[Archive] Northern (Arriva Rail North)

[knutstransport]

RE: Arriva Rail North

(12/03/2016 22:23)SL64 JDZ Wrote:  That is correct. It makes sense to standardise the Class 323s in one area and as they're being replaced by brand new CAF Civity units it's a positive move in my opinion

Porterbrook (who own the 323s) want them all to be with one operator. This was originally proposed by the last Labour government but never came about. However, the question is can LM justify having all the 323s and all the 350s? The 350/3s and 350/4s had not been ordered when it was originally proposed LM would get all the 323s, while the LM franchise consultation questions whether the 350s are good enough to be operating Liverpool-Birmingham and Crewe-Euston meaning LM could finish up getting something like what TPE get for Manchester Airport/Liverpool-Scotland alongside their other EMUs.

Porterbrook might have shot themselves in the foot as they were hoping the Northern franchise would take on re-engineered 319s as 323 replacement, so with Arriva signing a deal with Eversholt for new CAF EMUs it could leave Porterbrook with 319s and 323s which aren't needed elsewhere. While Porterbrook ordered 20 additional 387s for no specific operator as they thought there would be an EMU shortage!