[Archive] Northern (Arriva Rail North)

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern (Arriva Rail North)

(12/12/2016 09:31)mikestone Wrote:  If the GWR loco hauled goes ahead then maybe that will release enough stock for what will presumably be a Chester-rochdale service initially. They will also have the Blackpool units if electrification from Ordsall Lane to Euxton is finished and Blackpool reopens fully wired.

The current proposal is for GWR to delay the release of their Sprinters by 6 months and indefinitely for some of the 153s and Northern are reportedly looking at postponing enhancements until May 2018.

The Chester to Calder Valley will be an extension of an existing Calder Valley service but when Bradford to Manchester Airport starts that will be a whole new service.

There's a lot of additional units required for the planned changes. TPE need their loaned 185s back to implement their proposed changes and Northern will have to run a semi-fast on the CLC line between Liverpool and Manchester to replace the TPE service which will be diverted via Chat Moss. TPE will also divert their Scottish services back via Bolton so it's important that the enhanced Airport to Barrow/Windermere services start and are diverted via Wigan. Those two services will be the priority for Northern's extra/released stock. Then there's also the Buxton, Mid-Cheshire and Atherton lines which are in desperate need of extra capacity and are due to get additional services. If there's much more growth on the Mid-Cheshire line they'll be Chester bound services in the morning peak and Manchester bound services in the evening peak leaving behind passengers and having to wait an hour for the next service.