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TPE franchise awarded to First

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Xenophon PCDGS

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Cheshire is only a stone's throw from Manchester Airport, in fact some of the land the Airport has expanded in to since 1974 is in Cheshire. However, the location I've heard is between Sandbach and Crewe which to me sounds like they are revisiting an option they would have used had the First WC franchise gone ahead.

Cheshire (East) is, as you say, only a stone's throw from the county border from Manchester Airport, but in the new franchise, are TPE scheduled to have any services there in the period of the new franchise? Will Handforth, Styal or Ashley see any TPE services passing through their railway stations?
 
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pemma

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Cheshire (East) is, as you say, only a stone's throw from the county border from Manchester Airport, but in the new franchise, are TPE scheduled to have any services there in the period of the new franchise? Will Styal or Ashley see any TPE services passing through their railway stations?

TPE still serve Warrington, Birchwood and occasionally Widnes at present - Northern only take over services on that route in December 2017. After which they'll be no regular TPE services serving Cheshire stations. I don't know if TPE still plan to serve Wilmslow when they are unable to serve Manchester Airport due to engineering works.
 

scotsman

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The 14:17 Edinburgh to Manchester Airport is a very busy service on a Friday which is why it is usually 2x 350. Its often full by the time it leaves Waverley.

If you think that's bad, you should see the 1000 MIA/EDB that forms it. Wasn't unusual to come on the train to find most of the alcohol sold
 

BurtonM

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Minor uniform changes on TPE, new name badges, star lapel pins, lanyards and ties/scarves have show up. They're primarily blue.
 

scotsman

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Minor uniform changes on TPE, new name badges, star lapel pins, lanyards and ties/scarves have show up. They're primarily blue.

Reminds me of the Abellio takeover of ScotRail. Pins to cover the First logos, new ties, and make use of everything else
 

BurtonM

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For some reason, the 0700 Airport-Glasgow started from Lancaster today.
It was also late leaving, and my Pendolino trailed it all the way from Carlisle.

Seems there's been one on the blink all day then. 1700 Airport-Glasgow was started from Oxford Road at 1719, by taking the rear 3 coaches off the 1621 Lime Street - Scarborough when it got in at 1707, and telling everyone to use the front 3.

This didn't go down well with anyone...
 

Solent&Wessex

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For some reason, the 0700 Airport-Glasgow started from Lancaster today.
It was also late leaving, and my Pendolino trailed it all the way from Carlisle.

That was due to a shortage of drivers.

Seems there's been one on the blink all day then. 1700 Airport-Glasgow was started from Oxford Road at 1719, by taking the rear 3 coaches off the 1621 Lime Street - Scarborough when it got in at 1707, and telling everyone to use the front 3.

This didn't go down well with anyone...

That was due to unit being taken out of service due to a damaged windscreen.
 

185143

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16:24 MCO-MIA, which forms the 17:00 MIA-GLC went down as a 185 today and it wasnt 123...

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 

pemma

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Tony Miles has posted on wnxx that it's sounding like there's been a lack of progress in talks with CAF and First could be about to go to Plan B which will see more Hitachi trains.

Also regarding Hitachi trains they offer a variety of different length cars on AT300s and offer different door positions with SDO available as an option: http://www.hitachirail-eu.com/at-300-high-speed_47.html
 
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Haydn1971

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Tony Miles has posted on wnxx that it's sounding like there's been a lack of progress in talks with CAF and First could be about to go to Plan B which will see more Hitachi trains.


Interesting, as I'd assumed the reason for going with CAF was either reduced costs or that Hitachi couldn't meet the delivery timescales - both of these issues would lead to TPEs passengers suffering, either through delayed introduction or the extra costs being put back on the customer in some roundabout way.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Must admit 26m AT300s on the WCML services would be nice!

I wonder if it would be viable to get into talks with Northern on maintenance of CAF kit?

Northern are going to be doing maintenance in-house at existing depots on the 195s and 331s, presumably at Newton Heath and Neville Hill. The key factor would be how much capacity there'll be at Newton Heath, as it'll continue to service Northern's legacy fleet alongside the new units.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
185108 on North Transpennine today, just passed Batley heading West. Looks good in the flesh!
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Northern are going to be doing maintenance in-house at existing depots on the 195s and 331s, presumably at Newton Heath and Neville Hill. The key factor would be how much capacity there'll be at Newton Heath, as it'll continue to service Northern's legacy fleet alongside the new units.

Is there not enough space in the land area of Newton Heath to extend the depot to be able to host both new DMU and EMU units in future years ?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Northern are going to be doing maintenance in-house at existing depots on the 195s and 331s, presumably at Newton Heath and Neville Hill. The key factor would be how much capacity there'll be at Newton Heath, as it'll continue to service Northern's legacy fleet alongside the new units.

The Class 142 units there at Newton Heath will hopefully soon be a thing of the past by the end of this decade.
 
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sprinterguy

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Is there not enough space in the land area of Newton Heath to extend the depot to be able to host both new DMU and EMU units in future years ?
It's located on a triangle of land bounded by the Rochdale line to the north, Metrolink to the south and a road to the rear of the site. There isn't really the opportunity for expansion in any direction.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The Class 142 units there at Newton Heath will hopefully soon be a thing of the past by the end of this decade.
However, assuming that Arriva stick to Northern's established class allocations, it will also be gaining around twenty class 150 units, which partially counters the loss of forty two class 142s.
 
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D6975

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Today's Railways, mag out today, says 13x 5 car loco hauled CAF sets have been ordered by TP, to be 68 hauled.
 

john.aston.96

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There's different stories from different people, is it or isn't it. Hopefully TPE will be able to confirm soon...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

pemma

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Today's Railways, mag out today, says 13x 5 car loco hauled CAF sets have been ordered by TP, to be 68 hauled.

There's different stories from different people, is it or isn't it. Hopefully TPE will be able to confirm soon...

Rail magazines have printing deadlines to meet, so they will have had to consider (probably last week) whether to run with the probable CAF order or to hold off for a month and wait for a confirmed story.
 

sprinterguy

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Does the article state where these are planned to be used? Hopefully North TP fasts.
As per Transpennine's franchise announcement, this group of thirteen trains is supposed to be intended for Middlesbrough and Scarborough services (The nineteen Bi-mode units so far ordered can make best use of the ECML wires and their 125mph capability on Edinburgh and Newcastle services).
 
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gimmea50anyday

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Its rumoured and mentioned internally, and as kwvr45 has previously pointed out, internal job descriptions have stated 13 loco hauled rakes and 68's. However it hasnt been confirmed internally but the suggestion is the loco rakes will be used on LIV-NCL and LIV-SCA services
 

61653 HTAFC

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Its rumoured and mentioned internally, and as kwvr45 has previously pointed out, internal job descriptions have stated 13 loco hauled rakes and 68's. However it hasnt been confirmed internally but the suggestion is the loco rakes will be used on LIV-NCL and LIV-SCA services

Makes sense that they'd be kept off airport services due to platform lengths, and reversal at Piccadilly if that's still happening when they arrive. I assume the new stock will include a cab at the non-loco end rather than top and tail. Just goes to show that loco-hauled isn't dead after all (assuming this isn't a belated April Fool)! Hope they'll have some peak calls at Dewsbury so I don't have to go too far out of my way...

Speaking of Dewsbury, I noticed earlier that there appears to be a new shelter or canopy being built on platform 2, hopefully this means 6-car workings will become the rule rather than the exception. It looked as though it'll be pretty rudimentary rather than matching the style of the existing canopy though. Not quite as daft as the new shelter being built on Huddersfield platform 1 though, which is entirely under the overall roof with 2 coach lengths beyond with no protection from the elements. I suppose it'll be heated at least.
 

sprinterguy

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Makes sense that they'd be kept off airport services due to platform lengths, and reversal at Piccadilly if that's still happening when they arrive.
5 x 23 metre carriages plus a class 68 would still be well short of the 200 metre maximum length of the platforms at Manchester Airport.

The Ordsall chord is expected to be completed by December 2017, which is the earliest that Transpennine's new trains are expected to start entering service.
 

pemma

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I would have thought if the options are 125mph bi-modes and 100mph diesel locos you'd want Newcastle services to get the 125mph bi-modes as there's more overheads to use and they can actually use the 125mph top speed.
 
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