Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[61653 HTAFC]

I just hope the site security is up to snuff... let's just say it's not the most salubrious part of Huddersfield!

 

[class 9]

I’m on a train from Leeds to York now and it looks like the linespeed between York and the River Wharfe overbridge has been raised to 125mph on the Leeds lines.

125mph is now Copmanthorpe No2 crossing to the river Wharfe on the Up Leeds and from Church Fenton to Colton North Jct on the Down Leeds line.

 

[Halish Railway]

125mph is now Copmanthorpe No2 crossing to the river Wharfe on the Up Leeds and from Church Fenton to Colton North Jct on the Down Leeds line.

Thank you for this information!

Going off of what BRouter.de says that’s just over five miles of 125mph running. I was expecting it to finish around the north ladder at Church Fenton, so I don’t quite understand why it finishes at the River Wharfe bridge.

It does seem to tie in with the overall trend of this project to have very short bursts of high speed, others being the planned 100mph stretch between Neville Hill and Cross Gates before dropping back down to 90mph, as well as 110 mph between Heaton Lodge Junction and Ravensthorpe, before dropping down to 100mph and 75mph supposedly through Dewsbury shortly thereafter.

 

[edwin_m]

It does seem to tie in with the overall trend of this project to have very short bursts of high speed, others being the planned 100mph stretch between Neville Hill and Cross Gates before dropping back down to 90mph, as well as 110 mph between Heaton Lodge Junction and Ravensthorpe, before dropping down to 100mph and 75mph supposedly through Dewsbury shortly thereafter.

Electric trains are generally capable of better acceleration at higher speeds, as this uses a large amount of power which electrics can draw from the wire but diesels can't carry with them without being inefficient and uneconomic (arguably true of Voyagers).

So it may be that these short increases were always possible but only worth bothering with when the line is going to be used by trains on electric power, which more able to take advantage of them.

 

[Meerkat]

Electric trains are generally capable of better acceleration at higher speeds, as this uses a large amount of power which electrics can draw from the wire but diesels can't carry with them without being inefficient and uneconomic (arguably true of Voyagers).

So it may be that these short increases were always possible but only worth bothering with when the line is going to be used by trains on electric power, which more able to take advantage of them.

And if they can regenerate then short bursts of speed then braking is less wasteful.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's also the removal of restrictive junctions, such as the new alignment of the up fast line at Heaton Lodge. Not sure of the actual speed of the current arrangement but it feels awkwardly slow.

 

[D6130]

There's also the removal of restrictive junctions, such as the new alignment of the up fast line at Heaton Lodge. Not sure of the actual speed of the current arrangement but it feels awkwardly slow.

Currently 70 mph, I believe.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Currently 70 mph, I believe.

Has it been that speed for a long time? I'm now wondering if my judgement is clouded by being mostly on the stoppers the last few years... the "wiggle" for want of a better term from the loop line to the main and then on to the Up Huddersfield is far slower.
That's another advantage of the upgrade that is often overlooked in favour of headlines about faster journeys between the major cities- the stopping services will also be freed up from having to fit between the fasts.

 

[D6130]

Has it been that speed for a long time? I'm now wondering if my judgement is clouded by being mostly on the stoppers the last few years... the "wiggle" for want of a better term from the loop line to the main and then on to the Up Huddersfield is far slower.
That's another advantage of the upgrade that is often overlooked in favour of headlines about faster journeys between the major cities- the stopping services will also be freed up from having to fit between the fasts.

It was 70 when I did my practical handling training on class 141/142/144 units in 1991. Then again, I was also on stoppers calling at Mirfield and IIRC, there was/is a 40 limit leaving the Up Slow immediately before the 70 turnout on the Up Main.

 

[Halish Railway]

Electric trains are generally capable of better acceleration at higher speeds, as this uses a large amount of power which electrics can draw from the wire but diesels can't carry with them without being inefficient and uneconomic (arguably true of Voyagers).

So it may be that these short increases were always possible but only worth bothering with when the line is going to be used by trains on electric power, which more able to take advantage of them.

I agree with the point about acceleration of modern EMUs, but the thing that seems odd to me is that it on some points of the route the linespeed is being increased, but only for a short section before dropping down to the legacy linespeed. E.g. going east from Leeds trains will be able to take advantage of the realigned curve around Neville Hill depot before accelerating up to 100mph but dropping down to the legacy 90mph beyond Crossgates all the way until after Church Fenton, despite the route between Cross Gates and Micklefield being geometrically capable of 110mph and the relatively new Micklefield turnout being capable of handling trains doing 100mph to and from York.

 

[td97]

Press release for Colton connection

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) East Alliance has taken another key step towards ensuring electric passenger trains can begin running between York and Church Fenton later this summer, after completing the final key element of electrification works.

Over the course of two days, the TRU East Alliance undertook tangential wiring work to connect the overhead wires running along the York to Leeds line to those on the East Coast Main Line at Colton Junction.

This is a unique and complex OLE section and is the only one of its kind in the UK.

Completion of Colton Junction OLE tangential wiring | VolkerRail

The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) East Alliance has taken another key step towards ensuring electric passenger trains can begin running between York and

www.volkerrail.co.uk

 

[Railperf]

I think we are talking at least 5 years away from TRU ETCS, maybe more.
It will depend on progress with the ECML scheme, and maybe some on the northern WCML, not to mention the capital spend involved.

What's the timescale for the conventional resignalling of the rather long block sections? Lots of new signal posts are in position and bagged over. I sampled a Class 802 from Manchester to Leeds - running late - and behind a stopper. The long block sections create delays at present.

I agree with the point about acceleration of modern EMUs, but the thing that seems odd to me is that it on some points of the route the linespeed is being increased, but only for a short section before dropping down to the legacy linespeed. E.g. going east from Leeds trains will be able to take advantage of the realigned curve around Neville Hill depot before accelerating up to 100mph but dropping down to the legacy 90mph beyond Crossgates all the way until after Church Fenton, despite the route between Cross Gates and Micklefield being geometrically capable of 110mph and the relatively new Micklefield turnout being capable of handling trains doing 100mph to and from York.

Good acceleration and braking means you can keep some lower speed restrictions because the train recovers back to a higher linespeed very quickly. A class 802 on electric is rapid to 90mph compared to legacy diesel stock such as 158's etc.

 

[IanXC]

125mph is now Copmanthorpe No2 crossing to the river Wharfe on the Up Leeds and from Church Fenton to Colton North Jct on the Down Leeds line.

Mention of Copmanthorpe reminds me - does anyone know if there is there any suggestion of the next steps with the closure of that crossing, after the proposed footbridge option was withdrawn following local opposition?

 

[zwk500]

What's the timescale for the conventional resignalling of the rather long block sections? Lots of new signal posts are in position and bagged over. I sampled a Class 802 from Manchester to Leeds - running late - and behind a stopper. The long block sections create delays at present.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/publications-and-resources/ Is worth keeping an eye on, as at the bottom is the current Enhancement works document. (Latest is March 2025) https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/CP7-EDP_March-2025.pdf

"W3 – Huddersfield to Ravensthorpe - Resignalling works (Digital ready)" is scoped for Feb 2030, according to the document.

Full snip for TRU section below:

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

"W3 – Huddersfield to Ravensthorpe - Resignalling works (Digital ready)" is scoped for Feb 2030, according to the document.

I don't think "digital ready" means ETCS will be installed by then, just that the classic signalling will be from York ROC and in a compatible form for the ETCS overlay.
That phrase is absent from some sections of the schedule, notably Ravensthorpe-Leeds and Stalybridge-Hudderfield.
I should think the work going on to eliminate Diggle box should improve the classic signalling in the latter case.

 

[zwk500]

I don't think "digital ready" means ETCS will be installed by then, just that the classic signalling will be from York ROC and in a compatible form for the ETCS overlay.
That phrase is absent from some sections of the schedule, notably Ravensthorpe-Leeds and Stalybridge-Hudderfield.
I should think the work going on to eliminate Diggle box should improve the classic signalling in the latter case.

I agree, but was just presenting what NR are publishing to aid understanding of some official sources of info. However, I think 'digital ready' could easily include ETCS overlay if design is at a suitable stage to include by then.

 

[Mr Mean]

I used the train from Mirfield to Huddersfield this week and have to say the scale of the works along the route are vast. New bridges, a new cutting been dug out new stations, electrification and re-tracking.

The new mirfield station actually looks huge up close. The workers were busy cladding the new entrance with stone blocks and it looked very good (almost classy!). The boardings were been installed to allow the new platform 2 to come into use as temp platform 1.

I noticed some foundations for electric masts from Deighton to Huddersfield but nothing prior to that.

Overall, a very impressive amount of work been done!

 

[Railperf]

Without trawling the thread, do we know how much of the current track bed formation was originally 3 or 4 tracks?

 

[edwin_m]

Without trawling the thread, do we know how much of the current track bed formation was originally 3 or 4 tracks?

The Micklehurst Loop diverted at Stalybridge to provide two separate double-track routes up opposite sides of the Tame Valley. While the Loop had some stations, these were closed around 1917 so apart from the power station and some other goods sidings it could really be considered part of the same route.

This re-joined just west of Diggle and four tracks were then continuous through Huddersfield to Heaton Lodge Junction. There the surviving route joined the four-track Calder Valley line as far as Ravensthorpe, from where it was double track into Leeds. However the Leeds New Line provided a separate double track between Heaton Lodge and Leeds.

There would also have been various loops along the route.

 

[billh]

The original LNWR 4 tracking plan commenced at Heaton Norris Junction, Stockport and seperate double tracks divided at Denton, one routed through Guide Bridge and the other the Guide Bridge avoiding line via Hooley Hill, they came together again at Stalybridge before dividing , as you say, beyond.
The line between Denton Station and Heaton Norris is reduced to a single line because the Dept of Transport would only pay for a single line bridge over the M60 . There was an third pair of lines between Denton and Stalybridge via Crowthorne, Ashton Moss South, OA&GB junction and Ashton Charlestown.

 

[edwin_m]

The original LNWR 4 tracking plan commenced at Heaton Norris Junction, Stockport and seperate double tracks divided at Denton, one routed through Guide Bridge and the other the Guide Bridge avoiding line via Hooley Hill, they came together again at Stalybridge before dividing , as you say, beyond.
The line between Denton Station and Heaton Norris is reduced to a single line because the Dept of Transport would only pay for a single line bridge over the M60 . There was an third pair of lines between Denton and Stalybridge via Crowthorne, Ashton Moss South, OA&GB junction and Ashton Charlestown.

Yes, the "main line" was LNWR to Stockport and beyond, including through trains from Euston. The LNWR Manchester-Leeds trains had to use L&Y metals between Stalybridge and Manchester Exchange.

By the 1970s the Stockport-Stalybridge shuttle was the only surviving remnant (running about hourly I think). I can just about remember sitting behind the driver and wondering at the amount of ironmongery above and below when passing through Guide Bridge.

 

[Class 170101]

Various works on you tube videos from here since the last post above on Thursday.

Sarah Bell

Our Trains in the North

www.youtube.com

The Transpennine Route Upgrade work is progressing well at Hillhouse Sidings, Deighton Station and in Mirfield, where a new station entrance is being created

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Various works on you tube videos from here since the last post above on Thursday.

The Deighton and Mirfield works are certainly eye-catching in scale.

 

[KN94]

The only thing I have seen about Batley is on the TRU website which states the "platforms at Batley station will be extended by 150 meters," and that a "new footbridge with lifts will be installed".
As for linespeed, it'll still be 75mph, most likely limited by geography.

The subway at Batley is scheduled to be infilled during a 28-day blockade in June 2026

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The subway at Batley is scheduled to be infilled during a 28-day blockade in June 2026

Only a few years after the Friends Of Batley Station group painted the mural in there...
(Though it'll actually have been the best part of a decade by the time it goes)

 

[millbrook]

Only a few years after the Friends Of Batley Station group painted the mural in there...
(Though it'll actually have been the best part of a decade by the time it goes)

I think 2018

 

[61653 HTAFC]

View attachment 178439
I think 2018

Thanks. To be honest my internal sense of time was rather knocked out of kilter by COVID... Anything that happened before 2020 feels like forever ago!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

An excellent view of the new sidings just east of Huddersfield station. Incredible really!

What are these for and going to be a while before anything electric uses it.

 

[Class 170101]

Thanks. To be honest my internal sense of time was rather knocked out of kilter by COVID... Anything that happened before 2020 feels like forever ago!

2020 BC - Before Covid rather than Before Christ

What are these for and going to be a while before anything electric uses it.

Hilhouse sidings replacing sidings at Huddersfield which are being turned into Platforms do you mean? Best to do the wiring now rather than have to take a another possession to wire the sidings and the disruption that causes nevermind where are the trains outstabled instead whilst the wiring is done.

 

[TheHSRailFan]

Surprised no one has really updated this part of the TRU.

I have been reliably informed by a friend from York that there are now full OHLE hangers in place on the masts between Micklefield and Church Fenton(Provided... only on the down line). This also includes the drums, which hold the wires at the start of overlap sections (in his own words). I'm pretty sure this was already mentioned but he was quite excited to report to me (and a few friends) that "it's not series 1 or 2 but a design very similar to that in use on the ECML".