DfT confirms some more carriages for Northern ….
Yesterday, DfT announced through its website the next stage of the rolling stock cascade.
In their press release is confirmation that Northern is getting back the 7 remaining class 142 Pacers that First Great Western have (two returned 2 weeks ago), though it doesn’t mention the 4 class 156 SuperSprinters that Northern is having to send East Midlands, nor the 3 5-car class 180 Adelante trains that Northern is to return to East Coast.
This leaves 8 vehicles unallocated, suspected to be the 2 prototype 3-car Sprinters still running, now numbered 150001 and 150002, together with the two non-toilet vehicles 57209 and 57212 whose “partners” were both written off through accident damage many years ago.
Let’s hope these extra vehicles go some way to alleviating the very severe overcrowding and massive disincentive to rail travel in North and West Manchester and in the Leeds area.
6 comments 
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August 11th, 2011 at 9:04 am
I like the comment regarding ‘the two non toilet units’.
On my last three trips along the line, I have been rather stressed on finding the toilet door actually locked, therefore they are out of use.
When reaching Altrincham, yes, we all know. No toilet facilities on the platform area.
August 11th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
To avoid any confusion, the press release mentions 8 x 150 vehicles going to Northern – this is an additional 8 vehicles to the 28 x 150 vehicles already confirmed as going to Northern.
The main changes are rumoured as extra peak time services on Hope Valley, the Lime St to Warrington Bank Quay service being diverted/extended to Manchester Vic and more 4 carriage operation at peak times, especially on the CLC line and Bolton services.
The full cascade (as reported on forums) is:
36 x 150 carriages for Northern
22 x 150 carriages for FGW
6 x 150 carriages retained for LM
14 x 142 carriages transferred from FGW to Northern
8 x 156 carriages transferred from Northern to EMT
15 x 180 carriages leaving Northern – no future confirmed.
10 x 180 carriages leaving East Coast (never used by East Coast) – no future confirmed.
2 x 153 carriages leaving LM for FGW.
20 x 322 carriages leaving Scotrail for Northern
8 x substandard 150 carriages unallocated. (I think they mean “non-standard” – Ed)
August 11th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
TravelWatch NorthWest say “This only adds up to 11 train units (22 extra carriages) for the whole of Northern England and from stock that’s now around 25 years old.”
“The average age of many trains in London and Scotland is less than 5 years whilst Northern’s fleet is almost 25 years.”
“Additionally when the new electrified lines become operational in 2 years we only expect cascaded (25 year) old stock to be provided to run on them.”
“We really are the poor relation in comparison to the South.”
August 12th, 2011 at 10:24 am
I realise the Mid Cheshire line will not be priority for more carriages but now that Northern are getting more trains is there any more chance of getting an approx. 08:00 Stockport-Greenbank/Chester service on weekdays? It would also be good if Northern could provide a half-hourly service for the busy parts of the day on a Saturday and an hourly service on a Sunday as I would have thought passenger numbers should be sufficient for Northern to at least look at those possibilities.
Relating to substandard trains I thought Northern had an entire family of them known as Pacers!
September 9th, 2011 at 12:49 am
These are the strengthenings in the GM area because of the cascade.
http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/download/4128/item_8-additional_rail_capacity
September 14th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
I posted a question on a forum about where the 4 Class 156s are going to be freed up from. The answer I got referred to the stopping services in and out of Lime Street at peak times, which will be replaced by paired up 142s or 142+150 combinations.