(06 Feb 2017, 6:57 pm)Jimmi According to Bishop Trains Facebook page, Northern will start running an hourly service to Bishop Auckland from December 2017.

(06 Feb 2017, 8:31 pm)South Tyne Lad They indeed are, Been confirmed since the awarding of the franchise.

(07 Feb 2017, 11:33 am)Jimmi I've known about services to Bishop Auckland increasing to hourly for quite a while now, but I was uncertain as to when this would occur, I actually thought that it wouldn't be happening as soon as it is. I obviously am very much looking forward to this as the current two hourly service provided is not ideal.

Also intrigued as to what will replace the Class 142 Pacer's on this line, rumours I have heard have suggested either 150's or 156's although I don't think that the former would be able to be used on services to Hartlepool due to the positioning of the doors. Whilst the extra seating of a 150 may come in handy, I'd much rather have the 156's personally.

(07 Feb 2017, 5:32 pm)South Tyne Lad The first Major Timetable change for both Arriva Rail Northern and Transpennine Express ( First ) will both occur in December this year.

Bishop will indeed gain a hourly service from then, TPX will introduce a second train per hour between Newcastle and Manchester Victoria, One extending to Liverpool Lime Street like now and a Second to Manchester Airport via the Ordsall Chord, Calling at Manchester Oxford Road and Piccadilly.

I believe Newcastle - Carlisle also has the Hexham terminator extended at this point, Creating 2x Trains per hour, Though I'm not sure if this is set for this year.


150's are indeed not suitable for use at Hartlepool, Non-Gangway'd 150/1's even more so, So I'm expecting 156's to be moved onto local service's once the 158's move onto Northern Connect Middlesbourgh - Carlisle via Stillington, Some Allerton based 156's will be surplus to requirement's in the North West once new stock is in service, So id hint some of these will also move to Heaton to displace remaining 142's.

All the above cannot happen until new/cascaded rolling stock planned to replace them is in service, and with the deadine for removal of 142/144s being December 31st 2019, Id say that any rolling stock transfer's will not take place until atleast the middle of next year, So new timetables for the time being will be ran with 142's and 156's.

(07 Feb 2017, 7:00 pm)Jimmi Thanks for the info, South Tyne Lad.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know which stations the new TransPennine Express runs between Newcastle and Manchester Airport will call at?

(07 Feb 2017, 8:10 pm)South Tyne Lad No bother  

The Service itself is the extension of a Manchester Airport - York Service, So will probably call as follows ( going from info on them shorts )
Nothing has been confirmed anywhere so only a guess.

Newcastle , Chester-Le-Street* , Durham , Darlington , Northallerton , Thirsk* , York , Garfoth ( Peak Hours ) , Leeds , Dewsbury* , Huddersfield , Stalybridge ( once or twice a day ) , Manchester Victoria , Manchester Oxford Road , Manchester Piccadilly , Manchester Airport.

* = Alternate Hours, 1 call every 2 hours.

(07 Feb 2017, 11:33 am)Jimmi I've known about services to Bishop Auckland increasing to hourly for quite a while now, but I was uncertain as to when this would occur, I actually thought that it wouldn't be happening as soon as it is. I obviously am very much looking forward to this as the current two hourly service provided is not ideal.

Also intrigued as to what will replace the Class 142 Pacer's on this line, rumours I have heard have suggested either 150's or 156's although I don't think that the former would be able to be used on services to Hartlepool due to the positioning of the doors. Whilst the extra seating of a 150 may come in handy, I'd much rather have the 156's personally.

(09 Feb 2017, 5:52 pm)Andreos1 http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/rail-passengers-north-east-face-12583072

Strike action ahead?

(20 Jan 2017, 3:00 pm)Andreos1 Northern are closer to getting their Customer Panel started.

1300 applications have been made by those interested in taking part, with Northern keen on making the groups smaller.

Sessions will be held in Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Preston in March.

(08 Feb 2017, 5:18 pm)markydh Currently the Man Airport - Newcastle services (which operate every 2 hours off-peak at the moment), have very limited calls north of York.  I *think* northbound ones only call at Durham and southbound ones only at Darlington.  This is due to pathing issues.  Increasing to hourly is dependent on the new class 5 rolling stock being built and made available for usage.  Eventually, the Newcastle services will all be operated by class 803s.

In terms of Newcastle - Carlisle, the northern connect Middlesbrough - Newcastle isn't due to start until December 2019.  It was hoped to extend the Hexham terminators to Carlisle in December 2018 but this is all dependent on rolling stock being released from electrification in the North West (which is running behind schedule), the South West (which is also massively behind schedule) and Scotrail (they are expecting HSTs from GWR which will likely be delayed by the electrification issues down there).

(14 Feb 2017, 9:06 pm)Michael Is this the service which will stop at Sunderland too?

I don't really know the new routes, i don't really follow trains.

(14 Feb 2017, 9:21 pm)South Tyne Lad No, Northern Connect will be running Carlisle-Newcastle then ECML past Chester-Le-Street and Durham, Before diverging off at Ferryhill to get to Middlesbrough via the Stillington branch.

Sunderland should gain a second train an hour going by whats been laid down, The minimum has to be a additional Sunderland - Merocentre.

So Sunderland will have two services : Newcastle* - Middlesbrough/Nunthorpe and a additional Sunderland - Metrocentre service.

* Could extend from Hexham/Carlisle, Which means 2x per hour Sunderland - Metrocentre

Nothing has been confirmed on where trains will be running too

(05 Mar 2013, 5:31 pm)tom.robinson206 I know CAT All Day Tickets can definitely be used on Northern Rail services between Sunderland and Newcastle, but I'm not sure when continuing to Metrocentre/Blaydon.

The NEXUS website states that: "The fare for a single journey on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland and Metrocentre/Blaydon is 60p at any time, on any day if you have an Under 16 Pop Card", so I'm guessing that CAT tickets can be used as far as Blaydon?