TPE Plan for the future

[Neptune]

Wonder whether this WCML test will include a dedicated first class host

Well the article states that it will and it means that the trolley in SC will provide a minimum of 3 trips per service.

 

[Greybeard33]

And when might that be?

2032 is the official target for TRU completion.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

2032 is the official target for TRU completion.

plenty of time for TPE to get their act together this time

 

[nr758123]

Refer to your signature for railway timings.

 

[swt_passenger]

If as they suggest they can now increase the Newcastle to Edinburgh semifast service to 2 hourly all day, why was it necessary to remove all the previously planned through services from Liverpool to Edinburgh? Is it because the paths north and south of Newcastle don’t fit together?

Will a 2 hourly service at the likes of Morpeth and Berwick balance out the much criticised LNER reductions?

 

[glasgowniteowl]

Will a 2 hourly service at the likes of Morpeth and Berwick balance out the much criticised LNER reductions?

not likely to balance them out as depends on where the paths come from for those 2 hourly services to operate, if they are at for example the expense of crosscountry then they won't replace the potential lner reductions

 

[JonathanH]

If as they suggest they can now increase the Newcastle to Edinburgh semifast service to 2 hourly all day, why was it necessary to remove all the previously planned through services from Liverpool to Edinburgh? Is it because the paths north and south of Newcastle don’t fit together?

The line from Northallerton to Edinburgh is effectively two track all the way. The suggestion was that trying to path TPE all the way from York to Edinburgh in one go, with stops, as the slowest of the York to Edinburgh services was a moving block which hindered the timing of other services.

As it is, multiple trains follow each other for 200 miles north of York a few minutes apart.

 

[gomango]

TPE is starting to get better for me, 2 perfect trips, perfect load for most seats filled but no one standing and even sent a replacement 802 from Newcastle to Edinburgh to run our service to Manchester Airport as the previous train broke down. They could of easily cancelled it. Everything was on time! Thumbs up from me

 

[Snow1964]

The Government has updated manufacturers

Transpennine
29 units upto 195m in length
option for upto 26 extra units
nominally 174-330 vehicles
Award date Mid 2025

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65c0fe79704282000d752241/rolling-stock-procurement-letter-to-industry-dft.pdf

 

[waterboo]

The Government has updated manufacturers

Transpennine
29 units upto 195m in length
option for upto 26 extra units
nominally 174-330 vehicles
Award date Mid 2025

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65c0fe79704282000d752241/rolling-stock-procurement-letter-to-industry-dft.pdf

One has to ask the question if closing the Bombardier / Alstom plant was a rather folly idea in light of these lucrative rolling stock opportunities coming upstream?!?!

 

[Senex]

How does 29–55 units amd 174–330 vehicles, which seems to tie in with 6-car sets, fit with up to 195 m in length. Even with 26.4-metre vehicles a 6-car set only comes to 158.4 m.

 

[Snow1964]

How does 29–55 units amd 174–330 vehicles, which seems to tie in with 6-car sets, fit with up to 195 m in length. Even with 26.4-metre vehicles a 6-car set only comes to 158.4 m.

Realistically 195m is going to be 8car (8 x 24.375m = 195m),
although streamlined end vehicles might be bit longer than intermediate vehicles

7cars would need to nearly 28m long, which is longer than most curves would allow

 

[josh-j]

I'm curious now as to what needs to happen before the Huddersfield - Manchester stopper can transfer back to Northern, if the one to Leeds is transferring already the end of this year. Why are they different?

 

[Jamesrob637]

TPE is starting to get better for me, 2 perfect trips, perfect load for most seats filled but no one standing and even sent a replacement 802 from Newcastle to Edinburgh to run our service to Manchester Airport as the previous train broke down. They could of easily cancelled it. Everything was on time! Thumbs up from me

My recent experience of TPE demonstrated that too many trains are booked 3-car. If there's a last minute unit failure, that's a cancellation. If they're booked 6 and there's a last-min issue, they can often still run as 3 and get the majority where they need to be roughly on time.

 

[craigybagel]

I'm curious now as to what needs to happen before the Huddersfield - Manchester stopper can transfer back to Northern, if the one to Leeds is transferring already the end of this year. Why are they different?

I'm not sure if any Northern staff have retained route knowledge between Huddersfield and Stalybridge.

 

[gomango]

My recent experience of TPE demonstrated that too many trains are booked 3-car. If there's a last minute unit failure, that's a cancellation. If they're booked 6 and there's a last-min issue, they can often still run as 3 and get the majority where they need to be roughly on time.

Is it worst going across the pennines with TPE. Like Leeds-Liverpool or Manchester-Huddersfield? As TPE are quite reliable anytime I've looked up the west coast mainline.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Is it worst going across the pennines with TPE. Like Leeds-Liverpool or Manchester-Huddersfield? As TPE are quite reliable anytime I've looked up the west coast mainline.

Yes, it's not uncommon for 3 car 185s to be traversing the Pennines which is just awful for overcrowding.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'm curious now as to what needs to happen before the Huddersfield - Manchester stopper can transfer back to Northern, if the one to Leeds is transferring already the end of this year. Why are they different?

Crew and rolling stock availability.

 

[Class 170101]

The line from Northallerton to Edinburgh is effectively two track all the way. The suggestion was that trying to path TPE all the way from York to Edinburgh in one go, with stops, as the slowest of the York to Edinburgh services was a moving block which hindered the timing of other services.

As it is, multiple trains follow each other for 200 miles north of York a few minutes apart.

But it must have worked in Dec 2019 WTT because that's what was in Real Time Trains at that time.

 

[Starmill]

But it must have worked in Dec 2019 WTT because that's what was in Real Time Trains at that time.

Lots of things worked before Lumo's rights began that clearly wouldn't work now.

 

[Bald Rick]

But it must have worked in Dec 2019 WTT because that's what was in Real Time Trains at that time.

Lots of things worked before Lumo's rights began that clearly wouldn't work now.

And more freight.

 

[xotGD]

Yes, it's not uncommon for 3 car 185s to be traversing the Pennines which is just awful for overcrowding.

While 5 car sets sit around gathering dust.

Shameful.

 

[3RDGEN]

But it must have worked in Dec 2019 WTT because that's what was in Real Time Trains at that time.

The Winter 2019 TPE service north of Newcastle was a true express service stopping only at Morpeth so matched the LNER timings whereas now they prove a stopping service and are far slower which will cause pathing issues. The last service from Edinburgh south does actually run through to Liverpool but that will be for operational reasons to swap units around. The service north of Newcastle is provided under some agreement with Transport Scotland, Transport for the North and TPE so they may want to keep it separate from the core TPE services.

 

[northwichcat]

Interesting that the Leeds Huddersfield stopper will transfer back to Northern in December.

How will that affect rolling stock allocation? Will the Leeds-Huddersfield stopper be ready to switch to electric by then? If not, will that leave fewer carriages for other routes e.g. Calder Valley?

And the Manchester Huddersfield stopper by the time TRU is completed.

Given Northern have difficulty staffing Sunday services in the Manchester area, presumably they wouldn't want it at present?

 

[td97]

How will that affect rolling stock allocation? Will the Leeds-Huddersfield stopper be ready to switch to electric by then? If not, will that leave fewer carriages for other routes e.g. Calder Valley?

TRU electrification will not be complete between Leeds & Huddersfield until later in the decade. It will be diesel to start with. One would assume Northern would acquire more rolling stock, potentially ex TfW 150s or 158s. Alternatively there was the previous situation of 'hiring in' 185s with a TPE driver.

Given Northern have difficulty staffing Sunday services in the Manchester area, presumably they wouldn't want it at present?

Again it's unknown if staff would be TUPE'd across, or if new recruits would be required.

 

[Starmill]

How will that affect rolling stock allocation? Will the Leeds-Huddersfield stopper be ready to switch to electric by then?

It won't be until after the new flyover near Ravensthorpe and station at Huddersfield has been built. Another 5 - 8 years.

 

[danbarjon]

As expected today was the roll out of the new First Class WCML menu which has been named the "West Coast Kitchen" along with any other services having a menu branded "Express Plus".

All information is available here: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink

 

[Starmill]

As expected today was the roll out of the new First Class WCML menu which has been named the "West Coast Kitchen" along with any other services having a menu branded "Express Plus".

All information is available here: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink

Thank you. Nice to see. Now let's hope it's provided reliably.

 

[danbarjon]

Thank you. Nice to see. Now let's hope it's provided reliably.

Well staff training appears to be going well and having travelled with them myself recently there is a very different feeling, and I can happily say I will travel with them regularly again as long as it all doesn't go wrong like last time.

 

[800Travel]

As expected today was the roll out of the new First Class WCML menu which has been named the "West Coast Kitchen" along with any other services having a menu branded "Express Plus".

All information is available here: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink

Menu looks quite impressive! I didn’t see any indication of min journey length. Like how LNER says that you need to travel for more than an hour to be likely to be served. Less than is at discretion.