The claim that Pacer trains will be replaced by old tube trains in the Huddersfield area is nothing more than a myth, says the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

The old Pacers, currently frustrating many passengers on the Northern Rail line, are set to be axed under new franchise plans for the line through Huddersfield.

In February the Examiner reported that a businessman with family ties to Huddersfield is spearheading a bid to run refurbished Tube trains on rail lines across the North of England.

Allan Dare, 64, is marketing director for a firm that is buying up old London Underground trains to sell to rail operating companies.

London-born Mr Dare, whose father-in-law lives in Lepton, has 42 years’ experience in the rail industry.

Mr Dare’s firm, Warwickshire-based Vivarail Ltd, has bought 300 old District Line engines and carriages to turn into 75 ‘new’ D-Trains to replace the out-dated Pacer models on commuter lines.

One of the old Tube trains undergoing modernisation

Work has already started on conversion work, which involves fitting diesel engines normally found in buses.

The trains, which will also have refurbished interiors, have a top speed of about 60mph, slightly less than the 75mph of Pacers and Sprinters, though few local routes allow the top speed to be reached.

See an artist's impression of how the refitted trains would look.

But according to the Government companies wanting to run the franchise will be required to replace outdated Pacer trains and introduce new trains.

Jason McCartney, MP for the Colne Valley, asked in the House of Commons: “The trans-Pennine rail route goes through Slaithwaite and Marsden in my constituency.

“Will the Secretary of State confirm when he expects Sir Peter Hendy to report back about the pause on electrification and will he take this opportunity to debunk the myth going around that the Pacers will be replaced by refurbished tube trains, which obviously is not true?”

Jason McCartney

Patrick McLoughlin: “I can certainly debunk that.

“It was made clear that once we got rid of the Pacers they would be replaced by new trains and that is what is in the invitation to tender which is being looked at as far as the returns back to the Department for Transport are concerned. I hope to have more to say about that before the end of the year.

“This is a pause, and I am very much looking forward to Sir Peter’s report. I will be finding out shortly when he intends to give me that report.”

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