Northern's great strengthening.

The information I share has come down a chain of command. It shows how from December 4th Northern will be strengthening its services. There is something called the Government HLOS High Level Output Statement for the rail industry. Depending on how you calculate, this promises Northern 100-150 further carriages to cope with the growth and overcrowding. The franchise was originally let as a stand still one. By December 2011, 42 extra carriages will have arrived and their planned deployment is now worked out. Overall many people will be very relieved.

Sadly I have a pretty clear gripe. Study the detail and only one train north of York comes into it. The 0741 Hexham Middlesbrough will be two Class 142 sets instead of one. Just one additional train has come to Heaton and it is another of the dreaded four wheel Pacer trains. It will spend most of its time as a back up thunderbird. That is not a bad thing but as regular readers of the blog know, my contention for just over a year now, is that the work of Heaton depot (Northumbria local trains) is a complete sideshow for Northern planners and nothing shows this better. My mind says that the only way this will change is if the politicians of the North East work together and insist on some dramatically different arrangements for the new franchise from about 2012. There is evidence that the DfT is listening to this and is inviting local councils to consider what role they could have.

The trains are listed by their current departure time at their point of origin followed by the current booked traction then by the booked traction from December.

AM Peak
06:13 Leeds-Man Vic 144(3), 144(3)+144(2)
06:21 Liverpool LS-Man Vic 156, 142+142
06:29 Huddersfield-Man Vic 142, 150
06:30 Harrogate-Leeds 144(2), 150
06:31 Huddersfield-Leeds 144(3), 144(3)+142
06:32 Rose Hill Marple-Man Picc 142, 150
06:36 New Mills Ctl-Man Picc 142, 142+142
06:36 Wigan Wall-Man Vic 142, 150
06:37 Leeds-Man Vic 158(2), 158(2)+158(2)
06:38 Leeds-Sheffield 142, 144(3)
06:43 Man Vic-Leeds 150+142, 150+150
06:50 Buxton-Blackpool N 150, 156
06:57 Huddersfield-Southport 156, 156+142
07:04 Lincoln Ctl-Sheffield 142, 142+144(2)
07:06 Man Picc-Sheffield 142, 150
07:13 Leeds-Man Vic 144(3), 144(3)+142
07:15 Wigan Wall-Stalybridge 150, 150+142
07:16 Liverpool LS-Huddersfield 150, 156
07:16 Rose Hill Marple-Man Picc 142, 142+142
07:22 Warrington Ctl-Man OR 142, 150
07:24 Buxton-Man Picc 156, 150+150
07:29 Adwick-Sheffield 142, 142+142
07:38 Wigan NW-Liverpool LS 150+142, 150+150
07:39 Man OR-Liverpool LS 156, 142+142
07:39 New Mills Ctl-Man Picc 142, 142+142
07:40 Clitheroe-Man Vic 150, 153+150
07:41 Hexham-Middlesbrough 142, 142+142
07:41 Rose Hill Marple-Man Picc 142, 142+142
07:42 Knaresborough-Leeds 144(3), 144(3)+144(2)
07:44 Todmorden-Wigan Wall 150, 150+142
07:48 York-Leeds 153+144(2), 150+153
07:59 Marple-Man Picc 142, 142+142
08:00 Man Vic-Leeds 144(3), 144(3)+144(2)
08:00 Wigan Wall-Man Vic 150, 142+142
08:06 Sheffield-Leeds 142, 144(3)
08:13 Wigan Wall-Man Vic 142, 150
08:15 Man OR-Liverpool LS 142, 150
08:22 Stalybridge-Liverpool LS 150, 150+142
08:24 New Mills Ctl-Man Picc 142, 142+142
08:24 Southport-Man Air 142, 142+142
08:30 Huddersfield-Man Vic 142, 150
08:32 Blackburn-Man Vic 153, 150
08:44 Liverpool LS-Stalybridge 142, 150
08:45 York-Leeds 144(2), 150
08:48 Marple-Man Picc 142, 142+142
08:59 Rose Hill Marple-Man Picc 142, 142+142

PM Peak
16:00 Southport-Huddersfield 142, 142+142
16:03 Man Air-Southport 150, 142+142
16:06 Man Picc-Rose Hill Marple 142, 142+142
16:10 Man Vic-Kirby 142, 150
16:13 Adwick-Retford 142, 142+142
16:13 Leeds-Man Vic 144(3), 144(3)+144(2)
16:18 Scunthorpe-Lincoln Ctl 142, 142+142
16:23 Man Picc-Marple 142, 142+142
16:27 Man Vic-Huddersfield 150, 156
16:29 Leeds-York 142+142, 142+150
16:30 Buxton-Blackpool N 156, 150+150
16:31 Liverpool LS-Wigan NW 156, 142+142
16:39 Leeds-Lancaster 144(2), 150
16:43 Man OR-Liverpool LS 142, 150
16:45 Man Picc-New Mills Ctl 142, 150
16:48 Wigan Wall-Rochdale 142, 142+142
17:00 Man Vic-Leeds 144(2), 144(2)+142
17:03 Man Picc-Marple 142, 142+142
17:06 Sheffield-Leeds 142, 144(3)
17:09 Clitheroe-Rochdale 153, 150
17:10 Man Vic-Kirkby 142, 142+142
17:13 Leeds-Man Vic 144(3), 144(3)+142
17:13 Man OR-Liverpool LS 142, 150
17:14 Sheffield-Leeds 144(3), 144(2)+144(2)
17:18 Man Picc-Sheffield 142, 142+142
17:27 Man Vic-Huddersfield 142, 150+142
17:48 Man Picc-Chinley 142, 142+142
18:00 Man Vic-Clitheroe 150, 153+150
18:00 Man Vic-Leeds 144(3), 144(3)+144(2)
18:00 Rochdale-Blackburn 142, 142+142
18:22 Man Picc-New Mills Ctl 142, 142+142
18:25 Liverpool LS-Man OR 142, 150
18:27 Man Vic-Huddersfield 150, 156
18:29 Leeds-York 144(2)+150, 150+150
18:31 Liverpool LS-Wigan NW 156, 142+142
18:32 Leeds-Sheffield 142, 144(3)
18:43 Leeds-Huddersfield 144(2), 144(2)+142
18:45 Man Vic-Wigan Wall 142, 150
18:55 Liverpool LS-Warrington 142, 150
18:59 Leeds-Knaresborough 144(3), 144(2)+144(2)