southtpe

South TPE Trains

The old 158s no longer operate on South TPE, leaving all services to the new 'Pennine Class'
185 Desiros.

The Brand new 'Pennine' class 185s have greatly improved the South TPE line for passengers,
with all the latest gadgets, including audio and visual information, brighter destination displays,
and CCTV. The 3 car trains, capable of accelerating to 100mph very quickly, are much brighter
internally than the 158s, they have much larger doors to make it easier to get people on and off
the trains quickly and more luggage space than the 158s, ideal for trains to Manchester Airport.
The 51 new trains were built by Siemens in Germany, all are now in the UK. Although based
at Manchester, a special fueling point has been built at Cleethorpes to allow
the new trains to stay there overnight, this has modernised a run down part of the seaside
resort and was welcomed by locals. To see a video of one of the
185s in action, click here

The 158s worked on the line for many years, they have now come to the end of their
life on South TPE, with the introduction of 51 brand new 'Pennine' Class 185s. The 158s
have Bi-parting swing plug doors & BSI coupling, with a top speed of 90mph. Built by BREL
in Derby between 1990 and 1992, TPEs 158s were refurbished to a high standard by
Northern Spirit, but nevertheless were beginning to get rather tatty, particularly in the vestibules.
With the introduction of the 185s, some 158s are being converted into 159s by Wabtec at
Doncaster, for use with South West Trains. Some have also been transferred to East Midlands Trains, and can be seen operating over their old South TPE routes from Sheffield-Manchester,
its only a matter of time before one makes its way back to Grimsby no doubt!