American Express | Daily Express | Pony Express | Orient Express | Von Ryan's Express | Murder on the Orient Express | Express | The Express | DHL Express | Starlight Express | Intercity-Express | express train | United Express | Regional Express Airlines | Regional-Express | Express News | Continental Express | The Polar Express | Nova Express | Chicago Express | York Factory Express | Virgin Express | US Airways Express | The Old Patagonian Express | Round Rock Express | National Express Coaches | L'Express | Horror Express | HMS ''Express'' | Festival Express |
Such aspirations seem to have fallen by the wayside, however, since First/Keolis took over the TransPennine Express franchise.
Passenger services on the line are currently operated by Northern Rail (previously First North Western), East Midlands Trains (previously Central Trains) and TransPennine Express (previously Arriva Trains Northern).
The long distance regional services connecting Sunderland, Newcastle, Scarborough and Hull with Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool were operated under the TransPennine Express banner, the rest as Arriva Trains Northern.
In 2006 First TransPennine Express started to replace its Class 158 trains with newer Class 185 Pennine and Class 170 Turbostar trains.
First TransPennine Express also run services to Blackpool, Preston, Bolton and Manchester, also serving Manchester Airport, Barrow, Carlisle, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
It was designed to provide a direct bus to train link for passengers travelling from the Holme Valley on the bus to Huddersfield railway station to connect with trains to Leeds, Dewsbury and Manchester on Transpennine Express services.
It is primarily served by regional express services operated by First TransPennine Express from Manchester Airport via Preston to Barrow-in-Furness.