TransPennine Express explained

TransPennine Express
Predecessor:	TransPennine Express (2016–2023)
Franchise:	TransPennine Express 28 May 2023 present
Nameforarea:	route
Parent Company:	DfT OLR Holdings
Abbr:	TP
Map State:	uncollapsed
Map Name:	System map

TransPennine Trains Limited, trading as TransPennine Express (TPE),^[1] is a British train operating company that has operated passenger services in the TransPennine Express franchise area since May 2023. It runs regional and inter-city rail services between the major cities and towns of Northern England and Scotland. The company, which is government-owned, was established following poor performance by the previous commercially-owned operator, also called TransPennine Express. It has carried over the rolling stock, passenger services, and branding.

History

During the early 2020s, the incumbent operator of the TransPennine Express franchise, FirstGroup's TransPennine Express, suffered severe disruption of its services, which was largely attributable to events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022–2023 United Kingdom railway strikes.^{[2] [3]} On 11 May 2023, following numerous cancellations and service disruptions, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that First Group's contract to operate the franchise would not be renewed and, as a result, TPE would cease operations on 28 May 2023.^{[4] [5]} In its place, operations were taken over by operator of last resort (OLR) TransPennine Trains.^{[6] [7]}

The performance of TransPennine Trains has been criticised, being amongst the least punctual train operators during 2023 and having a cancellation rate that exceeded one in eight trains during summer 2023.^[8] In October 2023, the operator announced that it would be temporarily cutting services from 320 services per day to 300, reducing off-peak trains between the cities of Leeds and Manchester, with the goal of improving both punctuality and reliability. TransPennine Trains' managing director, Chris Jackson, stated that this move allowed for greater driver training and helped to stabilise the timetable, and that the operator would reintroduce the full timetable by December 2024 at the latest.^{[9] [10]} Shortly thereafter, the company released a new timetable comparison tool to aid customers in interpreting the service levels and changes enacted.^[11]

During early December 2023, TransPennine Trains' services were disrupted by industrial action as the train drivers belonging to the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) trade union implemented a ban on overtime and a series of rolling strikes.^[12] That same month, the operator reinstated direct train services between and for the first time in 50 years; this service change was facilitated by recent infrastructure improvement work undertaken as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).^{[13] [14]}

Services

TransPennine Trains took over all services operated by its predecessor, TransPennine Express, on 28 May 2023.^{[15] [16]}

The TransPennine Express routes are subdivided into three operations:

• North Route, which includes all routes that pass through the core section between Manchester station group and ;
• Anglo-Scottish Route, which consists of services on the West Coast Main Line;
• South Route, which includes services running on the Hope Valley line and the South Humberside Main Line.^[17]

As of December 2023, the following services operate off-peak, seven days a week:^[18]

Route		Calling at
North Route
to	1
to	1
to	1
to ^[19]	1
to	1
to		2 trains per day run between and .
South Route
to	1
Anglo-Scottish Route
to	1	Alternates with services to, see below.^[20]
to	1	Alternates with services to, see above.
to

Peak hours

Following the December 2023 timetable change the following changes are made to services during peak hours:

• A Northern Trains service between and was transferred to TransPennine Express. This was converted to a peak hour extension of the to service to extend to calling additionally at,,, and .^[21] This service runs 1 train every 2 hours at peak times.
• The to service terminates at instead of and does not stop at stations between and . It also makes an additional stop at . 2 trains a day run to calling additionally at (2tpd) and (1tpd). Only the first train makes a return trip to Hull Paragon calling at Lea Green.
• Additional hourly services are added between and and some Manchester Piccadilly to services are extended to . These services have varying stopping patterns ranging from stopping at all stations to only stopping at Huddersfield. These services allow for more express services between Manchester and Leeds as well as ensuring 2tph to stations between Manchester and Leeds during peak times
• to services will sometimes not stop at or during peak times due to the to (Stalybridge) and to (Dewsbury) services stopping at these stations instead. 1tpd in each direction will not stop at due to the Liverpool Lime Street to Hull Paragon service calling there instead.

Rolling stock

Upon commencing operations, TransPennine Express inherited the fleet of the previous franchisee. Various minor refurbishment programmes were quickly enacted. The oldest trains in the fleet, the Class 185 multiple-units, were subject to an interior deep clean, which included the replacement of all carpets. Furthermore, all of the seats were recovered and improvements to the onboard toilet facilities were made.^[22] By late 2023, TransPennine Express had also formulated its new trains programme, a longer-term initiative in which the operator stated its intention to introduce new technologies to support decarbonisation, the acceleration of efforts to cascade and eventually entirely remove diesel trains from its fleet, and enact a new long-term depot and maintenance strategy.^[23]

During September 2023, following a radical review by the DfT, it was announced that TransPennine Express's Nova 3 train sets, comprising Class 68 diesel locomotives hauling rakes of Mark 5A carriages, had been scheduled for withdrawal. This rolling stock was relatively new, yet had been beset by multiple challenges including technical issues, driver training, a downturn in passengers due to COVID-19, and noise complaints from neighbours of the Scarborough maintenance facility, which resulted in a persistently low utilisation rate being achieved. The DfT believes that the withdrawal of the Nova 3 sets can be adequately offset by maximising the utilisation of other trains, such as 19 Class 802 bi-mode train sets and the Class 185 DMUs.^[24] Chris Jackson, managing director of TransPennine Express, has advocated for the need to simplify the operator's fleet, resource planning, and overall business strategy.^[25]

Current fleet

Family	Class	Image	Top speed		Number	Carriages	Routes operated	Built
			mph	km/h
	Diesel–hydraulic multiple units
Siemens Desiro	185		100	160	51^[26]	3	North Route Manchester Airport – Saltburn Manchester Piccadilly – York via Castleford Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield Manchester Piccadilly – Leeds Manchester Piccadilly/Manchester Victoria/Liverpool Lime Street – Hull Paragon York – Scarborough South Route Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport – Cleethorpes
	Bi-mode multiple units
Hitachi AT300	802 Nova 1		125	200^[27]	19	5	North Route Liverpool Lime Street – Newcastle Newcastle – Edinburgh Waverley Leeds/York – Scarborough Anglo-Scottish Route Manchester Airport – Edinburgh Waverley via Preston	201719
	Electric multiple units
CAF Civity	397 Nova 2		125	200	12	5	Anglo-Scottish Route Manchester Airport – Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley via Preston Liverpool Lime Street - Glasgow Central via Preston

Past fleet

Locomotive hauled stock

Family	Class	Image	Type	Top Speed		Qty.	Carriages	Routes Operated	Built	Withdrawn
				mph	km/h
Stadler UKLight	68		Diesel locomotive	100^[28]	160	14^[29]	5	North Route (Until 2023) Manchester Piccadilly – Scarborough York – Scarborough (Until July 2023) Liverpool Lime Street – Cleethorpes	201617	2023^[30]
CAF	Mark 5A Nova 3		Coach	125	200	52			201718
			Driving Trailer			14^[31]

Notes and References

1. Web site: TransPennine Express transfers to government operator . TransPennine Express . 30 May 2023 . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511072852/https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-us/transpennine-express-to-transfer-to-government-operator . live .
2. News: Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action . . 24 May 2022 . 23 December 2023 . 24 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220524200021/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61573206 . live .
3. Web site: National Rail Contract TransPennine Express . 19 May 2021 . 23 December 2023 . Department for Transport . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307090055/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1030368/first-transPennine-express-ltd-rail-contract.pdf . live .
4. News: 11 May 2023 . TransPennine Express loses contract over poor service . BBC News . 23 December 2023 . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511064056/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65555262 . live .
5. News: Topham . Gwyn . 11 May 2023 . TransPennine Express nationalised for catalogue of failings and poor service . . 23 December 2023 . 0261-3077 . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511070406/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/may/11/transpennine-express-nationalised-for-catalogue-of-failings-and-poor-service . live .
6. Web site: TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS TO TRANSFER TO GOVERNMENT OPERATOR . 11 May 2023 . 23 December 2023 . TransPennine Express . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511072852/https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-us/transpennine-express-to-transfer-to-government-operator . live .
7. Web site: Transpennine Express to be brought into operator of last resort . 24 December 2023 . GOV.UK . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511104425/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transpennine-express-to-be-brought-into-operator-of-last-resort . live .
8. News: TransPennine Express cancelled more than one in eight trains over summer . Gwyn . Topham . . 7 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 15 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815144300/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/transpennine-express-cancelled-more-than-one-in-eight-trains-over-summer . live .
9. Web site: TransPennine Express announces service cuts to boost punctuality . BBC News . 19 October 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223144211/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-67146406 . live .
10. News: Manchester trains to Leeds and London cut 'to improve reliability' . . Simon . Calder . 10 December 2023.
11. News: TransPennine Express release a new Timetable Comparison Tool to support customers with December's Timetable Change . Rail Advent . Chloe . White . 28 November 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223145714/https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/11/transpennine-express-release-a-new-timetable-comparison-tool-to-support-customers-with-decembers-timetable-change.html . live .
12. News: Nine days of rail disruption begins as Aslef industrial action gets under way . Gwyn . Topham . The Guardian . 1 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 15 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815144306/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/dec/01/nine-days-of-rail-disruption-aslef-industrial-action-overtime-ban-rolling-strikes . live .
13. News: Castleford back on line as TransPennine reinstates links to York after 50 years . Wakefield Express . Leanne . Clarke . 11 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223144212/https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/people/castleford-back-on-line-as-transpennine-reinstates-links-to-york-after-50-years-4441212 . live .
14. Web site: Castleford to York direct trains to run on route again after 50 years . BBC News . 11 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 15 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815144316/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-67661215 . live .
15. Web site: 25 May 2023 . TransPennine Express services to be nationalised from this weekend . 28 May 2023 . York Press . en-GB . 28 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528040655/https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23547977.transpennine-express-services-nationalised-sunday/ . live .
16. Web site: TransPennine Express comes under government control . 28 May 2023 . 29 May 2023 . BBC News . 28 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528133738/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-65737927 . live .
17. Web site: TransPennine Express Route Map (Geographic) . 28 May 2023 . TransPennine Express . . 15 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815144143/https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/~/media/travelling-with-us/routes/tperoutemap(geographic)dec2019.pdf?la=en . live .
18. Web site: Timetables . 16 December 2023 . TransPennine Express . . 16 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200416155909/https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/timetables . live .
19. Doe . Barry . All change at midenight for the latest NRT . Rail . 13 December 2023. 998 . 35 . Bauer . Peterborough . 0953-4563.
20. Web site: Timetable Anglo-Scottish Route. timetables.tpexpress.co.uk. 15 August 2024. 18 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201018202153/https://timetables.tpexpress.co.uk/#/timetables/2798/Table+1. live.
21. Stone . Mike . The new December timetable . Today's Railways . January 2024 . 263 . 35 . Platform 5 . Sheffield . 1475-9713.
22. Web site: TransPennine Express lays out plans to improve services . railuk.com . 19 October 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223144211/https://railuk.com/travel/transpennine-express-lays-out-plans-to-improve-services/ . live .
23. Web site: TransPennine Express releases blueprint for improving service and fleet upgrade . railtechnologymagazine.com . Rich . Wilcock . 19 October 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223144212/https://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/transpennine-express-releases-blueprint-improving-service-and-fleet-upgrade . live .
24. Web site: UK TransPennine Express to withdraw nearly new "Nova 3" train sets . railtech.com . 5 September 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 23 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231223144212/https://www.railtech.com/all/2023/09/05/uk-transpennine-express-to-withdraw-nearly-new-nova-3-train-sets/?gdpr=deny . live .
25. Fully staffed' TransPennine Express 'needs to become simpler' . . 19 July 2023 . 23 December 2023 . 24 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240224052731/https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/fully-staffed-transpennine-express-needs-to-become-simpler/64532.article . live .
26. Ford. Roger. New train procurements generates cost challenges . Informed sources. . 910. 81. July 2024. 36–42.
27. Speed limiters for Hitachi fleets . The Railway Magazine . 1457 . August 2022 . 92 . 168 . Traction & Stock .
28. October 2014 . Class 68 Specification . . 28 May 2023 . 19 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160419095136/http://www.railmagazine.com/trains/specifications/class-68 . live .
29. Web site: New-build DRS Class 68s to operate TPE's Mk 5 rakes . 28 May 2023 . PressReader . 30 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170330180520/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/rail-uk/20170301/281861528287132 . live .
30. TPE says farewell to Class 68s . . 8 . 999. 28 December 2023.
31. 28 October 2017 . First view of TransPennine livery on a Class 68 loco . 28 May 2023 . The Railway Magazine . 15 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240815144317/https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/3614/first-view-of-transpennine-livery-on-a-class-68-loco/ . live .