TPE to introduce interim ‘68s’ and Mk 3s in July

The planned use of Class 68s and Mk 3s by TransPennine Express has been delayed, and will now start in July rather than May.

The initial plan was that they would be used for nine days from May 21 until the start of the Liverpool Lime Street blockade.

It had been intended that two pairs of top-and-tailed ‘68s’ would haul Mk 3s leased from Porterbrook. However, that has been delayed because the stock is not yet ready. Also, not enough staff were trained in time.

TPE plans to use the ‘68’-hauled sets for training purposes, ahead of the introduction of the Mk 5A locomotive-hauled sets from the autumn. They will also be used to boost capacity across the Pennines, and reduce the number of trains formed of three-car Class 185 diesel multiple units.

In a document seen by RAIL, TPE states that two rakes of Mk 3s will be formed of four coaches. There will be one First Class and three Standard Class Mk 3s per set. Of the three Standard Class coaches, one will be a declassified First Class vehicle.

It is planned that each set will use one Open First, one Kitchen Buffet First (RFM) and two Standard Opens (TSO). The spare vehicles will be First Open (Disabled) (FOD) 11048 and Standard Open (Disabled) (TSOD) 12122. The coaches in the sets will be from RFM 10212/229, FO 11007/018 and TSO 12011/078, 12133/138. The RFMs will have the First Class seating, but have no wheelchair or cycle provision.

It is expected that the trains will be used until sufficient Mk 5A sets are in traffic. The sets will run between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, running via Manchester Victoria. They will leave Merseyside at 0556, 0656, 1156, 1256, 1756, 1856, and from Scarborough at 0846, 0946, 1446, 1546, 2050 and 2146. The latter only runs to Manchester Victoria. Arriva TrainCare will maintain the sets at Crewe.

Door marshalls will be used on the trains to ensure the slam-doors are opened and closed correctly and that dwell times are kept to a minimum, thereby enabling the ‘68s’ to keep as close as possible to the timings of the ‘185s’.

Currently 68022/026 and 68023/028 are being used for driver training, while 68032/034 have been hired to Freightliner Heavy Haul for traction training as FLHH has been contracted to test the CAF Mk 5A stock.

When in traffic, 6801968032 will be used by TPE, with 68033/034 as spare.

TERRY EYRES. On May 24, Direct Rail Services 68022 Resolution and 68026 top-and-tail the 1010 Wavertree Junction-Crewe Carriage Sidings crew training trip past Halebank (near Widnes). The introduction of these top-and-tailed ‘68s’ on Mk 3s on an interim basis by...