As a regular user of the Durham Coast Line, I have to say the new automated announcements on the 156's are awful! Its information overload, especially when there are only a few minutes between stops. Are the automated announcements a DDA requirement too?

I experienced it for the first time at the weekend and the section between Boro and Hartlepool was painful. No more painful than bus NSA's mind.
Beyond there, no issue - apart from the screens being stuck on the Sunderland cycle, despite being well past Sunderland.

It is information overload indeed and I still prefer the way of the guard telling us about the safety notices that most passengers don't even care about than the automated system blabbering on about such stuff.

Anyways just wondering, the new franchise says all existing stock(excluding the pacers and any units going off lease 323's for example) is planning on undergoing a refurbishment, I presume these DDA's improvements are just that and not an actual refurbishment?

Yes the Heaton 156s are the second type of Northern Units to undergo PRM-TSI ( Not DDA ) and the Info Displays and Safety Announcements are a requirement of PRM-TSI.

Arriva will Overhual the whole unit, From the Wheels upwards and a Major interior refurbishment though the PRM-TSI Improvements will remain in the Train.

The LED Destination Screens are being fitted to all Heaton 156s as part of there PRM-TSI Modifications ( DDA for trains ) aswell as a accessible Toilet, Door Release alarms, Passenger Info Screens -
New Carpets, and Accessible Handrails.

Whilst the Tyne Valley is shut between Riding Mill and Hexham, The 156s allocated to Tyne Valley Diagrams will be used on other diagrams instead of 142s and so the 156s everyones seen the past few weeks is because of the Tyne Valley being cut in half and is not counted as rare

I would have though the best thing for visability for al users would be to incorperate a side mounted display by the passenger doors as per a Voyager or Pendalino unit.

Once again my Northern train from Sunderland to Newcastle is not a pacer...thank god!

Do not ask me what it is because i know nothing about trains...

Once again my Northern train from Sunderland to Newcastle is not a pacer...thank god!

Do not ask me what it is because i know nothing about trains...

Probably a 156 (the first 3 digits n the cab end are the giveaway), although a 158 was sighted on a Carlisle to Newcastle run yesterday.

Once again my Northern train from Sunderland to Newcastle is not a pacer...thank god!

Do not ask me what it is because i know nothing about trains...

They do the odd run the sprinters much prefer them over a pacer any day of the week

Got a nice high viz jacket from Northern Rail soon to be a rare item

16:30pm from Newcastle to Sunderland is a Pacer.... -.-

16:30pm from Newcastle to Sunderland is a Pacer.... -.-

Well I had to suffer one from Carlisle to Newcastle yesterday, so you can suffer one today

Well I had to suffer one from Carlisle to Newcastle yesterday, so you can suffer one today

God, i would to be stuck on it for that long

http://m.northernrail.org/news/7842

Details of the offers and compensation available on the Tyne Valley Line.

http://m.northernrail.org/news/7842

Details of the offers and compensation available on the Tyne Valley Line.

The compensation offer is piss poor really. It won't nearly cover it for most of the users.

The compensation offer is piss poor really. It won't nearly cover it for most of the users.

I was expecting more like.
Mind it is a lot more than was dished out to those rail users affected by the flooding in Cumbria - I think they got a day ticket!

Incidents on Teesside & County Durham
1 min ·
Northern Rail - Due to signalling problems between ‪#‎Sunderland‬ and ‪#‎Hartlepool‬ trains have to run at reduced speeds.
Services may be delayed.

is it true when arriva take the franchise they will straight away replace class 142s

is it true when arriva take the franchise they will straight away replace class 142s

No, it will take a few years.

is it true when arriva take the franchise they will straight away replace class 142s

The 142s will be withdrawn in 2018/2019
The 144s and 153s are being returned to the lessor ( Porterbrook ) in 2017

A batch of Class 158s are transferring to Heaton in 2018/2019 Refurbished to " Northern Connect " Standard
Aswell as a batch of other units ( Either 156s or 150s )

I'm just glad the Pacers (142's?) will be finally withdrawn...  haha

I hate them so much.

I'm just glad the Pacers (142's?) will be finally withdrawn...  haha

I hate them so much.

Yes, the pacers up here are 142s. 

Don't 143s and 144s also fall into the 'pacer' category? (completely irrelevant, i know).

Yes, the pacers up here are 142s. 

Don't 143s and 144s also fall into the 'pacer' category? (completely irrelevant, i know).

Cheers, honestly i have no idea, i know nothing about trains.

I should though.

Cheers, honestly i have no idea, i know nothing about trains.

I should though.

I'm told 144 are to remain as they are DDA

Yes, the pacers up here are 142s. 

Don't 143s and 144s also fall into the 'pacer' category? (completely irrelevant, i know).

143 and 144s are Pacers.
143s used to be based round here in the late 1980s until a swap with Devon and Wales brought us the 142s.

I'm told 144 are to remain as they are DDA

Only the modified 144e Demonstrator normally found round Sheffield is PRM-TSI ( DDA for Trains )
But no more 144s are going to be modified and as such will be returned to the lessor in 2017

The 142s will be withdrawn in 2018/2019
The 144s and 153s are being returned to the lessor ( Porterbrook ) in 2017

A batch of Class 158s are transferring to Heaton in 2018/2019  Refurbished to " Northern Connect " Standard
Aswell as a batch of other units ( Either 156s or 150s )

First I heard about the 144's being returned to the leasing company? Have you got a souce for this? As for the 153's, I have heard they might be leaving Northern in the near future but the main idea is for them to be converted back to 155's as the leasing company got no plans to make 153's DDA compliant. 

I'll be surprised if 144's are leaving Northern in 2017, there be no new trains until 2018 at least and they are already short on spare stock so I just can't see that happening, be uproar if that is the case. 

On the subject of pacers, I must be the only one to like them although I accept they are not up to standard for your everyday passenger. Will kinda miss them when they go.

The 142s will be withdrawn in 2018/2019

The 144s and 153s are being returned to the lessor ( Porterbrook ) in 2017



A batch of Class 158s are transferring to Heaton in 2018/2019 Refurbished to " Northern Connect " Standard

Aswell as a batch of other units ( Either 156s or 150s )

I've also heard we're getting some 166 from Great Western and some 170 from Scotrail.

First I heard about the 144's being returned to the leasing company? Have you got a souce for this? As for the 153's, I have heard they might be leaving Northern in the near future but the main idea is for them to be converted back to 155's as the leasing company got no plans to make 153's DDA compliant. 

I'll be surprised if 144's are leaving Northern in 2017, there be no new trains until 2018 at least and they are already short on spare stock so I just can't see that happening, be uproar if that is the case. 

On the subject of pacers, I must be the only one to like them although I accept they are not up to standard for your everyday passenger. Will kinda miss them when they go.

Glad I am not the only one who loves and appreciates 142s. For twenty years they have hurtled past my old South Bank 'Penthouse'.  They must be a nightmare to maintain by now but for the best ride north of Alton Towers they take some beating! Alighting from boring 220s, 185s, 43s & 91s at Darlington you knew you were nearly home as the tattered 'beasties' overrevved out onto the Saltburn line screaching in torturous abando at the too tight curves. Home cannot be far! Will sadly miss them and do not suppose any will be preserved except on videos.

Only the modified 144e Demonstrator normally found round Sheffield is PRM-TSI ( DDA for Trains )
But no more 144s are going to be modified and as such will be returned to the lessor in 2017

No more 144 will be modified for Northern. That doesn't mean they won't be modified for anybody else. Don't forget that we aren't the only ones that have 142s that need replacing.

First I heard about the 144's being returned to the leasing company? Have you got a souce for this? As for the 153's, I have heard they might be leaving Northern in the near future but the main idea is for them to be converted back to 155's as the leasing company got no plans to make 153's DDA compliant. 

I'll be surprised if 144's are leaving Northern in 2017, there be no new trains until 2018 at least and they are already short on spare stock so I just can't see that happening, be uproar if that is the case. 

On the subject of pacers, I must be the only one to like them although I accept they are not up to standard for your everyday passenger. Will kinda miss them when they go.

Yes I have got a source from the " Northern Franchise Awarded to Arriva " Thread in RailUK Forums They discuss what Arriva have confirmed will happen in the Franchise.

GWR 150s, 5 Scotrail 156s and a dozen Scotrail 170s are transferring to Arriva Rail North in 2017, This will in turn release the 144s and 153s to the Lessor.
New stock is indeed being delivered from late 2018 which will replace Sprinters in the North West and Yorkshire which makes them Available to use in the North East, Replacing the 142s all over Northern.

That idea was brought up by Lesaing Company " Porterbrook " which owns the 153s but that idea was rejected by Arriva and as such the 153s are returning to the lessor in 2017

I've also heard we're getting some 166 from Great Western and some 170 from Scotrail.

The GWR 165/1 and 166s are transferring to Bristol Routes after Thames Valley Electrification.

Arriva Rail North are receiving a few 170s displaced from Abellio Scotrail once the EGIP Emus are in Service.

No more 144 will be modified for Northern. That doesn't mean they won't be modified for anybody else. Don't forget that we aren't the only ones that have 142s that need replacing.

Arriva Trains Wales are the only TOC left with 142s after Arriva Rail North and they are believed to be replacing theres with Class 150s from GWR which in turn were displaced by class 165/1s and 166s from Thames Valley Electrification