Northern Trains

Northern (legally Northern Trains Limited) is a primary train operating company in Northern England. Originally established through various franchises, the current iteration of the brand was formed when the UK government took over operations through the Department for Transport's 'Operator of Last Resort' program in 2020.

The service utilizes a diverse fleet of rolling stock manufactured by international engineering leaders. This includes the 'Civity' fleet built by CAF in Spain and the 'Class 331' and 'Class 195' units, as well as older units manufactured by companies like Siemens in Germany and BREL in the United Kingdom. Ownership and management are strictly overseen by the British government to ensure regional connectivity.

While the day-to-day operations are handled by Northern Trains Limited, the strategic direction and funding are provided by DfT OLR Holdings Limited. The brand represents a critical component of the Northern Powerhouse initiative, aiming to improve infrastructure and economic growth across the north of England.