TPE earmarks top-and-tail ‘68s’ for passenger services
CLASS 68s will start hauling passenger trains for TransPennine Express from May 20.
Operating in top-and-tail mode, two sets formed of four Mk 3s will be used, running between Scarborough and Liverpool Lime Street.
The trains are being used as driver training for TPE drivers, while there will be stewards on board (in a similar way to charters).
TPE Major Projects Director Chris Nutton told RAIL: “There is a change in the plan for Mk 3s. The principal plan is that they are for driver training, and from May they will be used for handling.”
Class 68-hauled trains will leave Scarborough for Liverpool at 0846, 0946, 1446, 1546 and 2050, while the 2149 runs to Manchester Victoria. Trains leave Liverpool Lime Street at 0556, 0656, 1156, 1256, 1756 and 1856.
Nutton said they will operate with three Standard Class coaches and one First Open coach. Consideration had been given to using Mk 3 Driving Van Trailers (DVTs), but that was discarded.
The Mk 3s are leased from Porterbrook and had originally been hired for driver training ahead of the introduction of Mk 5As. However, TPE is using the opportunity to increase capacity on its route. It also means two threecar Class 185s can be released for sub-lease to Northern.
TPE is also leasing from Porterbrook the former Virgin Trains ‘Pretendolino’, which was last used in passenger duty by Greater Anglia. It is currently split into four-coach rakes for driver training. The coaches are Open First (FO) 11007/018/048 and Standard Opens (TSO) 12011/078, 12122/133/138, while Restaurant First Modular (RFM) 10212/229 are also leased, but won’t be used.
TPE leases 14 Class 68s from Direct Rail Services for its locomotive-hauled operations, although some have recently been sub-leased back to DRS.
Currently TPE has 68019/021 undergoing testing in Velim (Czech Republic), while 68022/024/027/ 029/031/032 are in the XHTP TPE pool, while DRS has 68020/023/ 025/026/028 back for freight duties.
All will eventually be used by TPE, while 68033/034 have also been modified to work with the Mk 5A fleet.