TransPennine Express

Passenger train operator in Great Britain

This article is about the 2023 operator. For previous franchises, see TransPennine Express (2016–2023) and First TransPennine Express.

TransPennine Express

Two Class 802 units belonging to TransPennine Express passing Northallerton in opposite directions

Overview
Franchise(s)| TransPennine Express
28 May 2023 – present
Main route(s)|

* North East England
* North West England
* Scotland
* Yorkshire & the Humber

Fleet|

* Class 185 Desiro
* Class 397 Civity
* Class 802 AT300

Parent company| DfT Operator
Reporting mark| TP
Predecessor| TransPennine Express (2016–2023)
Other
Website| www.tpexpress.co.uk

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 owned by DfT Operator, the government's operator of last resort, 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

[edit]

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 Castleford and York 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

[edit]

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 Leeds;
* 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 2024, the following services operate off-peak, seven days a week:[18]

Route | Freq. | Calling at

|
|

North Route
Manchester Piccadilly to York via Wakefield Kirkgate | 1tph |

* Stalybridge
* Mossley
* Greenfield
* Marsden
* Slaithwaite
* Deighton
* Huddersfield
* Mirfield
* Wakefield Kirkgate
* Normanton
* Castleford

Huddersfield to Leeds | 1tp2h |

* Deighton
* Mirfield
* Ravensthorpe
* Dewsbury
* Batley
* Morley
* Cottingley

* Alternates with Northern Trains service to give hourly service.

Manchester Airport to Redcar Central | 1tph |

* Manchester Piccadilly
* Manchester Oxford Road
* Manchester Victoria
* Huddersfield
* Dewsbury
* Leeds
* York
* Thirsk
* Northallerton
* Yarm
* Eaglescliffe
* Thornaby
* Middlesbrough

* 3 trains a day extend to/from Redcar Central to Saltburn

Manchester Victoria to Scarborough | 1tph |

* Huddersfield
* Dewsbury
* Leeds
* York
* Malton
* Seamer

Liverpool Lime Street to Hull Paragon | 1tph |

* Lea Green
* Manchester Victoria
* Stalybridge
* Huddersfield
* Leeds
* Selby
* Brough

Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle | 1tph |

* Newton-le-Willows
* Manchester Victoria
* Huddersfield
* Leeds
* York
* Darlington
* Durham
* Chester-le-Street

Newcastle to Edinburgh Waverley | 7tpd |

* Morpeth
* Alnmouth
* Berwick-upon-Tweed
* Reston
* Dunbar
* East Linton (5tpd)

* 2 trains per day operate between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh Waverley.
* 1 train per day southbound extends to Liverpool Lime Street, see above.

South Route
Liverpool Lime Street to Cleethorpes | 1tph |

* Liverpool South Parkway
* Warrington Central
* Birchwood
* Irlam
* Urmston
* Manchester Oxford Road
* Manchester Piccadilly
* Stockport
* Sheffield
* Meadowhall
* Doncaster
* Scunthorpe
* Barnetby
* Habrough
* Grimsby Town

Anglo-Scottish Route
Manchester Airport to Glasgow Central | 1tp2h |

* Manchester Piccadilly
* Manchester Oxford Road
* Bolton[a]
* Preston
* Lancaster
* Oxenholme Lake District
* Penrith North Lakes
* Carlisle
* Lockerbie
* Motherwell

* Alternates with services to Edinburgh Waverley, see below.[19]

Manchester Airport to Edinburgh Waverley | 1tp2h |

* Manchester Piccadilly
* Manchester Oxford Road
* Bolton[a]
* Preston
* Lancaster
* Oxenholme Lake District
* Penrith North Lakes
* Carlisle
* Lockerbie
* Haymarket[b]

* Alternates with services to Glasgow Central, see above.

Liverpool Lime Street to Glasgow Central | 4tpd |

* St Helens Central
* Wigan North Western
* Preston
* Lancaster
* Oxenholme Lake District
* Carlisle
* Lockerbie
* Motherwell (2tpd)

[19]

* 1 train per day operates between Liverpool Lime Street and Oxenholme Lake District.

1. ^ a b Served to pick up only northbound and set down only southbound
2. ^ Served to pick up only southbound and set down only northbound

### Peak hours

[edit]

Following the December 2024 timetable change the following changes are made to services during peak hours:

* A Northern Trains service between Huddersfield and Castleford was transferred to TransPennine Express. This was converted to a peak hour extension of the Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield service to extend to York calling additionally at Deighton, Mirfield, Wakefield Kirkgate, and Normanton.[20] This service runs 1 train every 2 hours at peak times. As of December 2024, this service is now hourly throughout the day.[18]
* Additional hourly services are added between Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds[18] and some Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield services are extended to Leeds. 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.

## Routes

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

North Route

|  |  |

3:53

| Edinburgh Waverley ( St Andrew Sq.)

|
|
|
|

|  |

3:38

| East Linton
|  |

3:30

| Dunbar
|  |

3:15

| Reston
|  |

3:10

| Berwick-upon-Tweed
|  |

2:50

| Alnmouth
|  |

2:34

| Morpeth
|  |

2:29

| Cramlington
|  |

2:14

| Newcastle
|  |

2:07

| Chester-le-Street
|  |

2:00

| Durham
|  |

1:47

| Darlington
|  |

2:45

| Saltburn
|  |

2:35

| Redcar Central
|  |

2:21

| Middlesbrough
|  |

2:13

| Thornaby
|  |

2:02

| Yarm
|  |

1:37

| Northallerton
|  |

1:34

| Thirsk
|  |

2:03

| Scarborough
|  |

1:53

| Seamer
|  |

1:36

| Malton
|  |

1:12

| York
|  |

1:54

| Hull Paragon
|  |

1:36

| Brough
|  |

1:30

| Gilberdyke
|  |

1:24

| Howden
|  |

1:18

| Selby
|  |

1:09

| South Milford
|  |

1:08

| Garforth
|  |

0:48

| Leeds
|  |

1:04

| Cottingley
|  |

1:01

| Morley
|  |

0:47

| Batley
|  |

0:40

| Dewsbury
|  |

0:46

| Ravensthorpe
|  |

0:43

| Mirfield
|  |

0:38

| Deighton
|  |

0:29

| Huddersfield
|  |

0:28

| Slaithwaite
|  |

0:27

| Marsden
|  |

0:19

| Greenfield
|  |

0:17

| Mossley
|  |

0:13

| Stalybridge
|  |

0:00

| Manchester Victoria
|  |

0:02

| Manchester Oxford Road
|  |

0:00

| Manchester Piccadilly
|  |

0:06

| East Didsbury
|  |

0:08

| Gatley
|  |

0:14

| Manchester Airport
|  |

0:16

| Newton-le-Willows
|  |

0:20

| Lea Green
|  |

0:38

| Liverpool Lime Street
|  |  |  |  |  |

Times shown are best times from
Manchester Piccadilly/Manchester Victoria.

* v
* t
* e

South Route

|  |  |

3:02

| Cleethorpes

|
|
|
|

|  |

2:49

| Grimsby Town
|  |

2:33

| Habrough
|  |

2:27

| Barnetby
|  |

2:12

| Scunthorpe
|  |

2:13

| Althorpe
|  |

2:08

| Crowle
|  |

1:59

| Thorne South
|  |

1:55

| Hatfield and Stainforth
|  |

1:50

| Kirk Sandall
|  |

1:45

| Doncaster
|  |

1:30

| Rotherham Central
|  |

1:21

| Meadowhall
|  |

1:11

| Sheffield
|  |

1:10

| Dore and Totley
|  |

0:56

| Stockport
|  |

0:42

| Manchester Piccadilly
|  |

0:41

| Manchester Oxford Road
|  |

0:38

| Urmston
|  |

0:35

| Irlam
|  |

0:33

| Birchwood
|  |

0:24

| Warrington Central
|  |

0:23

| Warrington West
|  |

0:10

| Liverpool South Parkway
|  |

0:00

| Liverpool Lime Street
|  |  |  |  |  |

Times shown are best times from
Liverpool Lime Street.

* v
* t
* e

Anglo-Scottish Route

|  |  |

3:19

| Edinburgh Waverley ( St Andrew Sq.)

|
|
|
|

|  |

3:14

| Haymarket
|  |

3:29

| Glasgow Central ( St Enoch)
|  |

3:13

| Motherwell
|  |

3:06

| Carstairs
|  |

|  |
|  |

2:15

| Lockerbie
|  |

1:55

| Carlisle
|  |

1:46

| Penrith
|  |

1:23

| Oxenholme Lake District
|  |

1:09

| Lancaster
|  |

0:51

| Preston
|  |

0:31

| Wigan North Western
|  |

0:15

| St Helens Central
|  |

0:00

| Liverpool Lime Street
|  |

0:22

| Bolton
|  |

0:18

| Manchester Oxford Road
|  |

0:14

| Manchester Piccadilly
|  |

0:00

| Manchester Airport
|  |  |  |  |  |

Times shown are best times from
Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport.

## Rolling stock

[edit]

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.[21] 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.[22]

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.[23] 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.[23] Chris Jackson, managing director of TransPennine Express, has advocated for the need to simplify the operator's fleet, resource planning, and overall business strategy.[24]

### Current fleet

[edit]

Family  | Class  | Image  | Top speed  | Number  | Carriages  | Routes operated  | Built

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

mph  | km/h
| Diesel–hydraulic multiple units
Siemens Desiro | 185 |  | 100  | 160  | 51[25] | 3  | North Route

* Manchester Airport – Redcar Central
* Manchester Piccadilly – York via Castleford
* Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield
* Huddersfield – Leeds
* Liverpool Lime Street – Hull
* Manchester Victoria – Scarborough

South Route

* Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport – Cleethorpes

Anglo-Scottish Route

* Manchester Airport – Oxenholme Lake District (one return journey)

| 2005–06

| Bi-mode multiple units
Hitachi AT300 | 802 Nova 1 |  | 125[26] | 200[26] | 19[25] | 5  | North Route

* Liverpool Lime Street – Newcastle
* Liverpool Lime Street – Hull
* Newcastle – Edinburgh Waverley
* Manchester Victoria – Scarborough

Anglo-Scottish Route

* Manchester Airport – Edinburgh Waverley via Preston

| 2017–19

| Electric multiple units
CAF Civity | 397 Nova 2 |  | 125  | 200  | 12[25] | 5  | Anglo-Scottish Route

* Manchester Airport – Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley via Preston
* Liverpool Lime Street - Glasgow Central via Preston

| 2017–19[27]

### Past fleet

[edit]

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

| 2016–17  | 2023[30]
CAF | Mark 5A Nova 3 |  | Coach | 125  | 200  | 52  | 2017–18
| Driving Trailer | 14[31]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "TransPennine Express transfers to government operator". TransPennine Express. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
2. ^ "Rail strike: RMT union votes for national action". BBC News. 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
3. ^ "National Rail Contract TransPennine Express" (PDF). Department for Transport. 19 May 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
4. ^ "TransPennine Express loses contract over poor service". BBC News. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
5. ^ Topham, Gwyn (11 May 2023). "TransPennine Express nationalised for catalogue of failings and poor service". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
6. ^ "Transpennine Express to Transfer to Government Operator". TransPennine Express. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
7. ^ "Transpennine Express to be brought into operator of last resort". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 11 May 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
8. ^ Topham, Gwyn (7 December 2023). "TransPennine Express cancelled more than one in eight trains over summer". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
9. ^ "TransPennine Express announces service cuts to boost punctuality". BBC News. 19 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
10. ^ Calder, Simon (10 December 2023). "Manchester trains to Leeds and London cut 'to improve reliability'". The Independent.
11. ^ White, Chloe (28 November 2023). "TransPennine Express release a new Timetable Comparison Tool to support customers with December's Timetable Change". Rail Advent. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
12. ^ Topham, Gwyn (1 December 2023). "Nine days of rail disruption begins as Aslef industrial action gets under way". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
13. ^ Clarke, Leanne (11 December 2023). "Castleford back on line as TransPennine reinstates links to York after 50 years". Wakefield Express. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
14. ^ "Castleford to York direct trains to run on route again after 50 years". BBC News. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
15. ^ "TransPennine Express services to be nationalised from this weekend". York Press. 25 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
16. ^ "TransPennine Express comes under government control". BBC News. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
17. ^ "TransPennine Express Route Map (Geographic)" (PDF). Manchester: TransPennine Express. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
18. ^ a b c "Timetables". TransPennine Express. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
19. ^ a b "Timetable Anglo-Scottish Route". timetables.tpexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
20. ^ Stone, Mike (January 2024). "The new December timetable". Today's Railways. No. 263\. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 35\. ISSN 1475-9713.
21. ^ "TransPennine Express lays out plans to improve services". railuk.com. 19 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
22. ^ Wilcock, Rich (19 October 2023). "TransPennine Express releases blueprint for improving service and fleet upgrade". railtechnologymagazine.com. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
23. ^ a b "UK TransPennine Express to withdraw nearly new "Nova 3" train sets". railtech.com. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
24. ^ "Fully staffed' TransPennine Express 'needs to become simpler'". Railway Gazette International. 19 July 2023. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
25. ^ a b c Ford, Roger (July 2024). "New train procurements generates cost challenges". Informed sources. Modern Railways. Vol. 81, no. 910\. pp. 36–42.36-42&rft.date=2024-07&rft.aulast=Ford&rft.aufirst=Roger&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:TransPennine+Express" class="Z3988">
26. ^ a b "Speed limiters for Hitachi fleets". Traction & Stock. The Railway Magazine. Vol. 168, no. 1457\. August 2022. p. 92.
27. ^ "More new trains for the North and Scotland". First Transpennine Express. 20 May 2016. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
28. ^ "Class 68 Specification". Rail Magazine. October 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
29. ^ "New-build DRS Class 68s to operate TPE's Mk 5 rakes". Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2023 - via PressReader.
30. ^ "TPE says farewell to Class 68s". Rail Magazine. No. 999\. 28 December 2023. p. 8.
31. ^ "First view of TransPennine livery on a Class 68 loco". The Railway Magazine. 28 October 2017. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2023.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to TransPennine Express.

* Official website

Preceded by

TransPennine Express (2016–2023)

|  Operator of
TransPennine Express contract
2023–present  |  Succeeded by

Incumbent

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Train operating companies in the United Kingdom

* Rail transport in Great Britain
* Rail transport in Northern Ireland
* Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain

Current

| National|

* Arriva Rail London
* Avanti West Coast
* c2c
* Caledonian Sleeper4
* Chiltern Railways
* CrossCountry
* East Midlands Railway
* Govia Thameslink Railway
* Grand Central2
* Greater Anglia
* Great Western Railway
* Heathrow Express
* Hull Trains2
* London North Eastern Railway1
* Lumo2
* Merseyrail
* MTR Crossrail
* NI Railways3
* Northern1
* ScotRail4
* Southeastern1
* South Western Railway
* TransPennine Express1
* Transport for Wales1
* West Midlands Trains

|

International|

* Enterprise3
* Eurostar

Sub-brands|

* Gatwick Express
* Great Northern
* Island Line
* London Northwestern Railway
* Night Riviera
* Southern
* Stansted Express
* Thameslink
* West Midlands Railway

Operators not subject to franchising or concession:

* 1 Government-owned
* 2 Open-access operator
* 3 Operates on the Irish railway network and state-owned
* 4 Owned by the Scottish Government

Defunct (since 1994)

* Abellio ScotRail
* Anglia Railways
* Arriva Rail North
* Arriva Trains Merseyside
* Arriva Trains Northern
* Arriva Trains Wales
* Central Trains
* Connex South Central
* Connex South Eastern
* East Coast
* East Midlands Trains
* First Capital Connect
* First Great Eastern
* First Great Western Link
* First North Western
* First ScotRail
* First TransPennine Express
* Gatwick Express1
* Great North Eastern Railway
* Heathrow Connect
* Island Line2
* KeolisAmey Wales
* London Midland
* London Overground Rail Operations
* Midland Mainline
* National Express East Anglia
* National Express East Coast
* Northern Rail
* ScotRail (National Express)
* Silverlink
* South Eastern Trains
* Southeastern
* South West Trains
* TfL Rail
* Thameslink3
* Thames Trains
* TransPennine Express
* Valley Lines
* Virgin CrossCountry
* Virgin Trains East Coast
* Virgin Trains West Coast
* Wales & Borders
* Wales & West
* Wessex Trains
* West Anglia Great Northern
* Wrexham & Shropshire

* 1 Separate franchise until 2008; now a sub-brand of Govia Thameslink Railway
* 2 Separate franchise until 2007, now a sub-brand of South Western Railway
* 3 Separate franchise until 2006; later reintroduced as a sub-brand of Govia Thameslink Railway

Future

| Future operators|

* c2c
* Greater Anglia
* GTS Rail Operations
* South Western Railway

|

Prospective operators|

* Go-op
* Virgin Trains
* Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway

* Category
* Commons
* Maps

*[Freq.]: Frequency
*[tph]: trains per hour
*[tp2h]: train every 2 hours
*[7tpd]: 7 trains per day
*[4tpd]: 4 trains per day
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template