Northern Rail

[Barney]

RE: Northern Rail

(09/12/2015 09:04)wirralbus Wrote:  I do wonder whether there will be a CMA report into operations at the Liverpool end of the new operations .

I'd like to think that this is an opportunity for a fully integrated bus/rail network in the Arriva operating area but I wouldn't hold my breath. Arriva had the Merseyrail franchise for a while but lost it, I suspect, because it was the major bus operator on Merseyside. The biggest competitor to the bus and train is the motor car, but the law doesn't see it this way.

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail
The CMA might decide that Liverpool - St Helens buses may have to be revised due to the parallel train service makes Arriva the majority operator , don't forget Stagecoach only have a percentage of one of the two routes between those two locations.

[motormayhem1]

RE: Northern Rail
I didnt think trains came under the CMA investigations

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail
Mind you Virgin having both East and west Coast franchises hasn't really caused a problem so it should here , just thought it may have caused some issues .

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Northern Rail
I wonder what livery this new franchise will adopt. Will it be like the Buses and Arriva Trains Wales or will it be a completely different identity as per Cross Country.

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Rail
I think the concept for cross country was to make you feel like it wasn't associated with the bus brand and being honest that is good thing .

I also think that Arriva Trains North has to look away from the Bus brand so it may be in there interest to do the same as cross country.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Rail
Arriva will be using a 'Northern' brand and a 'Northern Connect' brand, the latter being high specification services.

The Northern Connect routes will be:
Manchester Airport to Barrow (new build DMUs)
Manchester Airport to Windermere (new build EMUs)
Manchester Airport to Blackpool (new build EMUs)
Manchester Airport to Liverpool via Warrington (new build DMUs)
Chester to Leeds via Bradford (new build DMUs)
Liverpool to Leeds via Bradford (new build DMUs)
Manchester Airport to Leeds via Bradford (new build DMUs)
Leeds to Lincoln via Sheffield (new build DMUs)
Sheffield to Scarborough (new build DMUs)
Middlesbrough to Newcastle (refurbished 158s)
Newcastle to Carlisle (refurbished DMUs - 158s?)
York to Blackpool (new build DMUs)
Leeds to Nottingham (new build DMUs)

So it sounds like the new builds will be split between the North West and Yorkshire, with the North East getting cascaded 158s.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Rail

(09/12/2015 12:48)St Helens Rider Wrote:  I wonder what livery this new franchise will adopt. Will it be like the Buses and Arriva Trains Wales or will it be a completely different identity as per Cross Country.

It appears they will operate services as 'northern' or 'northern connect' and will use blue branding: http://www.arrivarailnorth.org/keeping-y...-article-2

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Northern Rail
So looks like the Liverpool - Manchester Airport service is diverted via Warrington and its path taken up by the new Liverpool - Leeds service.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Rail

(09/12/2015 16:08)St Helens Rider Wrote:  So looks like the Liverpool - Manchester Airport service is diverted via Warrington and its path taken up by the new Liverpool - Leeds service.

TPE will also be providing 2tph between Liverpool and Victoria via Chat Moss so the 'Northern Connect' service might finish up as a stopper between Liverpool and Victoria.