Northern (train operating company)

Northern (legally known as Arriva Rail North Limited) is the primary train operator in Northern England. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, it began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016. It operates the most stations of any train operating company in the United Kingdom.

History
In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced Abellio, Arriva and Govia had been shortlisted to bid for the next Northern franchise.

Services
Northern took over all services operated by Northern Rail (also branded Northern) on 1 April 2016 and on the same date, services between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North, Manchester Airport and Barrow in Furness and Oxenholme to Windermere from First TransPennine Express.

Northern took over responsibility for all stations managed by Northern Rail, as well as Arnside, Barrow-in-Furness, Birchwood, Burneside, Carnforth, Grange-over-Sands, Kendal, Staveley, Ulverston, Warrington Central and Windermere from First TransPennine Express.

Northern has committed to introducing free Wi-Fi on trains, and new ticketing options including the ability for customers to print their own tickets. Arriva will provide new services across the North of England. However there is already anger over the decision of reducing the Manchester to Southport Line to just Manchester Victoria, cutting the service to Manchester Piccadilly.

In October 2017, the Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber service will transfer to East Midlands Trains. The transfer will include Barrow Haven, Barton upon Humber, Goxhill, Great Coates, Grimsby Docks, Habrough, Healing, New Clee, New Holland, Stallingborough, Thornton Abbey and Ulceby stations.

Rolling stock
Northern inherited the rolling stock operated by Northern Rail, namely Class 142, 144, 150, 153, 155, 156 and 158 diesel multiple units and Class 319, 321, 322 and 333 electric multiple units. To operate services transferred from the TransPennine Express franchise, 185s are sublet from that franchise to Northern.

Class 37/4 locomotives and Mark 2 carriages are hired from Direct Rail Services until 2017 for Cumbrian Coast Line services.

Future fleet
Northern will take delivery of 98 Class 195 and Class 331 trains built in Spain by CAF between 2018 and 2020. They will be a mix of two and three car diesel multiple units and three and four car electric multiple units all based on the Civity UK platform. The new units will primarily be deployed on Northern Connect regional express services.

A total of 49 diesel powered units will be cascaded to Northern from the Abellio ScotRail, London Midland and Great Western Railway train operating companies after the Edinburgh to Glasgow and Great Western Main Line electrification projects are completed. Twelve Class 319s will be cascaded from Govia Thameslink Railway to operate electrified services in the North West.

These will allow for the Class 142 and Class 144 units to be replaced as well as the Class 37 hauled Mark 2 carriages. The Class 323 units are to be returned to leasing company Porterbrook in 2018/19 when their leases expire.

Depots
Northern's fleet is maintained at Allerton, Heaton, Newton Heath and Neville Hill depots.