Hull Trains
As open access operator Hull Trains launches its new fleet of Class 802/3 bi-mode units, RICHARD CLINNICK discovers a company determined to build on 20 years of serving Humberside
With a new fleet of Class 802/3 bi-mode trains, Managing Director LOUISE CHEESEMAN ushers in a new era for Hull Trains.
Louise Cheeseman welcomed the first of five new Hitachi bi-mode
Class 802/3s into Hull Paragon on November 25, and declared that she wanted the Humberside city to be proud of its open access operator ( RAIL 893).
The Hull Trains Managing Director has been at the helm during a tumultuous time in the company’s history. From being one of the country’s top performers, regularly topping passenger satisfaction tables in the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS), HT has suffered a downturn with poor reliability hampering operations.
In April 2016, the operator’s Public Performance Measure (PPM) was 90.8% of trains on time, with 7.1% late and 2.1% very late or cancelled.
Fast forward to October 2018, and that figure had dropped to 50.7% of trains on time, 18.5% late and 30.8% very late or cancelled. Things had to change.
By this time, the ‘802s’ were on order. This is the third brand new fleet ordered for Hull Trains, but the first to have electric power.
They are replacing Class 180 Adelante diesel multiple units that have been with the operator since 2008, but which have recorded poor performance in recent times - including a spate of fires. Four trains were supposed to cover three daily weekday diagrams, but often that was not the case.
Now, with dedicated roads at Hitachi’s Bounds Green depot, for the first time HT has its own facility to maintain its own fleet.
“We have made a significant investment in these hi-tech trains, which will completely overhaul the current service as our customers know it,” says Cheeseman.
“Not only will these trains give a smoother ride, they will be a lot more reliable than our existing trains. They will include complimentary WiFi, plug and USB sockets throughout, a brand new at-seat trolley service, and an even greater choice and improved quality of hot and cold food. More people will be able to travel, thanks to the 22% additional capacity.”
The striking livery on the ‘802s’ features images selected by Hull Trains staff.
Daren Hale, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration and planning, land and property, said at the launch: “This is a fantastic investment in the city. The new Hull Trains stock will be a travelling advertisement for the city of Hull.”
Cheeseman believes it’s a new era for the operator: “We are now on an exciting trajectory to build and grow this business into one our city can be really proud of. It’s our mission to be the first choice when people are travelling to London.
“I want people to trust in the service we offer and the fantastic customer service our customers know and expect. I am genuinely excited about the future of Hull Trains, our new trains and new beginning.”
The operator’s origins date back to 2000, when it was established by former British
Rail managers John Nelson and Mike Jones. They applied for an open access service with an initial four-year agreement as part of a joint venture with GB Railways, which at the time operated Anglia Railways (AR) and was in the process of setting up GB Railfreight. The agreement was extended to ten years in
It’s our mission to be the first choice when people are travelling to London.
Louise Cheeseman,
Managing Director, Hull Trains
September 2002.
The plan was to improve the choice on the Hull-King’s Cross route, which at the time had only one daily service operated by GNER, and on September 25 2000 the first HT service left Humberside for the capital.
GB sold the operator to FirstGroup in 2003 and the transport giant has run the company ever since.
The initial AR three-car Class 170/2s were replaced in 2004 by four three-car Class 170/3s delivered specifically for the services. But even by then HT had ordered four four-car Class 222s, in a £ 36 million deal.
The ‘170/3s’ moved to East Midlands Trains in 2008, with redundant Class 180s transferring from First Great Western to Hull Trains. These may have been almost a decade older than the trains they replaced, but the reason was capacity - the ‘180s’ had five vehicles.
It was also in 2008 that HT was rebranded First Hull Trains and used First’s corporate blue and pink colours. In the following year, the open access agreement was extended to 2014. In 2015, FHT reverted to Hull Trains as a brand.
HT spent £ 2m refurbishing the Adelantes, and in 2013 it scored an NRPS record of 95% for passenger satisfaction. A new destination (Beverley) was served from 2015, and the following year HT signed an agreement to extend its track access to 2029.
However, reliability of the ‘180s’ was becoming an issue, and in 2017 HT signed a £ 60m deal for the Class 802/3s. These were assembled in Hitachi’s Italian facility at Pistoia. The ‘180s’ will transfer to East Midlands Railway, where they will remain until being replaced by Hitachi Class 804s in 2022.
Hull Trains’ new five-car Class 802/3 bi-modes will operate on electric power from London to Doncaster. Bi-mode trains were ordered after calls to electrify the line east of Selby fell on deaf ears. Plans to erect wires funded privately were even put forward, before the decision was made to order the ‘802/3s’, which are similar to the Great Western
Railway ‘802/ 0s’ in terms of software.
HT is confident that it will suffer fewer cancellations following the introduction of the new trains.
Says Cheeseman: “We need a minimum of three trains to maintain the service. The new fleet is five-strong, which means we have spare trains on hand to roll out if there is an issue affecting train travel.”
As Hull Trains enters its 20th year, 2020 looks like being an exciting time for the open access operator.