First TransPennine Express - First TransPennine Express Services - B

First TransPennine Express - B

First TransPennine Express Services

North TransPennine

As a result of timetable changes in May 2014, five trains per hour instead of four operated on the core route between Manchester and Leeds on the Huddersfield Line.

This was made up of the following services:

• 1tph between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle via Manchester Victoria
• 1tph between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough via Warrington Central and Manchester Piccadilly
• 1tph between Manchester Airport and York via Manchester Piccadilly. This was also a 24-hour service.
• 1tph between Manchester Airport and Middlesbrough via Manchester Piccadilly
• 1tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Hull.

Most services between Manchester Airport and Newcastle ran early morning/late evenings.

Under Arriva Trains Northern, Newcastle services continued to Sunderland. When First TransPennine Express first took over the franchise it extended the Manchester to Hull service to Bridlington, a decision later reversed.

In May 2014 an hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle Central was introduced. It ran non-stop between Liverpool and Manchester Victoria and onward to Newcastle via Leeds reducing journey times between Liverpool and Manchester by 15 minutes and Liverpool to Leeds by 25 minutes.

South TransPennine

TransPennine North West

TransPennine North West used sections of the Styal Line, Manchester to Preston Line, West Coast Main Line, Furness Line and Windermere Branch Line. These services were formerly operated by First North Western with the exception of the Scottish routes, which were previously operated by Virgin CrossCountry from Manchester Piccadilly.

Following timetable changes in May 2014 the following services operated:

• 1tph between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North. Some services also ran to/from Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere which are detached/attached at Preston. A number of peak services start or terminate at Preston.
• 1tph between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh Waverley (alternating). Most of these services used Class 350s (some Edinburgh services run in 8 car formations) however a number of peak services are still run by Class 185s via Bolton/Wigan North Western and Bolton/Chorley.

With the completion of the first stage of the North West electrification programme, the Scottish services were operated from 8 December 2013 by newly arrived Class 350 electric units and rerouted to stop at Wigan North Western after joining the West Coast Main Line close to Newton-le-Willows. Most stops at Bolton and Chorley were withdrawn as a result. With a number of peak services still operating via Bolton/Chorley or Bolton/Wigan North Western.

First TransPennine Express Performance

Official performance figures released by Network Rail for period 7 of the financial year 2013/14 were down on the same period last year at 87.8% (PPM) and MAA up to 12 October 2013 stood at 90.5%.

First TransPennine Express Overview

First TransPennine Express Franchise(s):
TransPennine Express
1 February 2004 – 31 March 2016
First TransPennine Express Main Route(s): North West England, Yorkshire and Humber, North East England, Scotland
First TransPennine Express Fleet Size: 67 units
(6 units were subleased from Northern Rail)
First TransPennine Express Stations Called At: 90
First TransPennine Express Stations Operated: 30
First TransPennine Express Parent Company: FirstGroup (55%)
Keolis (45%)
First TransPennine Express Reporting Mark: TP
First TransPennine Express Predecessors:
Arriva Trains Northern
First North Western
First TransPennine Express Successor: TransPennine Express