Northern Trains facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Northern

A Northern Class 331 train in November 2023 at Stoke-on-Trent
Overview
Franchise(s)	Northern
Main region(s)	North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber
Other region(s)	East Midlands West Midlands
Fleet size	368
Stations called at	474
Parent company	DfT OLR Holdings
Headquarters	York
Reporting mark	NT
Dates of operation	1 March 2020 (2020-03-01) – 1 March 2025 (2025-03-01)
Predecessor	Arriva Rail North
Route map

Northern Trains, known simply as Northern, is a British train operating company. It is owned by DfT OLR Holdings, which is part of the UK government's Department for Transport (DfT). Northern took over running the trains in March 2020. This happened after the previous company, Arriva Rail North, had its contract ended.

The government decided to take over because people were very unhappy with Arriva Rail North's service. There were many delays and cancellations, especially after new timetables were introduced in May 2018. When Northern started, its main goals were to make services more reliable. They also wanted to bring in new trains. By December 2020, new Class 195 diesel trains and Class 331 electric trains were fully in use.

Train services have faced challenges since then. The COVID-19 pandemic caused big changes. More recently, the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes have also affected services. These strikes are the biggest national rail strikes in the UK in 30 years.

Northern's Journey: A Brief History

Why Northern Trains Took Over

In December 2015, the Department for Transport (DfT) gave a contract to Arriva to run the Northern train services. This new company was called Arriva Rail North. They started in April 2016 and were supposed to run trains until March 2025.

However, after only two years, many people were complaining. A new timetable in May 2018 caused huge problems. There were lots of delays and trains were cancelled often. Throughout 2018, performance stayed bad. Passengers protested, and some services were reduced on Saturdays due to industrial action (strikes). By November 2018, Arriva was even thinking about stopping their contract. This was because fewer people were travelling, and they had to pay out more money for delays.

In June 2019, the DfT's "operator of last resort" looked into the company's problems. An "operator of last resort" is a special company owned by the government. It steps in to run services if a private company can no longer do so. They thought Arriva Rail North's performance and money situation were "unsustainable."

In January 2020, the government announced its decision. They would end Arriva Rail North's contract. This was a big deal. It was the first time a train company had its contract removed because of poor service since 2003. On March 1, 2020, Northern Trains officially took over. Their main aim was to make train services reliable again for passengers.

Key Changes and Events

In mid-2020, Northern had to cut many of its services. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Far fewer people were travelling. From June 15, 2020, passengers and staff on public transport in England had to wear face coverings. This rule applied to Northern trains too.

In 2021, Northern received a new contract from the Department for Transport. This contract was for three years, with a chance to extend it for two more. In 2022, the contract was updated to run until March 1, 2025.

Northern is one of several train companies affected by the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes. Workers voted to strike over pay and working conditions. Northern has asked people to avoid travelling on strike days. This is because they can only run a very limited number of trains.

Northern Train Services: Where We Go

Northern took over all the train services that Arriva Rail North used to run on March 1, 2020. Our trains connect many towns and cities across the North of England.

Below is a simplified list of our regular Monday to Saturday services. Our network is very large, so we have divided it by region.

North East Routes

Northern trains serve many towns in the North East. Key lines include the Tyne Valley Line and the Durham Coast Line. For example, you can travel from Carlisle to Newcastle. Other routes connect places like Middlesbrough to Whitby. There are also services from Saltburn to Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

North West Routes

In the North West, Northern trains cover a wide area. Services run on lines like the Furness Line and the Windermere Line. You can travel from Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness. There are also routes connecting Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western and Blackpool North. Other important routes include services from Preston to Colne and Ormskirk. We also have many services connecting Liverpool and Manchester. Key routes in this area include services from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe, Chester, Stoke-on-Trent, and Buxton. Trains also run from Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield and New Mills Central. In the North West, you can also travel from Southport to Manchester Oxford Road and from Headbolt Lane to Blackburn.

Yorkshire and the Humber Routes

Northern trains are a big part of travel in Yorkshire and the Humber. Routes include the Huddersfield Line, Wharfedale Line, and Airedale Line. You can travel from Bradford Interchange to Huddersfield. There are also many services from Leeds to places like Ilkley, Skipton, and York via Harrogate.

Other routes connect Leeds to Knottingley and Doncaster. You can also travel from Sheffield to Huddersfield and Lincoln. Services also run from Doncaster to Scunthorpe and Hull Paragon. The scenic Settle-Carlisle line is also served by Northern, connecting Leeds to Carlisle. Finally, the Calder Valley line connects York to Blackpool North and Leeds to Manchester Victoria and Chester.

Special "Parliamentary" Services

Northern also runs some very special train services. These are called "parliamentary trains." They are usually very infrequent. They run just to keep a railway line officially open.

For example, twice a week on Saturday mornings, Northern runs a train between Stockport and Stalybridge. This train stops at Reddish South, Denton, and Guide Bridge. This service used to run only once a week from 1992 to 2018.

As of May 2023, there is also one train per day between Sheffield and Cleethorpes. This train runs on weekdays only. It goes via Gainsborough Central and Brigg. This service was stopped for a while in 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before May 2023, this service only ran on Saturdays.

Northern's Train Fleet: What We Ride

Northern took over all the trains from the previous operator, Arriva Rail North. These included many different types of diesel and electric trains. Some older trains, like the Class 321 and 322 units, were moved to other companies in 2020. All Class 153s were put into storage by December 2021. Northern also received 23 Class 156 trains from East Midlands Railway. The Class 319 trains were removed from service on January 2, 2024.

Current Trains We Use

Northern uses a mix of diesel and electric trains. Here are some of the main types you might see:

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes	Built
				mph	km/h
Diesel trains (DMUs)
Sprinter	150		DMU	75	121	6	3	Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and Derbyshire	1984–1987
						72	2	1985–1987
	155 Super Sprinter					7	2	York, Leeds, Hull Paragon and Scarborough	1987–1988
	156 Super Sprinter					66	2	North East, Cumbrian Coast, Lancashire and Cumbria, Merseyside and Cheshire	1987–1989
	158 Express Sprinter			90	145	45	2	South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Fylde Coast, North Yorkshire and the North East	1990–1992
						8	3
Bombardier Turbostar	170			100	161	16	3	Scarborough - Sheffield, Leeds - York via Harrogate	2003–2005
CAF Civity	195					25	2	Manchester - Derbyshire, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds and Barrow in Furness, York - Blackpool, Windermere and Chester - Leeds	2017–2020
						33	3
	Electric trains (EMUs)
Hunslet Transportation Projects/Holec	323		EMU	90	145	17	3	Manchester-Hadfield, Manchester-Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester-Crewe, and Liverpool-Manchester Airport	1992–1995
CAF Civity	331			100	161	31	3	Blackpool North - Manchester Airport, Liverpool, Leeds - Skipton, Bradford Forster Square, Doncaster, Ilkley, Bradford Forster Square - Skipton, Ilkley	2017–2020
						12	4	Electric services in the North West.
CAF/Siemens Transportation Systems	333					16	4	Leeds - Bradford Forster Square, Skipton, Ilkley, Bradford Forster Square - Skipton, Ilkley	2000–2003
	Bi-mode trains (BMUs)
BR Second Generation (Mark 3)	769 Flex		BMU	100	161	8	4	Southport - Manchester Oxford Road and Stalybridge	2017–2020 (originally 1987–1988 as Class 319)

Future Trains for Northern

Northern is planning to get even more new trains. In August 2023, they started looking for a company to build up to 450 new trains. These new trains will replace some of the older ones in their current fleet.

Also, 17 Class 323 electric trains will be transferred to Northern from West Midlands Trains. These trains are expected to start service in 2024.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes	Built	In service
			mph	km/h
Electric trains (EMUs)
323		EMU	90	145	17	3	Electrified commuter services in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Merseyside	1992–1995	2024

Past Trains Northern Used to Run

Northern has used several types of trains that are no longer part of its fleet. These include the "Pacer" trains, which were older and less comfortable.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes	Notes	Built	Left fleet
			mph	km/h
142 Pacer		DMU	75	121	79	2	Local and commuter services across the North	Replaced by newer trains like Class 150, 156, 158, 170, and 195 units.	1985–1987	2020
144 Pacer					23				1986–1987
153 Super Sprinter					17	1		Replaced by Class 150 units, later sent to storage	1987–1988	2020–2021
Class 319/3		EMU	100	161	19	4	Electrified commuter services in the North West	Replaced by Class 331 units.	1990	2024
321					3		Electrified commuter services in West Yorkshire	Replaced by Class 331 units	1991	2020
322					5				1990

Northern's Depots: Where Trains Are Kept and Fixed

Northern has many locations where its train staff are based. These are called depots. They are found in towns like Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Carlisle, Doncaster, Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle, Sheffield, and York.

Northern's trains are also maintained and repaired at special depots. Here's a list of these maintenance depots: