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First TransPennine Express

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This article is about the former TransPennine Express franchise that operated until 31 March 2016. For the new franchise operated solely by FirstGroup, see TransPennine Express.

First TransPennine Express[1] was a British train operating company jointly owned by FirstGroup and Keolis which operated the TransPennine Express franchise. First TransPennine Express ran regular Express regional railway services between the major cities of Northern England as well as Scotland.

First TransPennine Express
A Class 185 Desiro at Scarborough in 2011
Overview
Franchise(s)
  • TransPennine Express
    1 February 2004 – 31 March 2016
Main route(s)North West England, Yorkshire and Humber, North East England, Scotland
Fleet size67 units
(6 units were subleased from Northern Rail)
Stations called at90
Stations operated30
Parent companyFirstGroup (55%)
Keolis (45%)
Reporting markTP
Predecessors
SuccessorTransPennine Express

The franchise operated all its services to and through Manchester covering three main routes. The service provided rail links for major towns and cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Sheffield, Hull, Leeds, York, Scarborough, Middlesbrough and Newcastle. Previously, all services called or terminated at Manchester Piccadilly,[2] but, as of May 2014, a new service running between Newcastle and Liverpool Lime Street, calling at Manchester Victoria was announced, and launched as part of the Northern Hub plan.[3]

When the franchise was re-tendered, FirstGroup and Keolis tendered separately. The franchise was awarded solely to FirstGroup.[4] The new franchise is still legally called First TransPennine Express but is branded as TransPennine Express.

History

 
Previous logo
 
Passenger journeys on First TransPennine Express in millions from 2011 to 2016 (financial year, rolling annual average)[5][6]

The TransPennine Express brand was launched in the early 1990s by British Rail,[7] and maintained by the privatised operator Northern Spirit and its successor, Arriva Trains Northern.[8]

In 2000, the Strategic Rail Authority announced that it planned to reorganise the North West Regional Railways and Regional Railways North East franchises operated by First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern. A TransPennine Express franchise would be created for the long-distance regional services, the remaining services being operated by a new Northern franchise.[9]

In July 2003, the TransPennine Express franchise was awarded to a joint venture between FirstGroup and Keolis, and the services operated by Arriva Trains Northern and First North Western were transferred to First TransPennine Express on 1 February 2004.[10]

The franchise was due to end on 31 January 2012, but in August 2011 the Department for Transport awarded First TransPennine Express an extension until March 2015.[11] Included was a clause to allow the date to be brought forward to April 2014 to coincide with the end-date of the Northern Rail franchise. In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the franchise would again be extended until 1 April 2016.[12]

The continuation of the franchise was not certain. Local transport authorities and consultancies proposed merging Trans-Pennine services into other franchises to increase efficiency on the rail network.[13] The Manchester Airport to Scotland service could be transferred to the InterCity West Coast franchise after the electrification of lines around Manchester by 2018. The south Trans-Pennine route between Manchester and Cleethorpes could be transferred to East Midlands Trains who operate an hourly service on the Manchester to Sheffield section.[14]

In June 2014 the DfT confirmed two separate franchises in the north of England, one providing intercity rail services and a second providing local rail services. At the time proposals were made to transfer services including York to Scarborough and Doncaster to Cleethorpes services to the Northern franchise and transfer the Nottingham to Liverpool portion of the Norwich to Liverpool service operated by East Midlands Trains to the TransPennine franchise.[15]

In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced FirstGroup, Keolis/Go-Ahead and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the next franchise.[16] On 9 December 2015, FirstGroup was awarded the franchise in its own right with TransPennine Express taking over on 1 April 2016.[17][18][19]

Services

North TransPennine

 
First TransPennine Express 185140 approaching Northallerton with a service bound for Manchester Airport.

As a result of timetable changes in May 2014, five trains per hour instead of four operated on the core route between Manchester and Leeds on the Huddersfield Line. This was made up of the following services:

Most services between Manchester Airport and Newcastle ran early morning/late evenings.

Under Arriva Trains Northern, Newcastle services continued to Sunderland. When First TransPennine Express first took over the franchise it extended the Manchester to Hull service to Bridlington, a decision later reversed.

In May 2014 an hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle Central was introduced. It ran non-stop between Liverpool and Manchester Victoria and onward to Newcastle via Leeds reducing journey times between Liverpool and Manchester by 15 minutes and Liverpool to Leeds by 25 minutes.

South TransPennine

 
170303 at Manchester Piccadilly

An hourly service operated from Manchester Airport to Cleethorpes via Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

TransPennine North West

TransPennine North West used sections of the Styal Line, Manchester to Preston Line, West Coast Main Line, Furness Line and Windermere Branch Line. These services were formerly operated by First North Western with the exception of the Scottish routes, which were previously operated by Virgin CrossCountry from Manchester Piccadilly.

Following timetable changes in May 2014 the following services operated:

  • 1tph between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North. Some services also ran to/from Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere which are detached/attached at Preston. A number of peak services start or terminate at Preston.
  • 1tph between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh Waverley (alternating). Most of these services used Class 350s (some Edinburgh services run in 8 car formations) however a number of peak services are still run by Class 185s via Bolton/Wigan North Western and Bolton/Chorley.

With the completion of the first stage of the North West electrification programme, the Scottish services were operated from 8 December 2013 by newly arrived Class 350 electric units and rerouted to stop at Wigan North Western after joining the West Coast Main Line close to Newton-le-Willows. Most stops at Bolton and Chorley were withdrawn as a result. With a number of peak services still operating via Bolton/Chorley or Bolton/Wigan North Western.[20]

Performance

Official performance figures released by Network Rail for period 7 of the financial year 2013/14 were down on the same period last year at 87.8% (PPM) and MAA up to 12 October 2013 stood at 90.5%.[21]

Rolling stock

First TransPennine Express inherited a fleet of two- and three-car Class 158 Express Sprinter trains from Arriva Trains Northern. It also operated Class 175 Coradias on hire from Arriva Trains Wales.

A franchise commitment was the replacement of the entire fleet, so in 2005 First TransPennine Express ordered 56 (later cut back by the Strategic Rail Authority to 51) three-car Class 185 Desiros, the first of which entered service in March 2006.

Most of the Class 185s were delivered in FirstGroup's neon blue livery. The "i" in the logo of Keolis is used as the "i" in the TransPennine Express logo in addition to the First "flying f" logo. The first eight units were delivered in First's dark blue livery, and later reliveried with neon blue vinyls.

 
350409 at Patricroft

The Class 185 trains proved popular with off-peak travellers, although these satisfaction levels decreased for passengers undertaking long-distance journeys and at peak times.[22]

Despite the 185s having a higher capacity than two-car 158s, 185s frequently left passengers behind due to severe overcrowding at peak times.[23] Transport for Greater Manchester stated in 2007 that projected passenger numbers would probably mean that 100–125 mph (161–201 km/h) 8-car units would be needed by 2014.[24]

 
185103 at Castleton East Junction

It was planned to operate all services with the new Class 185 Desiros. However, weight restrictions on the Micklefield to Hull line restricted the Class 185s to 65–75 mph (105–121 km/h). To solve this and create extra capacity, First TransPennine Express leased eight Class 170 Turbostars from late 2006 that were surplus to South West Trains' requirements, and in November 2007 a ninth was transferred from Central Trains. The Class 185 Desiros operated across the network, the Class 170 Turbostars on services from Manchester to Cleethorpes, Hull and York.

Since May 2014 services between Manchester and Scotland were operated by the Class 350/4s electric multiple units.[25] This enabled the diesel trains in use on the Manchester to Scotland services to be transferred to other TransPennine Express services.[26] The Manchester Airport to Blackpool route was also electrified, allowing further diesel trains to be cascaded on to other TransPennine Express services. However, this was after the end of the former TransPennine Express franchise.

In February 2012 the Department for Transport announced that 10 four-car electric Class 350 Desiros had been ordered to operate services from Manchester to Scotland via Wigan after electrification.[27][28] It was confirmed that all the existing rolling stock would remain with the franchise to boost capacity.

However, in March 2014 it was announced that the nine Class 170 Turbostars would move to Chiltern Railways.[29] MP Stephen Hammond revealed on 12 March 2014 that all the class 170/3s would remain with First TransPennine Express until the May 2015 timetable change.[30]

In January 2015 it was confirmed Chiltern would take five of the Class 170s from May 2015 and the other four from February 2016. First TransPennine hired Class 156 Super Sprinters (which were originally intended to be used for extra capacity on Northern Rail services) from Northern Rail to work in pairs on the Manchester Airport-Blackpool North route,[31] ahead of that route's transfer (along with the services to Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere) to the new Northern franchise in April 2016.

Fleet at end of franchise

Class Image Type Top speed Number Routes operated Built
 mph   km/h 
Diesel multiple units
156 Super Sprinter   DMU 75 120 6 Manchester Airport–Blackpool North[32] 1987–1989
185 Desiro   100 160 51 North TransPennine & South TransPennine 2005–2006
170/3 Turbostar   4 Manchester Piccadilly–Cleethorpes/Hull/York 2000
Electric multiple units
350/4 Desiro   EMU 110 180 10 Anglo-Scottish Route 2013–2014

Managed stations

First TransPennine Express managed the following 30 stations, many of which transferred to the new TransPennine Express franchise operator:[33]

References

  1. ^ Companies House extract company no 4113923 First/Keolis TransPennine Limited
  2. ^ First TransPennine Express route map FirstGroup
  3. ^ "Changes to Our Services From 18 May 2014". First TransPennine Express. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  4. ^ Companies House extract company no 9111801 First TransPennine Express Limited
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)[dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Passenger journeys by train operating company - Table 12.12". Office of Rail and Road.
  7. ^ http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?t=objects&type=all&f=&s=Paper+drinks+coaster%2C+TransPennine+Express&record=0. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[permanent dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Northern Spirit is brand new name for Regional Railways North East" Rail issue 332 3 June 1998 page 7
  9. ^ The Trans-Pennine Express rail franchise Archived 20 October 2004 at the Wayback Machine. Yorkshire & The Humber Transport Activist's Roundtable Briefing Note October 2001.
  10. ^ "SRA Announce Preferred Bidder For TransPennine Express Franchise" (PDF) (Press release). Strategic Rail Authority. 28 July 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2009.
  11. ^ "New franchising programme" (Press release). Department for Transport. 5 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Railway plan puts new focus on passengers" Secretary of State for Transport statement 26 March 2013
  13. ^ "Rail Franchising: Written evidence from First/Keolis TransPennine". UK Parliament. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Research Project on Reviewing the Franchise Map" (PDF). Jacobs Consultancy. March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Future of Northern and TransPennine Express rail franchises" (Press release). Department for Transport. 9 June 2014.
  16. ^ Shortlist for Northern and TransPennine operators revealed Department for Transport 19 August 2014
  17. ^ "FirstGroup awarded TransPennine Express franchise". Rail Technology Magazine. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  18. ^ "Arriva and First chosen for Northern and TransPennine franchises". International Railway Journal. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  19. ^ "FirstGroup plc welcomes award of TransPennine Express rail franchise". 9 December 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  20. ^ "December Changes: Changes to services between Manchester, Bolton, Chorley, Preston and Cumbria / Scotland". First TransPennine Express. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  21. ^ "Rail performance results period 7". Network Rail. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  22. ^ "The Pennine Class 185 experience". Passenger Focus. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  23. ^ Emma Davison (31 October 2008). "Anyone for a game of train sardines?". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
  24. ^ "Heavy Rail White Paper" (PDF). Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority.[dead link‍]
  25. ^ West Coast Main Line route utilisation strategy Archived 1 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Network Rail.
  26. ^ "Britain's Transport Infrastructure: Rail Electrification" (PDF). Department for Transport. July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2017.
  27. ^ "Extra trains and faster journey times will boost capacity" (Press release). Department for Transport. 29 February 2012.
  28. ^ "Rail passengers in the north of England and Scotland to benefit from new trains" (Press release). First TransPennine Express. 29 February 2012.
  29. ^ "Campaigners' fury as nine TransPennine Express trains sent south in 'crazy and scandalous' move". Manchester Evening News. 3 March 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
  30. ^ "Wednesday 12 March 2014 Meeting started at 9.29am, ended 11.30am". ParliamentLive.
  31. ^ "Train Announcement". First TransPennine Express. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  32. ^ Prentice, Paul (8 January 2015). "Locomotive-hauled trains to return to north west". Rail Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  33. ^ "Safe and sound train stations". First Transpennine Express. October 2011.
Preceded by
Arriva Trains Northern
Regional Railways North East franchise
 Operator of TransPennine Express franchise
2004–2016 		Succeeded by
TransPennine Express
(operated solely by FirstGroup)
Preceded by
First North Western
North West Regional Railways franchise
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