Caldervale Trains
From David Thompson
Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Does anyone have any firm information about Northern's proposed improvements to trains on the Caldervale Line?
I am referring to statements that new trains are being built and that they will come into service during 2018 and at the latest by December 2019.
I have commuted to Leeds daily for many years and have suffered overcrowding, lack of sufficient leg room, hermetically sealed carriages with air conditioning that constantly fails and is inadequate when it does work.
Information from Northern is sparse. They pay lip service to "listening" etc. but complaints are met with a standard palliative letter to which a sentence is added referring to the specific complaint made. They do not appear to have a properly constituted complaints procedure, there is no internal appeal, just advice to contact Passenger Focus if dissatisfied. Passenger Focus simply gives the same same sort of palliative response, they can do nothing as they are a toothless watchdog, another punchbag to defuse frustration with no power to enforce change.
Rant over. Does anyone know if we are to have new adequate rolling stock?
From Paul Rigg
Wednesday, 1 November 2017
The current situation is that a fleet of 55 class 195 trains are being built in Spain and will start to be introduced in December 2018. They will be allocated to the Northern Connect services which will run through the Calder Valley (amongst other routes).
The 142 and 144 class units will be withdrawn. The 150/155/156/158 sprinters will be retained. Hopefully someone will fix the air conditioning on the 158s at some point. The Arriva Trains Wales ones have working air conditioning!
From December 2017 one hourly Manchester Service will be extended via the Castlefield Curve to Manchester Oxford Road. this should be subsequently extended to the Airport.
Speeds limits have been increased between Manchester and Rochdale already and will be between Todmorden and Bradford. This should give faster journey times.
An additional hourly service is supposed to be introduced between Manchester and Leeds giving five an hour. There will also be earlier Sunday services.
So something is happening!