Stations operated 475 Parent organization Arriva UK Trains Stations called at 526 | Parent company Arriva UK Trains Founded 2016 | |
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Franchise(s) Northern
1 April 2016 – 31 March 2025 Main Region(s) North West
North East
Yorkshire and the Humber Other Region(s) East Midlands
Staffordshire Website www.northernrailway.co.uk Fleet size 337 (4 units leased from TransPennine Express) | ||
Northern, the trading name of Arriva Rail North is the primary train operator in Northern England. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, it began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016.
Contents
Northern operates more stations than any other train operating company in the United Kingdom.
History
In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced that Abellio, Arriva and Govia had been shortlisted to bid for the next Northern franchise.
In May 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority launched what The Times called an '...unprecedented investigation into the transport department's decision to award the Northern Rail network to Arriva.' This was because the parent company Deutsche Bahn also operated the CrossCountry franchise and owned many bus companies in the Northern trains operating area in which 'a significant overlap occurs without competition from other service providers.'
Services
Northern took over all the services operated by Northern Rail (also branded Northern) on 1 April 2016 and on the same date, services between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North, Manchester Airport and Barrow in Furness and Oxenholme to Windermere from First TransPennine Express.
Northern took over responsibility for all the stations managed by Northern Rail, as well as Arnside, Barrow-in-Furness, Birchwood, Burneside, Carnforth, Grange-over-Sands, Kendal, Staveley, Ulverston, Warrington Central and Windermere from First TransPennine Express. Northern will staff some currently unstaffed stations. The first stations to be staffed will be Baildon and Ben Rhydding, both in West Yorkshire.
Northern has committed to introducing free Wi-Fi on trains, and new ticketing options including the ability for customers to print their own tickets. Arriva will provide new services across the North of England.
In October 2017, the Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber service will transfer to East Midlands Trains. The transfer will include Barrow Haven, Barton upon Humber, Goxhill, Great Coates, Grimsby Docks, Habrough, Healing, New Clee, New Holland, Stallingborough, Thornton Abbey and Ulceby stations.
On 1 July 2016, the business was divided into four regions, each headed up by a regional director:
Northern Connect
From December 2019, Northern will operate a network of twelve Northern Connect interurban express services, eleven of these will be operated by brand new Class 195 diesel multiple units and Class 331 electric multiple units, whilst the Middlesbrough to Carlisle via Newcastle route will be operated by refurbished Class 158 units.
Places that will be served by Northern Connect routes include Bradford, Chester, Halifax, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Barnsley, Lincoln, Wakefield and York. The routes transferred from the TransPennine franchise will also be part of the Northern Connect network.
Rolling stock
Northern inherited the rolling stock operated by Northern Rail, namely Class 142, 144, 150, 153, 155, 156 and 158 diesel multiple units and Class 319, 321, 322, 323 and 333 electric multiple units. To operate services transferred from the TransPennine Express franchise, 185s are sublet from that franchise to Northern.
Class 37/4 locomotives and Mark 2 carriages are hired from Direct Rail Services until 2017 for Cumbrian Coast line services.
Future fleet
Northern will take delivery of 98 Class 195 and Class 331 trains built in Spain by CAF between 2018 and 2020. They will be a mix of two and three car diesel multiple units and three and four car electric multiple units all based on the Civity UK platform. The units will primarily be deployed on Northern Connect regional express services.
A total of 51 diesel-powered units will be cascaded to Northern from the Abellio ScotRail, London Midland and Great Western Railway train operating companies after the Edinburgh to Glasgow and Great Western Main Line electrification projects are completed. Twelve Class 319s will be cascaded from Govia Thameslink Railway to operate electrified services in the North West allowing Class 142 and Class 144 units to be replaced as well as the Class 37 hauled Mark 2 carriages. The Class 323 units will be returned to leasing company Porterbrook at the end of 2018 when their leases expire.
Between July 2016 and December 2017 Northern will operate a peak morning working between Bradford and Leeds using a Class 180 set hired from Grand Central Railway releasing other DMUs to cover the reduction in the number of units available to hire from TransPennine Express.
An additional 18 two carriage DMUs are due to join the fleet by December 2022.
Depots
Northern's fleet is maintained at Allerton, Heaton, Newton Heath and Neville Hill depots.
Train Crew Depots are located at; 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 and Doncaster.