A TRAIN renamed the 'Northern Powerhouse' by a Northwich MP has broken down three times in four months.

In March this year the Chancellor George Osborne, MP for Tatton, attended the naming ceremony at Manchester Piccadilly train station, as he launched the multi-billion 'Northern Powerhouse' project to improve transport in northern England.

Part of the launch involved naming a refurbished Class 319 electric train operated by Northern Rail, as the 'Northern Powerhouse'.

But in June it was announced the electrification of the Manchester to Leeds train line was to be shelved - dealing a huge blow to the project.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin admitted to parliament that the project was being ‘paused’ because of an ongoing crisis at Network Rail.

The project has since received hefty criticism from MPs in the north west, with many doubting it will bring any benefit to the region.

And to top it off, the Guardian has been told that the train renamed by Mr Osborne has broken down three times since the launch in March.

Northern Rail admitted the train had encountered 'some faults' but they were nothing out of the ordinary.

"It is less than some other trains running on the network," a spokesman for the company told the Guardian.

"It is not unusual and they have been very small faults that would happen on any train, such as mechanics that have failed and need to be replaced. A bit like when you need to change a bulb in your car's light.

"It is nothing that we are concerned about and it is quite average what has happened.

"When it has broken down we have to make sure that it is right before it goes back on to the network so it has been missing for a short time."