Originally Posted by
SWBKCB
I was thinking more about the type of coaches used rather than the length of the train - last time I used Trans Peninne to MAN it was more like being on the bus I used to get to the station than an intercity train service (I appreciate that it wasn't a train used on a service to London, so my expectations were reduced in advance). They must have upgraded their fleet.
Prior to the Hitachi trains entering service in 2017 they used three car Class 185 train sets often coupled in pairs.
They remain servicing Redcar south, occasional Scarborough - Liverpool and the core Liverpool - Hull corridor
These are definitely outer suburban stock and not up to inter city standards
Trans Pennine west cost Manchester - Scotland now use new Spanish built electric five car sets pretty nice equipment also from 2017 onwards.
And the remaining Liverpool/Manchester - Scarborough services use a real live diesel locomotive and special fixed sets of five coaches from 2018.
Almost all long routes use one of the three sets above now, substantially new and the Hitachi sets are of the bimode variety; Diesel between Huddersfield and Manchester and again from Church Fenton to just before Leeds.
Caveat the seats on the Hitachi are operator specific and from a personal perspective the Trans Pennine seat is a little better in padding and support over the Department for Transport seat specified in the LnER and GWR train sets.
Only real difference is catering options on the two differing routes and operators . The nine car LnER trains have a buffet in coach G and the five cars each have their own in Coach B.
Trans Pennine is cart service only .
By the way the services and most ticket options from Newcastle to and from Edinburgh and the timetables are coordinated so either operator may be used .
Not so Lumo through they are an open access operator and you can travel between Newcastle and Edinburgh only on their own dockets . And also use a version the same 5 car Hitachi train set !
And operate five trains a day each way from Kings x and Edinburgh stoping in Newcastle.