(10 Dec 2015, 8:49 pm)Mark P wrote Imagine that.... a Sapphire 142 [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

Exciting new service from April 1 
 
HELLO xxxx AND WELCOME
 
...to this very special Northern Rail newsletter. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced that Arriva has won the bid to run the next Northern franchise with more than £1 billion being invested in new trains, better stations and services for customers across the north of England.
The next franchise, will come with a new look and lots of exciting developments to look forward to, delivering the following fantastic plans:

removal of all pacer trains by the end of 2019
£400 million investment in 281 brand new air-conditioned carriages - more than double the minimum required in the government's Invitation to Tender.
more than 2,000 extra services each week, with around 400 additional Sunday services, including new direct journeys from Bradford to Wakefield, Sheffield, Nottingham, Liverpool and Hull; from Leeds to Chester and Bridlington; from Lincoln to Leeds; and from Manchester Airport to Warrington, Bradford and Halifax.
nearly a 40% increase in capacity - creating space for 31,000 extra passengers travelling into the five key commuter cities (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle) of the North during the morning rush-hour.
a new high-quality 'Northern Connect' service, meaning new or refurbished trains on longer-distance services, faster journeys and stations staffed daily with catering services and free Wi-Fi at each one. As well as serving the five key commuter cities, this network will also serve other destinations including Bradford, Halifax, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Lincoln, Worksop and Retford.
improved ticketing, including mobile and print-at-home tickets, and discounted fares for jobseekers.
 
 

(05 Jan 2016, 4:13 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Another one



NRtimetable4 ‏@NRtimetable4 12m12 minutes ago



NEW: Due to a landslip between #Newcastle and #Carlisle all lines are blocked. Road transport is in place.

(07 Jan 2016, 7:37 am)DanPicken wrote Back running for now.

(07 Jan 2016, 7:53 am)Andreos1 wrote It isn't.
There is an obstruction on the line between Hexham and Prudhoe.
Westbound trains are going as far as Prudhoe at the moment.

(07 Jan 2016, 8:04 am)DanPicken wrote BBC News said its re opened however the Northern Rail website says its still shut.

(07 Jan 2016, 10:37 am)BusLoverMum wrote Pictures
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35249587?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_news_north_east&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=english_regions

All rather muddy looking.

(07 Jan 2016, 3:51 pm)Andreos1 wrote http://m.northernrail.org/news/7842
The latest news.

(07 Jan 2016, 4:26 pm)BusLoverMum wrote 11 am did sound optimistic, with that mess. And the wind's building up, now.

(24 Jan 2016, 2:34 pm)Jimmi wrote Seems like the Class 156's are making more and more appearances on Saltburn services, I'm on one heading home right now and 156479 was heading the other way when I was in Middlesbrough.

Randomly there was a Class 158 at Darlington Railway Station.

(24 Jan 2016, 2:34 pm)Jimmi wrote Seems like the Class 156's are making more and more appearances on Saltburn services, I'm on one heading home right now and 156479 was heading the other way when I was in Middlesbrough.

Randomly there was a Class 158 at Darlington Railway Station.

(24 Jan 2016, 2:34 pm)Jimmi wrote Seems like the Class 156's are making more and more appearances on Saltburn services, I'm on one heading home right now and 156479 was heading the other way when I was in Middlesbrough.

Randomly there was a Class 158 at Darlington Railway Station.

(24 Jan 2016, 3:50 pm)Andreos1 wrote I have noticed the 156's appearing more too.
There was at least one on, on Wednesday night.
No idea if Heaton have gained more or if allocations are changing.

(24 Jan 2016, 4:55 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote 156s are diagrammed to work most Newcastle - Carlisle with few interworking at Carlisle to work the Heaton diagrams on the Cumbrian Coast aswell as the daily 1622? Newcastle to Whitehaven,
Only time a 156 could appear is on the early morning Saltburn to Newcastle via ECML peak working which then again, Works onto a Carlisle service. Though I believe this is a 142 Diagram.

But because of the Landslide around Corbridge, Heatons allocation has gone through the window with 156s stuck west of Hexham and 156s stuck east of Hexham.
So Heaton send them out to Strengthen other services instead of 142s, Until the landslip is cleared at Corbridge all of Heatons diagrams will be worked by either 142s or 156s with no confirmed type to run the service

The 158 will be coming to use Heatons wheel Lathe.

(24 Jan 2016, 6:22 pm)Andreos1 wrote I get what you're saying about the blockage on the Tyne Valley line but there were increasing sightings before it happened. Some mentioned in this thread.

Initially the sightings seemed to coincide with closures down in the Boro area.
There haven't been any closures in that area for a while though.

(24 Jan 2016, 2:39 pm)DanPicken wrote 5G87 Leeds-Heaton.

(24 Jan 2016, 6:38 pm)tyresmoke wrote As seen here at Stockton - very rare up this way! Albeit to become regular over the next few years


Northern Rail 158787 by Scott Cooper, on Flickr