Moving Wheels
TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS
operated its first Class 802
‘Nova 1’ set in passenger service on Saturday 28 September.
Having received clearance late the previous evening, No 802201 worked the 06.03 Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street service and 09.25 return as a one-off working ahead of regular service introduction later in October. The Hitachi-built bi-mode set operated on electric power between Newcastle and York and between Manchester Victoria and Liverpool in both directions, with diesel for the remainder of the trip.
The unit also became the first TPE train to reach 125mph in passenger service, on the East Coast main line between Newcastle and York.
Following further testing and crew training two diagrams were planned to run for seven days from 12 October, with one starting at Newcastle and one at Liverpool each day. In the event only No 802207 operated that day following problems with No 802218 before it entered service. No 802207 was also the only Nova 1 to work on 13 October, but the next day both sets were in service as planned.
By the end of October TPE expected to have four Nova 1 diagrams operating, two from Heaton depot and two from Edge Hill. All 19 Class 802 units are now in the UK an…
