I DOUBT if even Sir Howard Bernstein knows exactly what mix of new and refurbished rolling stock will augment Greater Manchester rail services as a result of the TIF bid.

Certainly, there will be some refurbished Sprinter Class 150 trains second-hand from the West Midlands, and equally, in terms of the franchise recently let, they will get some new Class 170 diesel units. But equally, the fine print of the DfT’s Rolling Stock Policy document suggests that the Class 323 electric units which operate out of Manchester Piccadilly will be transferred to the West Midlands, and replaced in Greater Manchester by new build.

Equally, there is currently a proposal awaiting ministerial approval for 24 additional carriages to augment a proportion of Transpennine’s recently introduced Class 185 diesel units to four cars. So the answer is “a bit of each”.

Northern Rail have not yet finalised their proposals to acquire additional rolling stock, so we do not yet know whether they will go for new build or refurbished units.

However, apart from the recycled sprinters from Centro, there is not a lot of spare rolling stock to be had, even second-hand. The real question is “how much extra rolling stock will we get if we turn down TIF”?

The best answer currently available is “not much”.

And if you are stuck on a freezing platform at Horwich Parkway or Lostock, and a well filled four-car train arrives where before you got two cars crammed to the doors, do you really care all that much whether the extra cars are new or second-hand ?

Peter Johnston Kendal Road Bolton