| Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 12:48, 25th April 2025 |     |
Arriva's Grand Central arm are apparently applying to run five trains daily each way between Newcastle and Brighton, via Banbury, Oxford, Reading and Gatwick:
https://news.arriva.co.uk/news/arriva-group-submits-open-access-rail-application-to-connect-newcastle-and-brighton-via-london-gatwick
Given that CrossCountry don't show any signs of bringing their own Newcastle–Reading service back up to full strength, good luck to them. Suspect it will be deemed too abstractive though.
(via the Oxford Clarion - https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:sehe5pdc7ptfh5ayttdusqpp/post/3lnmxy7cfqk2x )
| Re: Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by eightonedee at 13:51, 25th April 2025 | |
That looks like it would be an attractive alternative for getting to Gatwick from Reading compared to the current GWR Turbo service - assuming decent rolling stock.
| Re: Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by ChrisB at 13:52, 25th April 2025 | |
Indeed - and maybe too extractive....I wonder what rolling stock they have identified?
| Re: Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by The Tall Controller at 15:12, 25th April 2025 | |
They're saying trains with 300 seats which puts it into 5-car Class 80x territory (302-326 seats), or perhaps the ex-TransPennine Mk5+loco (291 seats)?
Arriva's order of 9 new 'tri-mode' Hitachi units for their East Coast route might be part of the long-term plan, but even they aren't due in service until 2028.
| Re: Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by ChrisB at 15:31, 25th April 2025 | |
Chiltern has/had its eyes on the ex-TPE stock....
| Re: Grand Central applies for Newcastle–Brighton via North Downs Posted by ray951 at 19:49, 25th April 2025 | |
I saw someone say it was planned to use class 180 units.
