National Rail › NorthernData updated
Northern
The train operator for the North of England, in public ownership since March 2020. Its more than 2,500 trains a day serve over 500 stations, on local, commuter and rural lines from the Northumberland coast to Nottingham and from the Cumbrian coast to Cleethorpes. The fleet mixes CAF's Class 195 and 331 trains of 2019–20, which replaced the last Pacers, with British Rail-era Sprinters that Northern plans to replace with up to 450 new trains from 2030.
Facts
- Current operator since
- 1 March 2020
- Main stations
- Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Preston, Sheffield
- Type
- Regional, commuter and rural train operator
- Depots
- Newton Heath, Manchester (the Class 195s), Allerton, Liverpool (the Class 331s and 769s), Neville Hill, Leeds (Class 331s), Manchester International Depot (where the Class 323s are refreshed, 2025–26), Heaton, Newcastle
- Main routes
- Local and regional trains across the North of England. Around Manchester: to Blackpool, Preston, Barrow-in-Furness and Windermere, Southport, Wigan, Kirkby (Headbolt Lane), Liverpool (by both the Chat Moss and Warrington Central lines), Chester, Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, Buxton, Glossop and Hadfield, Rose Hill and, through the Hope Valley, Sheffield. Around Leeds and Bradford: the Airedale and Wharfedale lines to Skipton and Ilkley, the Harrogate line to York, the Calder Valley to Manchester, and lines to Huddersfield, Wakefield, Doncaster, Goole, Sheffield, Hull and York. In South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire: Sheffield to Lincoln, Cleethorpes, Scunthorpe, Hull and the Yorkshire coast to Scarborough, and the Penistone line to Huddersfield. The Settle–Carlisle, Furness, Cumbrian Coast, Bentham and Esk Valley lines. In the North East: Newcastle to Carlisle, Morpeth and Chathill, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Saltburn, Bishop Auckland and Whitby, and since December 2024 the reopened Northumberland Line to Ashington.
- Stations managed
- 471
- Operating company
- Northern Trains Limited, owned by DfT Operator (formerly DfT OLR Holdings), which took over the Northern services on 1 March 2020 when the government ended Arriva Rail North's franchise. Arriva had run the trains since April 2016, and before that Northern Rail, a joint venture of Serco and Abellio, from December 2004.
4 cars, about 311 ft (95 m) · also 3-car units
4 cars, about 301 ft (92 m)
3 cars, about 230 ft (70 m)
4 cars, about 265 ft (81 m)
3 cars, about 234 ft (71 m) · also 2-car units
2 cars, 155 ft (47.2 m) · also 3-car units
2 cars, about 151 ft (46 m) · also 3-car units
2 cars, about 151 ft (46 m)
2 cars, about 152 ft (46 m)
2 cars, 132 ft (40.1 m) · also 3-car units
Routes 71 routes · 521 stations
Newcastle – Ashington 8
Leeds – Wigan Wallgate 26
Blackburn – Headbolt Lane 23
Southport – Stalybridge 23
Liverpool Lime Street – Manchester Airport 23
Blackpool North – Manchester Airport 19
Barrow-in-Furness – Manchester Airport 19
Leeds – Carlisle 19
Leeds – Chester 19
Preston – Colne 18
Middlesbrough – Whitby 18
Clitheroe – Rochdale 17
Sheffield – Huddersfield 17
York – Bridlington 17
Corkickle – Barrow-in-Furness 16
Leeds – Morecambe 16
Manchester Piccadilly – Chester 16
Bishop Auckland – Saltburn 16
Blackpool North – York 15
Liverpool Lime Street – Manchester Oxford Road 15
Manchester Piccadilly – Sheffield 15
Manchester Piccadilly – Buxton 15
Leeds – Lincoln Central 15
Sheffield – Scarborough 15
Carlisle – Newcastle 15
Carlisle – Middlesbrough 15
Newcastle – Nunthorpe 15
Leeds – York via Harrogate 14
Southport – Manchester Oxford Road 14
Halifax – Hull 13
Liverpool Lime Street – Wigan North Western 13
Manchester Piccadilly – Crewe via Cheadle Hulme 13
Manchester Piccadilly – Crewe via Gatley 13
Leeds – Sheffield via Thurnscoe 13
Manchester Piccadilly – Hadfield 12
Manchester Piccadilly – Stoke-on-Trent 12
Leeds – Sheffield via Darton 12
Doncaster – Hull 12
Liverpool Lime Street – Warrington Central 11
Manchester Piccadilly – New Mills Central 11
Leeds – Nottingham 11
Preston – Blackpool South 10
Whitehaven – Carlisle 10
Skipton – Bradford Forster Square 10
Leeds – Bradford Interchange 10
Hexham – Newcastle 10
Blackpool North – Liverpool Lime Street 9
Leeds – Skipton 9
Ilkley – Bradford Forster Square 9
Manchester Piccadilly – Rose Hill Marple 9
Leeds – Doncaster 9
Sheffield – Adwick 9
Leeds – Knottingley via Streethouse 8
Doncaster – Scunthorpe 7
Leeds – Ilkley 6
Leeds – Bradford Forster Square 6
Leeds – York via East Garforth 6
Leeds – Knottingley via Castleford 6
Preston – Ormskirk 5
Windermere – Oxenholme Lake District 5
Morpeth – Newcastle 4
Warrington Central – Manchester Oxford Road 11 limited service: a few trains a day, mostly at peak times, Mondays to Saturdays
Sheffield – Cleethorpes 9 limited service: 1 each way, Mondays to Fridays
Sheffield – York 10 limited service: 3 each way Mondays to Saturdays, 2 on Sundays
Stalybridge – Stockport 5 limited service: 1 each way, Saturdays only
Heysham Port – Lancaster 4 limited service: 1 each way, Mondays to Saturdays
Chathill – Newcastle 9 limited service: 2 each way, Mondays to Saturdays
Leeds – Goole 11 limited service: 1 to Goole and 2 back, Mondays to Saturdays
Ellesmere Port – Helsby 3 limited service: 2 each way, Mondays to Saturdays
Newcastle – Saltburn 14 limited service: 1 a day, Saltburn to Newcastle only, Mondays to Saturdays
Sheffield – Retford 8 limited service: 2 or 3 a day
Schematic, not to scale. Ringed stations are interchanges. Each strip is one regular Northern service with its calls in order, from the national timetable valid from 17 May 2026 (see Sources), drawn by hand; a few trains on some services skip or add stops, and a strip whose stops all lie on a longer one is left out. Services marked limited run only a few times a day or week.
| Station | Interchanges |
|---|---|
| Newcastle | |
| Manors | |
| Northumberland Park | |
| Seaton Delaval | |
| Newsham | |
| Blyth Bebside | |
| Bedlington | |
| Ashington | |
| Leeds | |
| Morley | |
| Batley | |
| Dewsbury | |
| Mirfield | |
| Brighouse | |
| Sowerby Bridge | |
| Mytholmroyd | |
| Hebden Bridge | |
| Todmorden | |
| Walsden | |
| Littleborough | |
| Smithy Bridge | |
| Rochdale | |
| Manchester Victoria | |
| Salford Central | |
| Salford Crescent | |
| Swinton (Manchester) | |
| Moorside | |
| Walkden | |
| Atherton | |
| Hag Fold | |
| Daisy Hill | |
| Hindley | |
| Ince (Manchester) | |
| Wigan Wallgate | |
| Blackburn | |
| Accrington | |
| Rose Grove | |
| Burnley Manchester Road | |
| Pemberton | |
| Orrell | |
| Upholland | |
| Rainford | |
| Headbolt Lane | |
| Southport | |
| Meols Cop | |
| Bescar Lane | |
| New Lane | |
| Burscough Bridge | |
| Hoscar | |
| Parbold | |
| Appley Bridge | |
| Gathurst | |
| Westhoughton | |
| Bolton | |
| Moses Gate | |
| Farnworth | |
| Kearsley | |
| Clifton (Manchester) | |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | |
| Stalybridge | |
| Liverpool Lime Street | |
| Edge Hill | |
| Wavertree Technology Park | |
| Broad Green | |
| Roby | |
| Huyton | |
| Whiston | |
| Rainhill | |
| Lea Green | |
| St Helens Junction | |
| Earlestown | |
| Newton-le-Willows | |
| Patricroft | |
| Eccles | |
| Deansgate | |
| Manchester Oxford Road | |
| Manchester Piccadilly | |
| Mauldeth Road | |
| Burnage | |
| East Didsbury | |
| Gatley | |
| Heald Green | |
| Manchester Airport | |
| Blackpool North | |
| Layton (Lancs) | |
| Poulton-le-Fylde | |
| Kirkham & Wesham | |
| Preston | |
| Leyland | |
| Buckshaw Parkway | |
| Chorley | |
| Adlington (Lancs) | |
| Blackrod | |
| Horwich Parkway | |
| Lostock | |
| Barrow-in-Furness | |
| Roose | |
| Dalton | |
| Ulverston | |
| Cark | |
| Kents Bank | |
| Grange-over-Sands | |
| Arnside | |
| Silverdale | |
| Carnforth | |
| Lancaster | |
| Shipley | |
| Bingley | |
| Keighley | |
| Skipton | |
| Gargrave | |
| Hellifield | |
| Long Preston | |
| Settle | |
| Horton-in-Ribblesdale | |
| Ribblehead | |
| Dent | |
| Garsdale | |
| Kirkby Stephen | |
| Appleby | |
| Langwathby | |
| Lazonby & Kirkoswald | |
| Armathwaite | |
| Carlisle | |
| Bramley (West Yorks) | |
| New Pudsey | |
| Bradford Interchange | |
| Low Moor | |
| Halifax | |
| Warrington Bank Quay | |
| Runcorn East | |
| Frodsham | |
| Helsby | |
| Chester | |
| Lostock Hall | |
| Bamber Bridge | |
| Pleasington | |
| Cherry Tree | |
| Mill Hill (Lancs) | |
| Rishton | |
| Church & Oswaldtwistle | |
| Huncoat | |
| Hapton | |
| Burnley Barracks | |
| Burnley Central | |
| Brierfield | |
| Nelson | |
| Colne | |
| Middlesbrough | |
| James Cook | |
| Marton | |
| Gypsy Lane | |
| Nunthorpe | |
| Great Ayton | |
| Battersby | |
| Kildale | |
| Commondale | |
| Castleton Moor | |
| Danby | |
| Lealholm | |
| Glaisdale | |
| Egton | |
| Grosmont | |
| Sleights | |
| Ruswarp | |
| Whitby | |
| Clitheroe | |
| Whalley | |
| Langho | |
| Ramsgreave & Wilpshire | |
| Darwen | |
| Entwistle | |
| Bromley Cross | |
| Hall i' th' Wood | |
| Moston | |
| Mills Hill (Manchester) | |
| Castleton (Manchester) | |
| Sheffield | |
| Meadowhall | |
| Chapeltown | |
| Elsecar | |
| Wombwell | |
| Barnsley | |
| Dodworth | |
| Silkstone Common | |
| Penistone | |
| Denby Dale | |
| Shepley | |
| Stocksmoor | |
| Brockholes | |
| Honley | |
| Berry Brow | |
| Lockwood | |
| Huddersfield | |
| York | |
| Church Fenton | |
| Sherburn-in-Elmet | |
| Selby | |
| Wressle | |
| Howden | |
| Eastrington | |
| Gilberdyke | |
| Brough | |
| Hull | |
| Cottingham | |
| Beverley | |
| Arram | |
| Hutton Cranswick | |
| Driffield | |
| Nafferton | |
| Bridlington | |
| Corkickle | |
| St Bees | |
| Nethertown | |
| Braystones | |
| Sellafield | |
| Seascale | |
| Drigg | |
| Ravenglass | |
| Bootle (Cumbria) | |
| Silecroft | |
| Millom | |
| Green Road | |
| Foxfield | |
| Kirkby-in-Furness | |
| Askam | |
| Giggleswick | |
| Clapham (N Yorks) | |
| Bentham | |
| Wennington | |
| Bare Lane | |
| Morecambe | |
| Stockport | |
| Navigation Road | |
| Altrincham | |
| Hale | |
| Ashley | |
| Mobberley | |
| Knutsford | |
| Plumley | |
| Lostock Gralam | |
| Northwich | |
| Greenbank | |
| Cuddington | |
| Delamere | |
| Mouldsworth | |
| Bishop Auckland | |
| Shildon | |
| Newton Aycliffe | |
| Heighington | |
| North Road | |
| Darlington | |
| Dinsdale | |
| Allens West | |
| Eaglescliffe | |
| South Bank | |
| Redcar Central | |
| Redcar East | |
| Longbeck | |
| Marske | |
| Saltburn | |
| Garforth | |
| Mossley Hill | |
| West Allerton | |
| Liverpool South Parkway | |
| Hough Green | |
| Warrington West | |
| Warrington Central | |
| Padgate | |
| Birchwood | |
| Glazebrook | |
| Irlam | |
| Flixton | |
| Urmston | |
| Reddish North | |
| Brinnington | |
| Bredbury | |
| Romiley | |
| Marple | |
| New Mills Central | |
| Chinley | |
| Edale | |
| Hope (Derbyshire) | |
| Bamford | |
| Hathersage | |
| Grindleford | |
| Dore & Totley | |
| Levenshulme | |
| Heaton Chapel | |
| Davenport | |
| Woodsmoor | |
| Hazel Grove | |
| Middlewood | |
| Disley | |
| New Mills Newtown | |
| Furness Vale | |
| Whaley Bridge | |
| Chapel-en-le-Frith | |
| Dove Holes | |
| Buxton | |
| Wakefield Kirkgate | |
| Darnall | |
| Woodhouse | |
| Kiveton Bridge | |
| Kiveton Park | |
| Shireoaks | |
| Worksop | |
| Retford Low Level | |
| Gainsborough Lea Road | |
| Saxilby | |
| Lincoln Central | |
| Doncaster | |
| Goole | |
| Bempton | |
| Hunmanby | |
| Filey | |
| Seamer | |
| Scarborough | |
| Wetheral | |
| Brampton (Cumbria) | |
| Haltwhistle | |
| Bardon Mill | |
| Haydon Bridge | |
| Hexham | |
| Corbridge | |
| Riding Mill | |
| Stocksfield | |
| Prudhoe | |
| Wylam | |
| Blaydon | |
| Metrocentre | |
| Sunderland | |
| Hartlepool | |
| Stockton | |
| Thornaby | |
| Heworth | |
| Seaham | |
| Horden | |
| Seaton Carew | |
| Billingham | |
| Burley Park | |
| Headingley | |
| Horsforth | |
| Weeton | |
| Pannal | |
| Hornbeam Park | |
| Harrogate | |
| Starbeck | |
| Knaresborough | |
| Cattal | |
| Hammerton | |
| Poppleton | |
| Cross Gates | |
| East Garforth | |
| Micklefield | |
| South Milford | |
| Prescot | |
| Eccleston Park | |
| Thatto Heath | |
| St Helens Central | |
| Garswood | |
| Bryn | |
| Wigan North Western | |
| Cheadle Hulme | |
| Handforth | |
| Wilmslow | |
| Alderley Edge | |
| Chelford | |
| Goostrey | |
| Holmes Chapel | |
| Sandbach | |
| Crewe | |
| Styal | |
| Outwood | |
| Wakefield Westgate | |
| Sandal & Agbrigg | |
| Fitzwilliam | |
| Moorthorpe | |
| Thurnscoe | |
| Goldthorpe | |
| Bolton-Upon-Dearne | |
| Swinton (South Yorks) | |
| Rotherham Central | |
| Ardwick | |
| Ashburys | |
| Guide Bridge | |
| Flowery Field | |
| Newton for Hyde | |
| Godley | |
| Hattersley | |
| Broadbottom | |
| Dinting | |
| Glossop | |
| Hadfield | |
| Bramhall | |
| Poynton | |
| Adlington (Cheshire) | |
| Prestbury | |
| Macclesfield | |
| Congleton | |
| Kidsgrove | |
| Longport | |
| Stoke-on-Trent | |
| Woodlesford | |
| Castleford | |
| Normanton | |
| Darton | |
| Kirk Sandall | |
| Hatfield & Stainforth | |
| Thorne North | |
| Saltmarshe | |
| Broomfleet | |
| Ferriby | |
| Hessle | |
| Hunts Cross | |
| Halewood | |
| Widnes | |
| Sankey for Penketh | |
| Belle Vue | |
| Ryder Brow | |
| Strines | |
| Dronfield | |
| Chesterfield | |
| Alfreton | |
| Langley Mill | |
| Ilkeston | |
| Nottingham | |
| Salwick | |
| Moss Side | |
| Lytham | |
| Ansdell & Fairhaven | |
| St Annes-on-the-Sea | |
| Squires Gate | |
| Blackpool Pleasure Beach | |
| Blackpool South | |
| Whitehaven | |
| Parton | |
| Harrington | |
| Workington | |
| Flimby | |
| Maryport | |
| Aspatria | |
| Wigton | |
| Dalston (Cumbria) | |
| Cononley | |
| Steeton & Silsden | |
| Crossflatts | |
| Saltaire | |
| Frizinghall | |
| Bradford Forster Square | |
| Cottingley | |
| Dunston | |
| Euxton Balshaw Lane | |
| Ilkley | |
| Ben Rhydding | |
| Burley-in-Wharfedale | |
| Menston | |
| Guiseley | |
| Baildon | |
| Gorton | |
| Fairfield | |
| Hyde North | |
| Hyde Central | |
| Woodley | |
| Rose Hill Marple | |
| South Elmsall | |
| Adwick | |
| Bentley (S Yorks) | |
| Mexborough | |
| Conisbrough | |
| Streethouse | |
| Featherstone | |
| Pontefract Tanshelf | |
| Pontefract Monkhill | |
| Knottingley | |
| Thorne South | |
| Crowle | |
| Althorpe | |
| Scunthorpe | |
| Kirkstall Forge | |
| Apperley Bridge | |
| Glasshoughton | |
| Croston | |
| Rufford | |
| Burscough Junction | |
| Ormskirk | |
| Windermere | |
| Staveley | |
| Burneside (Cumbria) | |
| Kendal | |
| Oxenholme Lake District | |
| Morpeth | |
| Cramlington | |
| Chassen Road | |
| Humphrey Park | |
| Trafford Park | |
| Gainsborough Central | |
| Kirton Lindsey | |
| Brigg | |
| Barnetby | |
| Grimsby Town | |
| Cleethorpes | |
| Pontefract Baghill | |
| Ulleskelf | |
| Denton | |
| Reddish South | |
| Heysham Port | |
| Chathill | |
| Alnmouth | |
| Acklington | |
| Widdrington | |
| Pegswood | |
| Whitley Bridge | |
| Hensall | |
| Snaith | |
| Rawcliffe | |
| Ellesmere Port | |
| Ince & Elton | |
| Chester-le-Street | |
| Durham | |
| Retford |
Stations, zones and interchanges from TfL open data (2026-10-07). National Rail interchanges are listed where TfL groups the stations together.
Fleet
| Class | Units | Formation and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Class 331 Civity | 43 | CAF Civity electric units: 31 three-car and 12 four-car |
| Class 333 | 16 | Four-car electric units on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines |
| Class 323 | 34 | Three-car electric units, 17 of them transferred from West Midlands Railway in 2023–24; to be replaced by 37 four-car Class 350/2s from late 2027 |
| Class 769 FLEX | 8 | Four-car bi-mode units (769424, 431, 434, 442, 448, 450, 456 and 458); former Transport for Wales units have been hired to cover overhauls |
| Class 195 Civity | 58 | CAF Civity diesel units: 25 two-car and 33 three-car |
| Class 170 Turbostar | 16 | Three-car Class 170/4s, from ScotRail in 2018–19 |
| Class 158 Express Sprinter | 53 | 45 two-car and 8 three-car |
| Class 156 Super Sprinter | 67 | Two-car |
| Class 155 Super Sprinter | 7 | Two-car; the last Class 155s |
| Class 150 Sprinter | 74 | Two-car Class 150/1s and 150/2s and three-car sets, including the Class 150/0s |
History 11
- Northern Rail, a joint venture of Serco and Abellio, starts running the new Northern franchise across the North of England.
- Arriva Rail North takes over on a nine-year franchise, promising to remove the Pacers by the end of 2019 and to bring in 281 new carriages.
- The first of 101 new CAF trains carry passengers: seven Class 195 diesel and two Class 331 electric units were due in service that day, on Doncaster to Leeds and from Barrow-in-Furness, Liverpool and Windermere to Manchester Airport.
- The Transport Secretary announces that the government will take over the Northern services from 1 March, after declaring the franchise no longer financially sustainable on 9 January.
- Northern Trains Limited, owned by the government's operator of last resort (now DfT Operator), takes over the trains.
- The last Pacer to carry Northern passengers, 142004, runs from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria, ending more than 35 years of the class in the North; Northern had 102 Pacers.
- The 100th new CAF train enters service, a Class 195 between Sheffield and Manchester; the 101st was due early in 2021.
- Eight Class 769 FLEX trains, Class 319 electric units given diesel generators by Porterbrook and Brush, start running between Southport, Stalybridge and Alderley Edge.
- Passenger trains return to the Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington for the first time since 1964, run by Northern; more stations on the line open in 2025 and 2026.
- Northern invites final tenders from Alstom, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler for up to 450 new trains, in three phases. The first, about 130 units due between 2030 and 2033, is to replace the Class 150s, 155s and 156s. Tenders came back in March 2026, and contracts are expected in 2027.
- The Department for Transport approves Northern's lease of Porterbrook's 37 four-car Class 350/2s, to replace its 34 Class 323s from late 2027 on routes south of Manchester.
Sources 33
How we source figures → · Spotted a mistake? Tell us → (opens in a new tab)
Show the 33 sources from Northern, RAIL, Office of Rail and Road and 14 more
- TOC key statistics: Northern Trains, April 2025 to March 2026 Office of Rail and Road, 6 August 20263,180 route km, 471 stations managed, 99.6 million journeys, 2025–26
- Table 6314: rolling stock vehicles by traction type and operator Office of Rail and Road, 20 November 2025Northern's 307 electric, 615 diesel and 32 bi-mode vehicles, March 2025
- This is Northern Northern (Northern Trains Limited), accessed 7 October 2026Northern Trains Limited, owned by DfT Operator (formerly DOHL) since 1 March 2020; 2,500+ trains a day; 500+ stations; nearly 100 million journeys; York head office
- NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED, company number 03076444 Companies House, accessed 7 October 2026Northern Trains Limited, formerly DFT OLR3 Limited (to January 2020)
- Government decision on Northern Rail Department for Transport, DfT OLR Holdings Limited and Network Rail, 29 January 2020government to run Northern from 1 March 2020; franchise unsustainable (9 January)
- Northern franchise enters new future Department for Transport and DfT OLR Holdings Limited, 1 March 2020government operator takes over on 1 March 2020
- Better journeys for rail customers as new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises confirmed Department for Transport, 23 December 2015Arriva Rail North from April 2016 to March 2025; Pacers out by 2019; 281 new carriages; franchise last let in 2004
- Serco says farewell to Northern Rail after 11 years Serco, April 2016Northern Rail, Serco and Abellio's joint venture, 12 December 2004 to 31 March 2016
- DfT OLR Holdings Limited and Northern Trains Limited 2022: services contract (public register copy, version 1.1x) Department for Transport, 24 February 2022, pp. 145-147 (Appendix 1 to Schedule 1.6)the fleet at the 2020 transfer, with seats and standing per unit; Neville Hill and Heaton depots
- Our fleet: now and into the future (Stakeholder Conference presentation) Northern (Northern Trains Limited), November 2025379 units (960 vehicles), 278 'legacy' and 101 new, November 2025; classes in the fleet; new-train lots and timeline
- Northern's new trains Northern (Northern Trains Limited), accessed 7 October 2026up to 450 new trains; ISFT November 2025; tenders March 2026; contract award 2027; first trains 2030; phase one replaces Classes 150, 155 and 156; ten types of train in 14 formations
- Northern unveils new £500 million diesel and electric trains RAIL (Richard Clinnick), 26 June 2019 (republished 9 September 2019)nine new CAF trains in service from 1 July 2019; first routes
- Transformation of Northern continues with the introduction of its 100th brand new train Northern (press release), 10 December 2020100th new train on 9 December 2020; the programme began with the first 195s and 331s in July 2019
- Pacers bid final farewell to Northern network Northern (press release), 27 November 2020last Pacer, 27 November 2020; 102 Pacers
- Northern introduces bi-mode FLEX trains Northern (press release), 19 May 2021eight Class 769s from May 2021, Southport to Stalybridge and Alderley Edge
- Northumberland Line: timeline from closure to passenger services restarting RAIL (Andy Comfort), 27 December 2024Northumberland Line reopened to Ashington on 15 December 2024
- Passenger benefits key to Northern's lease of Class 350s Rail, 13 July 202637 Class 350/2s leased from Porterbrook, first five in late 2027; 34 Class 323s; new fleet for the 150s, 155s and 156s in 2031 and the 769s in 2032
- Ex-Transport for Wales '769s' helping to cover Northern overhauls RAIL (Pip Dunn), 7 October 2025Northern's eight 769s by number; former TfW 769421 and 769452 covering overhauls
- 2x Additional Cl. 769s to be leased to support driver training (notice 021961-2025) Find a Tender (Northern Trains Limited), 15 May 2025two more Class 769s leased, maintained at Allerton, Southport to Manchester Oxford Road and Stalybridge
- Class 323 refresh: planned procurement notice (notice 016618-2025) Find a Tender (Northern Trains Limited), 23 April 202534 Class 323s, 17 from West Midlands Railway; refresh at Manchester International Depot, September 2025 to April 2026
- Class 195 Eversholt Rail, accessed 7 October 202625 two-car and 33 three-car Class 195s; maintained at Newton Heath
- Class 331 Eversholt Rail, accessed 7 October 202631 three-car and 12 four-car Class 331s; maintained at Allerton and Neville Hill
- Bransty closure: the full story RAIL (Peter Plisner), 22 May 2026Bransty tunnel closed since July 2025; buses between Workington or Whitehaven and Corkickle
- National Rail timetable tables valid from 17 May 2026 (detailed passenger timetables) RailwayData.co.uk, 17 May 2026Northern's services and their calls, timetable valid from 17 May 2026: tables 001, 004, 050, 051, 052, 053, 055, 057, 058, 059, 060, 069, 070, 073, 074, 075, 076, 078, 079, 080, 082, 083, 084, 085, 086, 087, 088, 089, 090, 091, 092, 094, 096, 098, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 124, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 138, 139, 140, 175, 208
- Fairfield railway station (England) Wikipedia, 2026Fairfield: called at by the hourly Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill trains via Guide Bridge
- Stanlow & Thornton: journey planner station notice (closed until further notice) Northern, 2026Stanlow & Thornton closed until further notice for urgent bridge repairs
- Northern website (home page and style sheet) Northern (Northern Trains Limited), accessed 7 October 2026brand colour #262262
- Northern Trains Wikipedia, accessed 7 October 2026fleet counts of the 150, 156 and 170; 323 transfer dates (last resort)
- TfL Unified API: Line Route Sequence Transport for London (Powered by TfL Open Data)main stations: the stations most of its routes meet at, counted from TfL's route data
- Stations Northumberland Line (Northumberland County Council), 2026the Northumberland Line's stations, Newcastle to Ashington
- News Northumberland Line (Northumberland County Council), 2026Bedlington, the last station, opened on 29 March 2026
- 50,000 journeys made on Northumberland Line in first month Northumberland County Council, January 2025Northumberland Line trains call at Manors
- Bi-Mode Good, Tri-Mode Better (Malcolm Dobell) Rail Engineer, 27 September 2018history
- Fleets of the 150, 156 and 170, and the split of the 150s (66 two-car and 8 three-car): Wikipedia. They agree with ORR, whose count of 615 diesel vehicles at 31 March 2025 is exactly what Wikipedia's figures add up to, but no fleet table for October 2026 has been published. Northern counted 379 units and 960 vehicles in November 2025, three units and six vehicles more than those figures
- Class 150s: Angel Trains lists only two three-car Class 150/0s in its whole fleet, so the eight three-car sets Wikipedia gives may include other cars
- Class 170s: RAIL (2019) and Wikipedia give 16 three-car 170/4s from ScotRail; Northern's 2022 contract lists 16 two-car units (32 vehicles)
- Class 769s: the two former Transport for Wales units were hired until November 2025 and January 2026, with an option to May 2026 (Find a Tender); whether any are still hired is not known
- Class 323s: 17 came from West Midlands Railway between October 2023 and July 2024 (Wikipedia); Northern's 2025 tender confirms 34, 17 of them from West Midlands Railway
- Route strips: drawn by hand from the national timetable valid from 17 May 2026 (railwaydata.co.uk's tables), one strip per regular service with the calls most of its trains make; TfL's route data, used before, joined separate services into through routes that don't run. Fairfield isn't in those tables: it's drawn on the Rose Hill trains as TfL's data and Wikipedia have it. Not drawn: Ravensthorpe (closed for rebuilding), British Steel Redcar (closed), Stanlow & Thornton (closed until further notice for bridge repairs), Deighton (rail replacement buses only in this timetable), Tees-side Airport (no trains call) and Habrough (no Northern calls). The Northumberland Line is drawn from the line's own station list, its stations beyond Manors without interchanges
- Stations: 521 counted from the route strips; Northern says it serves more than 500, and manages 471 (ORR)
- The Cumbrian Coast is drawn as two strips, Carlisle to Whitehaven and Corkickle southwards, because Bransty tunnel at Whitehaven has been closed since July 2025 (buses link Whitehaven and Corkickle)
- Depots: only those named in the sources are listed, with what each source says they maintain; Wikipedia also names Botanic Gardens in Hull, and Siemens maintained the Class 333s at Neville Hill when they were new (2000)
- The 12 December 2004 start: Serco's own account; the DfT's 2015 statement says only that the franchise was last let in 2004
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