The Railway Magazine – August 2019

21st centurytrains,19th century

signalling.Class 195 No.195117

runs into Ar nsideworkin gthe 14.46

Barrow-in-Furness-Manchester

AirportonJuly 1.TONY MILES

Information displays showdestination,calling points,

date,time, carriage number andtemperature.

Seat re servations arenot offeredby Northern,but

thereiss cope to do so inthe future with these

electronic panels.

Doorvestibule areas arespacious and have tip-up

seats. What’s not so easyto find arethe rubbish bins.Bay seating with table onaClass 195.

Luggageracks cantakecarry-on suitcases.

was discovered with the bar coupling, between

the trailer and driving vehicles, which needed

resolving.

Northernhas stipulated the first three units

of each class must complete 1,500 miles of

fault-freerunning beforeacceptance. Ifafault

occurs, once corrected, the clock starts from

zeroagain. After the initial units, the fault-free

mileage for subsequent units isrevised down to

The Clas s195 was launchedatPreston on

June 26 usingset No.195116,and twodays

later the Class331was unveiled tostakeholders

at an eventin Doncaster with No. 331106.

Both unitsare almost identicalin

appearance,internallyand externally,several

carrying thestick-on name ‘Proudto be

Northern’.

Boardingone of the new trains for the first

time,you arestruckby thebright two-tone

blue moquette of the seats, contrastingyellow

grab handles, plusthe overallfresh look and

ambience within each carriage.

Throughout the trainthe seatingisamix

of airline, bay withalight beech-finished table,

and anumber of tip-upseats.The airlin eseats

have seatbackfold-down trays, just about

adequate fora15in laptopandacoffeecup.

Northern’s choice of two-toneblue

material is also beingrolled out inrefurbished

32 •TheRailway Magazine•August2019

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