New Director Takes Charge of Northern’s 450-Train Fleet Overhaul

Northern’s plans for a sweeping renewal of its train fleet have moved forward with the appointment of James Howard to oversee the programme to procure hundreds of new vehicles. He has taken on the role of Director of New Rolling Stock Programmes, leading what is set to become the operator’s largest-ever investment in trains.

The publicly owned operator is preparing to purchase up to 450 new trains in three phases, beginning with an initial order of around 130 units. Manufacturers were invited to submit final tenders in November, with bids expected to be received next month. Northern is targeting early 2027 for contract awards, with the first new trains due to enter service in 2030.

The new fleet will be introduced gradually, with priority given to replacing the oldest trains currently in operation. Much of Northern’s rolling stock dates back to the 1980s and 1990s, and under current plans roughly two thirds of the existing fleet will be phased out over the next decade.

Howard has been closely involved in shaping the programme for several years, including developing the business case that will require government approval. He has emphasised that the selection process will be tightly controlled to avoid adding excessive variety to the fleet. Northern currently operates 11 different train types, a situation that can complicate maintenance and place heavy training demands on drivers and engineers.

Accessibility and environmental performance are also central to the programme. Northern is seeking trains that can support improved level boarding, ensuring compatibility with existing platforms built to network standards, as well as those upgraded in the future. The new trains will be electric, battery-powered or multi-modal, allowing the operator to adapt as electrification expands across the network.

At present, about a quarter of Northern’s routes are electrified, with further schemes planned in the coming years. Battery and multi-modal trains will be capable of conversion to operate under overhead wires. The rollout is expected to start with electric trains on key corridors, including services between York and Leeds and Huddersfield, before extending across the network in the early 2030s.

Howard joined Northern in 2011 as a business analyst and auditor, later moving to Stagecoach in 2016 to work on rail franchise bids. He returned to Northern in 2018 following the purchase of 101 new trains through a £500 million government-backed investment. Since Northern returned to public ownership in 2020, he has played a central role in developing the operator’s long-term rolling stock strategy.

James said:

“This will be a step change for the North,” he said. “It will be the largest ever investment in our fleet, providing our customers with modern, reliable trains, and we are working to deliver them as quickly as possible. Getting to this point hasn’t been easy but that only fuels our desire to see it through. I fundamentally believe Northern needs these new trains and our customers deserve them. There has been significant investment in the infrastructure, with projects like the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), and we need modern trains to realise the benefits.”

Image: Northern