Northern Rail is the name of the passenger rail franchise that has operated local services in the north of England since 2004. The franchise was won by a consortium formed of NedRailways (the English unit of Nederlandse Spoorwegen, the state-owned train operating company of the Netherlands) and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems. This consortium had already won the contract to operate the Merseyrail network earlier in 2003.

Serco-NedRailways was announced as the 'preferred bidder' for the Northern franchise by the Strategic Rail Authority on 1 July 2004, and signed the agreement to operate the franchise on 19 October. The new operators did not, however, actually commence ownership and take over from the previous incumbents (First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern) until 12 December 2004.

The franchise is planned to run for a maximum of 8 years and 9 months, depending on how well Serco-NedRailways perform. As the media have reported throughout, the franchise does not require them to purchase new trains, but there have been rumours of a large fleet of Chinese-built diesel multiple units being purchased at a cost of £650,000 per carriage, a substantially lower price than their European competitors. The franchise agreement commits only to a 15% reduction in delays before 2009, and to a new 'incentive/penalty régime' and 'local focus on performance'.

Northern Rail will lease a fleet comprised of diesel and electric multiple units. Northern has not continued First and Arriva's practice of hiring locomotive-pulled trains. The franchise will exclusively utilise a fleet of Class 142 , 144 , 150, 153, 155 , 156, 158, 175, 321/9, 323, and 333 units.

External links

• Northern Rail official website
• A train in the new Northern Rail livery, picture by Tony Miles
• Northrail - "defending rail services and jobs in the north of England"
• Serco-NedRailways official website