Hull Trains has confirmed that it has secured an HST as a stand-in train in a bid to resume normal service.
The open access operator (a train company not subject to franchising), part of First Group, has had a disastrous last few months after two of it's fleet of four Class 180 Adelante diesel multiple units suffered from fires in May October 2018; and as a result, the company was forced to cancel most of its services to and from London, as well as roll out an interim emergency timetable in an attempt to keep passengers on the move.
In an update from the Managing Director of Hull Trains, Louise Cheeseman, on Tuesday 18th December, she confirmed that the company had managed to borrow a Class 43 and Mk3 HST set from partner train operator Great Western Railway. However, there will still be a wait before the HST comes into service, with train crew needing to be trained on how to operate the stock, as well as making sure all the relevant safety documents are ready and in place.
Hull Trains expect to see a full service resume before the end of December 2018 with one of their trains returning to service within the next few days as a four-car set, meaning that this will run without an unreserved coach. Passengers who intend to travel with Hull Trains are advised to book tickets in advance to avoid seating problems.
In September 2015, Hull Trains announced that they had ordered five 5-car bi-mode Class 802 trains from Hitachi, which are set to enter service late 2019 / early 2020.
What did the officials say?
Louise Cheeseman said
“We have been working very hard in the background to try and secure a train, and we have finally managed to find an HST.
“This is a very complex project for us to implement, so please don't expect that train to be standing in the platform tomorrow. Please bear with us, we are working hard to introduce this contingency train as soon as possible. We will not introduce a new train until we are absolutely sure it is safe to do so.”
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A couple of units fail and it becomes a complex project. This confirms everything that’s wrong with the UK rail network. Could you imagine SNCF or DB (except when they are operating in the UK!) claiming that finding a couple of replacement trains is a major project. Franchising and open access is a total mess that achieves nothing except costing a fortune in administration and creating one of the least resilient rail services in the world.
Bring back British Rail and then we wouldn’t be in this mess but it won’t happen because it makes to much sense and TOCs would be furious and launch a legal challenge, how sad and bureaucratic our railway has become.
That’s a wonderful idea that Hull Trains are hiring the Class 43 HST Mk3 Carriage to help boost their service between London Kings Cross & Hull. Before the Class 802 IET Bi-Mode trains which are currently being built at Hitachi Pistoria Italy & Kasado Japan manufacture plants starts service from late next year.
With LNER Class 800 & Class 801 IET & Transpennine Express Class 802 IET fleets that are being built at either Pistoria &/or Kasado and at Hitachi Newton Aycliff manufacture facility.
As LNER are hoping that their new Class 800 and Class 801 IET fleets will soon be in service from next year and Transpennine Express also to start introducing their new Class 802 “Nova 1” fleets also from next year. Aswell Class 397 “Nova 2” which will also be in service from next year as they are currently being built at CAF manufacturing plants in Spain.