Northern

Northern is a train operating company in Northern England. A subsidiary of Arriva UK Trains, it began operating the Northern franchise on 1 April 2016 and inherited units from the previous operator Northern Rail.

Central to franchise commitments will be the introduction of 101 new-built units – the Class 195 and 331. These will be the first new-build trains for the Northern franchise since the introduction of the Class 333 in 2000 and the new rolling stock will enable all 102 Pacer trains currently in service with Northern to be retired by the end of 2019. Additionally, it is planned that a franchise sub-brand, known as Northern Connect, will provide inter-urban services between major cities and towns in Northern England, as well as major commuting stations.

However since the franchise began in April 2016, it has been beset by falling punctuality, poor customer service, regular industrial action by staff and delays in introducing new rolling stock due to issues encountered during testing. Despite passenger growth at the vast majority of train operating companies in the United Kingdom and the Northern franchise operating more services, the number of passengers carried since the franchise commenced in 2016 has declined and has been attributed to worsening performance. The franchise will run to 2025 with an option for an additional year which is dependent on performance.

History
In August 2014, the Department for Transport announced that Abellio, Arriva and Govia had been shortlisted to bid for the next Northern franchise. The franchise was awarded to Arriva in December 2015.

In May 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the transport department's decision to award the Northern network to Arriva. Arriva operated the CrossCountry franchise and owned many bus companies in the Northern trains operating area in which 'a significant overlap occurs without competition from other service providers.'

A penalty fare scheme started in April 2018.

In May 2018 the Mayor of Greater Manchester contacted Transport for the North (TfN) requesting an investigation into service and passenger conditions since the franchise was taken over.

May 2018 timetable recast
The franchise was widely criticised for implementing a new timetable in May 2018 which resulted in widespread delays and cancellations. Network Rail and Northern announced an independent inquiry to learn lessons and identify route alterations in readiness for the next timetable change in December 2018. In an attempt to counter operational problems, Northern implemented an emergency timetable on 4 June 2018 – it stemmed some delays and cancellations but was still problematic compared with performance before the timetable change.

Punctuality was particularly bad in the North West due to the delay in the Blackpool-Preston electrification scheme and the number of trains per hour through Manchester increased with more services utilising the Ordsall Chord which became operational in December 2017. Network Rail only informed train operating companies in January 2018 that the electrification scheme would be delayed until November – Northern had planned for the scheme to be complete as scheduled by May and had trained drivers to operate new routes with electric rolling stock. Consequently, an alternative timetable had to be drafted up and many train drivers were not sufficiently trained to drive the existing diesel rolling stock which resulted in widespread cancellations. Furthermore, the additional services through the Manchester corridor resulted in increased congestion and which had a knock-on effect. Performance statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road in October 2018 showed that from April to June 2018, the franchise recorded the lowest PPM – measured by train service departing within 5 minutes of its scheduled time – of any quarter since punctuality records began on the Northern franchise in 2009.

Performance towards the latter half of the 2018 continued to be poor with many passengers protesting and the network beset by a reduced service on Saturdays due to industrial action. In October 2018 it was announced that Manchester Oxford Road station, the busiest station managed by Northern with over 8 million passengers, was the most delayed station in the United Kingdom in 2018 – this was attributed to the chaos following the May 2018 timetable. Between 14 October and 10 November 2018, Northern recorded the worst monthly performance on record with more trains late than on time. Less than 40% of services arrived on time (defined as services arriving within 59 seconds of the planned arrival time) and only 71.9% departed within 5 minutes of the scheduled departure time.

By November 2018, Arriva were re-evaluating their future involvement in the franchise due to a combination of declining passenger numbers as a result of the chaotic May 2018 timetable change and increasing compensation claims as a result of falling punctuality. Both have pushed the franchise into a loss-making entity and face a £282 million government subsidy shortfall which was due to be passed onto the franchise. Since the franchise commenced in April 2016 and despite an increase of 1,500 more weekly services transferred to Northern's operational remit, Northern has achieved no growth in passenger numbers. Between April and June 2018, the franchise suffered a 2.4% decline in passenger numbers compared with the previous year. Of the twenty two train operating companies in the United Kingdom to record a fall in passengers, Northern were one of only three franchises to record an annual drop in passenger numbers in 2017–18.

Statistics published in December 2018 showed that between April 2017 and March 2018, many Northern managed stations recorded a drop in passengers – this period did not include the May 2018 timetable change or increased level of Saturday strikes by conductors. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, also reported that the failing railways in the region was resulting in increased congestion on the roads and Metrolink system as passengers were abandoning the rail service due to increased level of unreliability in the area since May 2018. To counter continuing poor performance and encourage improved punctuality, the window for which passengers can claim compensation for delayed services was reduced from 30 minutes to 15 minutes from 17 December 2018.

Minor changes were implemented in the December 2018 timetable change. However Northern stated they did not expect a reliable service to be implemented until the May 2019 timetable change; it is expected by this time there will be new rolling stock in service with the and, newly electrified lines operational which alleviates the shortage of diesel rolling stock in the Northern fleet and most notably operational flaws with the May 2018 timetable ironed out as part of better optimised timetable in May 2019.

Services
Northern took over all the 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 the 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 will staff some currently unstaffed stations. The first stations to be staffed will be Baildon and Ben Rhydding, both in West Yorkshire.

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.

The Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber service was due to transfer to East Midlands Trains in October 2017, when its franchise was expected to expire. Hovever, as of November 2018, this has still not taken place due to extensions of the East Midlands franchise. It is expected to occur when the East Midlands franchise ends in August 2019. The transfer would have included Barrow Haven, Barton upon Humber, Goxhill, Great Coates, Grimsby Docks, Habrough, Healing, New Clee, New Holland, Stallingborough, Thornton Abbey and Ulceby stations.

On 1 July 2016, the business was divided into four regions, each headed up by a regional director:


 * Central – regional director based in Manchester
 * East – regional director based in Leeds
 * North East – regional director based in Newcastle upon Tyne
 * West – regional director based in Preston

Table of off-peak services
Below is a list of off-peak services, per the 20 May – 8 December 2018 timetables. It has been slightly simplified due to some routes' irregular service pattern. Several routes which Northern run only have limited or peak service and are omitted.

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, 323 and 333 electric multiple units. To operate services transferred from the TransPennine Express franchise, four Class 185 units were sublet from that franchise to Northern, with this later reducing to two units. To provide additional peak time capacity on the Calder Valley Line, one Class 180 unit is sublet from Grand Central to Northern per weekday.

Class 37/4 locomotives and Mark 2 carriages were hired from Direct Rail Services for Cumbrian Coast line services until December 2018.

Future fleet
The withdrawal of Class 142 and 144 trains, known commonly as Pacers, was scheduled to commence in November 2018, with the last to be removed from traffic in October 2019. Other trains due to leave Northern's fleet are the diesel multiple unit and,  and  electric multiple units.

As part of the franchise agreement, there is a requirement to undertake refurbishment of all retained vehicles comprising diesel multiple units; Class 150 (162 veh), 155 (14 veh), 156 (94 veh), 158 (114 veh), 170 (48 veh) and electric multiple units; Class 319 (128 veh) and 333 (64). This includes new flooring and seat coverings, internal repaint, CCTV, Wi-Fi and provision of electric sockets. The 16 Class  333  units are also to have two  vehicles per set modified  to  a  “metro  style” configuration to increase passenger carrying capacity per unit by at least 19%. Class 319 and 333 units are also to have pantograph monitoring equipment installed.

Northern has ordered 101 brand new trains from Spanish rolling manufacturer CAF. A total of 58 diesel multiple units and 43  electric multiple units are scheduled to enter service in 2019.

A number of other trains are to be cascaded to Northern from other operators. A total of 49 diesel trains are due to join the fleet from Great Western Railway, ScotRail and West Midlands Trains between 2017 and 2019. An additional eighteen two car diesel units, comparable to a, are due to join the fleet by December 2022.

In 2018, five units transferred from GWR on a short term basis to provide extra capacity. An additional twelve units have transferred from Thameslink, although eight of these are due to be converted to  bi mode multiple units.

There is an option for further and  carriages in the future.

Northern Connect


By December 2019, Northern plans to operate a network of twelve Northern Connect inter-urban express services – a franchise requirement. Most of these will be operated by brand-new Class 195 Civity diesel multiple units and Class 331 Civity electric multiple units, whilst the Middlesbrough to Carlisle via Newcastle route will be operated by refurbished Class 158 units. Electrification of the line between Oxenholme and Windermere was cancelled by the Government in 2017, so the Manchester Airport to Windermere route will be operated initially by Class 769 Flex trains instead, with Class 195 Civity trains taking over by the end of 2019.

Places that will be served by Northern Connect routes include Bradford, Chester, Halifax, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Newcastle, Preston, Sheffield, Barnsley, Lincoln, Wakefield, Wigan and York.

Northern Connect planned future routes and future rolling stock
 * Bold denotes Northern Connect services that are partially operational as of December 2018 timetable. Northern Connect branding and new rolling stock to introduced by end of 2019.

Driver Controlled Operation
The Department of Transport and Rail North have specified that the franchise must ensure that at least 50% of the aggregate Train Mileage of Passenger Services provided in each Reporting Period is operated as Driver Controlled Operation (DCO).

DCO is defined as "operation of a train by a driver alone without the need for a conductor (or any other Franchise Employee)." The franchise further specifies that "Where ... a Passenger Service is operated as Driver Controlled Operation the Franchisee shall ... plan for an additional Franchise Employee (that is, in addition to the driver) to be present on such Passenger Service."

The RMT Union are unhappy about this change, as roles currently undertaken by guards would instead be undertaken by drivers (such as releasing the doors once the train has stopped at a station). Although Northern have said they would be willing to guarantee that a second member of staff would be on board, the use of DCO could theoretically make it possible to run a train without a guard, and as a result, the union have called industrial action over the change.

On 28 November 2018, it was announced that Transport for the North is against support for the removal of an additional franchise employee on Northern services, and urged the RMT Union to suspend the current strike action. On 29 November, RMT announced that it had offered to suspend industrial action under the condition that trains will never run without a guard on the train, however, on 30 November, the union confirmed that it will continue industrial action as planned.

On 7 February 2019, the RMT announced that it had suspended further industrial action on Northern, bringing an end to consecutive strikes on Saturdays since 25 August 2018.

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

In 2017, a new stabling depot opened at Blackburn King Street, with space for up to thirty diesel multiple units.

A new depot will open in Wigan in December 2019, with space for 32 trains. The depot will be adapted from a freight yard at Springs Branch railway sidings in Ince-in-Makerfield and will cost £46 million.

Northern currently has depots for its train crew at, , , , , (drivers), , , , Hull, Ilkley, , , , ,  (guards), , , Skipton, ,  and.