I'd then advocate joining Transpennine North with the Northern franchise. I think there's a lot of scope to develop a more extensive "Northern Citylink" network of services, as has been advocated by others on this forum, principally Nym I believe, involving things like York to Blackpool as well as the current TPE services.
Transpennine South would be combined with EMT, where it would make most sense for EMT to gain additional 158s to operate the service as part of a larger common fleet which could be obtained through 185s being used on a number of "Northern Citylink" services and displacing 158s.
Yes, it is me.
Also, if I where folding TPE South into EMT it would also involve diverting the Cleethorpes - Airport service over the CLC in the 2nd Semi Fast path to maintain 2SF and 2S services per hour. Unless, combined with either a major re-moddeling of Oxford Road or Re-opening Central with some new passing loops on the CLC will result in 3SF+3S being able to run over the route. Then I could see services running as 1tph MIA, 1tph Piccadilly and 1tph Sheffeild (or beyond) with the EMT service via Sheffeild splitting at Sheffeild Midland for Cleethorpes and Norwich. And the remaining services being provided by 'Northern Citylink'.
If the service pattern on the CLC is not going to change, and we're looking at 4 car 158s on each service through the Hope Valley, I'd have the xx07/xx11 (Piccadilly) services running Liverpool Lime St - Cleethorpes and Hull Paragon via Stockport, Sheffeild and Doncaster and the current Norwich running as is. With the xx07/xx11 services run by either EMT or 'Northern Citylink' as it would sit within either territory, but they would definately run to Liverpool Lime St and any Sheffeild - Airport service would run via Victoria and the Ordsall Cord and New Mills. Providing a semi fast service calling Victoria - Guide Bridge -Chinley - Hope Valley Stns - Dore - Sheffeild or something similar.
If we're looking at keeping high quality stock to Sheffeild, and remaining optimistic about TP North Electrification, it would depend on how much one needs to reduce diesel under wires. But divvying up the 185 fleet around 'Northern Citylink' in the following way would be sensible in my eyes.
Working on having 45 available diagrams...
Blackpool North - Scarbrough (Now extended) 1tph (8dia)
York - Scarbrough Shuttle 1tph (1/2dia)
Leeds - Manchester Victoria via Halifax 2tph (7/8 dia)
Extending to:
Manchester Airport via Ordsall Curve 1tph (2dia)
Barrow in Furness or Windermere via Bolton and Preston 1tph (8dia)
Manchester Piccadilly - Buxton 2tph (Very peak dependant, 6 car in the peaks, 3 car outside, running on the fasts off piccadilly, limited stop to Hazel Grove) (8dia on peak, 4dia off peak, this allows off peak maintenance things)
This leaves another 9 diagrams kicking about, either just enough to cover TPE South but doubling up diagrams on that route is a must soon, but Northern is running out of routes that are suitable for 185 operation, I can't remember what I did before for the allocation, I think I put some onto Southport and combined them with Lakes services, so it ran in 6 car formation and split at Bolton, rather than extending a service from Victoria and running both services from the Calder Valley onto the Airport. (That would work nicely)
Anyway, must post this before everyone moves on.