–Lincoln Hull–York	1985–7
Class 144 Pacer		DMU	75	120	23	Leeds–Harrogate/York/Manchester Victoria (stopper)/Huddersfield/Goole/Sheffield/Morecambe Sheffield/Wakefield Westgate–Huddersfield Sheffield–Scunthorpe/Lincoln	1986–7
Class 150/1 Sprinter		DMU	75	120	32	Manchester Victoria–Clitheroe/Leeds/Selby Colne–Blackpool South Manchester Piccadilly–Buxton/Sheffield/Rose Hill Marple Liverpool Lime Street–Wigan North Western/Blackpool North/Manchester Victoria/Warrington Bank Quay Manchester Victoria/Airport–Wigan Wallgate/Southport/Kirkby Chester–Manchester Piccadilly Southport–Chester via Altrincham (Sundays only)	1984–7
Class 150/2 Sprinter		DMU	75	120	26	Manchester Victoria–Clitheroe/Leeds Huddersfield–Selby Colne–Blackpool South Wakefield Kirkgate–Knottingley Manchester Piccadilly–Buxton/Sheffield/Rose Hill Marple Liverpool Lime Street–Wigan North Western/Blackpool North/Manchester Victoria/Warrington Bank Quay Manchester Victoria/Airport–Wigan Wallgate/Southport Chester–Manchester Piccadilly via Altrincham Southport–Chester via Altrincham (Sundays only)	1984–7
Class 153 Super Sprinter		DMU	75	120	18	Manchester Victoria–Clitheroe Colne–Blackpool South Preston–Ormskirk Leeds–Knottingley Wakefield Kirkgate–Knottingley Cumbrian Coast Line Cleethorpes–Barton-on-Humber (Barton Line) Also seen coupled to other trains for additional capacity, sometimes seen in South Yorkshire replacing services usually run by Pacers.	1987–8 (Converted 1991-2)
Class 155 Super Sprinter		DMU	75	120	7	Harrogate Line Calder Valley Line	1988
Class 156 Super Sprinter		DMU	75	120	42	Colne–Blackpool South (Sundays only) Cumbrian Coast Newcastle–Carlisle Blackpool North–Manchester Victoria Preston–Hazel Grove Manchester Airport/Oxford Road/Victoria–Liverpool Lime Street Liverpool Lime Street–Wigan North Western/Blackpool North/Manchester Victoria/Warrington Bank Quay Manchester Piccadilly–Rose Hill Marple/Buxton/Sheffield Helsby–Ellesmere Port Manchester Victoria/Airport–Wigan Wallgate/Southport/Kirkby Chester–Manchester Piccadilly via Altrincham Southport–Chester via Altrincham (Sundays only) Nunthorpe–Hexham (Select journeys only) Middlesbrough–Whitby Middlesbrough–Carlisle (1 in 3 services only)	1987–9
Class 158/0 Express Sprinter		DMU	90	140	35	Express services including: York–Blackpool North Nottingham–Sheffield-Leeds via Barnsley Hull–York Sheffield/Hull–Bridlington/Scarborough Leeds–Carlisle Leeds–Bradford–Manchester Victoria[32] Also occasionally seen on the Harrogate Line and other services as a replacement for booked Class 142/144/150s etc.	1989–92
Class 158/9 Express Sprinter		DMU	90	140	10	Express services including: York–Blackpool North Nottingham–Sheffield-Leeds via Barnsley Hull–York - Sheffield/Hull–Bridlington/Scarborough Leeds–Carlisle Leeds–Bradford–Manchester Victoria[32] Also occasionally seen on the Harrogate Line and other services as a replacement for booked Class 142/144/150s etc.	1989–92
Class 319/3		EMU	100	161	4	Manchester Airport to Liverpool via Earlestown Further units are to receive a repaint and refresh prior to entering service.	1990
Class 321/9		EMU	100	160	3	Wakefield Line Leeds–Doncaster Also used on peak-time weekday services on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines	1991
Class 322		EMU	100	160	5	Wakefield Line Leeds–Doncaster Also used on peak-time weekday services on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines	1990
Class 323		EMU	90	140	17	Electrified routes in and out of Manchester Piccadilly: Manchester Piccadilly–Alderley Edge/Crewe/Glossop/Hadfield/Hazel Grove/Macclesfield/ Manchester Airport/Stoke-on-Trent/Manchester United Football Ground (selected matchdays only)	1992–3
Class 333		EMU	100	160	16	Wharfedale Line (Leeds and Bradford–Shipley–Ilkley) Airedale Line (Leeds and Bradford–Shipley–Keighley–Skipton) Leeds-Bradford line[33]	2000

^[34]

Future fleet

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
Class 319/3		EMU	100	161	16	Newly electrified routes (from Spring 2015): Manchester Victoria to Liverpool via Earlestown Services between Manchester/Liverpool and Preston/Blackpool (exact services and frequency to be confirmed when the next franchise is awarded) Six units have entered service so far with a further fourteen units due to receive a repaint and refresh prior to entering service[35] It is believed that eventually all 319/3's will be operated by Northern.	1990
Locomotive hauled carriage stock	TBC	Diesel locomotive	TBC	TBC	TBC	From May 2015 Direct Rail Services will run services on behalf of Northern Rail on the Cumbrian Coast Line (Monday to Fridays only)[36]	TBC
	TBC	Passenger carriage	TBC	TBC	TBC		TBC

Stations

As of 2009, Northern Rail operated 471 stations; more than any other train operating company in the UK.^[37] The number fell to 462 later in the same year^[38] following closure of the Oldham Loop Line, and increased to 463 by 2013.^[39] New stations include Buckshaw Parkway in 2011 and James Cook in 2014. As of 2013, trains operated by Northern Rail called at 526 stations.^[39]

Depots

The depots used by Northern Rail are at:

• Hull Botanic Gardens (BG)
• Blackpool North LMD (BP)
• Barrow-in-Furness (BW)
• Carlisle Station (Overnight cleaning)
• Heaton (Newcastle upon Tyne) (HT)
• Neville Hill (Leeds) (NL)
• Newton Heath (Manchester) (NH)
• Sheffield Station (SM)
• Workington (WK) (overnight cleaning for Cumbrian Coast)
• Buxton (BX) (Overnight Cleaning Depot)
• Allerton (AN)

Train Crew Depots

• Leeds
• York
• Newcastle
• Darlington (Driver only)
• Middlesbrough (guard only)
• Carlisle
• Workington
• Blackpool North
• Liverpool Lime Street
• Wigan Wallgate
• Manchester Victoria
• Manchester Piccadilly
• Buxton
• Sheffield
• Skipton
• Huddersfield
• Harrogate
• Hull Paragon
• Barrow-in-Furness
• Doncaster

Criticism

Northern Rail operates a total of 102 Pacer trains, more than any other train operator in Britain. These were built on a low budget during the 1980s recession and the upper body is based on a Leyland National bus. Many passengers are unhappy with the ride quality of these trains, noting that they provide an uncomfortable ride, are very noisy when going around bends, and are far too small for the number of passengers travelling today.^[40][41] One politician has even said they are not safe, but this was strongly denied by the company and the government.^[42] High fares in non-PTE areas adds to criticism about what some called life-expired trains being used.^[43]

Northern Rail has a tough approach on fare evasion, and has been known to take passengers to court for underpaying by a matter of pence even where the company has no concrete proof.^[44] Northern Rail tried to prosecute one passenger who they claimed had tried to avoid paying part of his fare but the court case failed, costing Northern over £2,000 in legal fees.^[45] The court case was believed to have failed as Northern requires some passengers to carry special tickets saying which station they boarded at and tried to use that as evidence of attempting to combat fare evasion by not having passengers paying for shorter journeys than they make.^[45] However, any such requirement to force a passenger to produce a special ticket to prove where they boarded would be a breach of the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, to which both passengers and rail operators must adhere.^[46]

Due to increased passenger numbers, Northern has installed new ticket machines at some stations. However, these do not sell the full range of tickets, for instance they do not sell Cheap Evening Returns,^[47][48] so that in the evening passengers can pay double the fare that they need to pay for the journey they are making, if they purchase tickets from the machine. Northern Duo tickets are also unavailable from these machines and can be purchased only from an open ticket office or on the train.

Gallery

• 

  Northern Rail Class 142 passing Standish, Wigan

• 

  Northern Rail Class 323 passing Godley railway station

• 

  Northern Rail Class 323 at Godley railway station

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northern Rail.

• Northern Rail official website
• Abellio Group official website

Preceded by Arriva Trains Northern Regional Railways North East franchise	Operator of Northern franchise 2004 - present	Incumbent
Preceded by First North Western North West Regional Railways franchise

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