Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[Revaulx]

When there were four tracks Deighton Station wasn’t on the mainline it was on the Kirkheaton branch, so they need to get the station off the trackbed

Ah fair enough. Yes the station was just round the bend on the branch.

It’s still a hell of a lot of earthworks!

 

[Narrowgauge725]

It was the Kirkburton branch, though it did call at Kirkheaton. The junction for that branch was also to the left right (in the Leeds direction) whereas the slow lines in the new layout will be to the right left (again in the direction of Leeds).

I have updated I always get them the wrong way round

 

[samulih]

Don Coffey latest video has full run thru from Manchester Victoria to York via Wakefield and Castlefield. Filmed November -24. Might be interested in thread, sorry no annotations, are those required?

 

[Phillipimo]

Don Coffey latest video has full run thru from Manchester Victoria to York via Wakefield and Castlefield. Filmed November -24. Might be interested in thread, sorry no annotations, are those required?

Something I noticed is the work still required at Colton Junction. It's clear that it isn't finished and that the headspans over the junction are being replaced by portals. The portals are in the place but the wires need transferring and the headspans removed.

 

[59CosG95]

Something I noticed is the work still required at Colton Junction. It's clear that it isn't finished and that the headspans over the junction are being replaced by portals. The portals are in the place but the wires need transferring and the headspans removed.

I have heard it stated in this thread that Easter 2025 is when the transfer will be undertaken. Others more involved in the project than me (which is easy, because I'm not involved in it at all!) will doubtless know more.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I have heard it stated in this thread that Easter 2025 is when the transfer will be undertaken. Others more involved in the project than me (which is easy, because I'm not involved in it at all!) will doubtless know more.

I thought it was Christmas 2025 for the work, only on the basis I thought it was Christmas and doesn't appear to have happened in 2024. So would that make entry into service around Easter 2026?

 

[Ploughman]

In the past, if all 4 tracks between York and Church Fenton are to be in one possession, then it would only happen at Christmas.
I do not know if that policy still stands.
Otherwise you could have either pairing of Normanton's or Leeds lines, but not both together.

 

[coxxy]

Noticed earlier some piling, presumably for OHLE masts, has now been started between Huddersfield viaduct and Deighton.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Noticed earlier some piling, presumably for OHLE masts, has now been started between Huddersfield viaduct and Deighton.

It is good that various constituent parts of the overall project are being conducted simultaneously.

Also I did not realise that:

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth) scheme - Network Rail

As part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, we are proposing a number of changes between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth)

www.networkrail.co.uk

The map has some detail that I appreciate.

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth also is having a TWAO applied for.

This includes relocating Mossley Station and upgrading Greenfield Station, as well as the reconstruction of various bridges, tunnels and highways. This will allow us to install the overhead line equipment (OLE) that will power faster, cleaner trains through the area.

This major, multi-billion-pound programme of improvements will transform journeys across the North. It will better connect towns and cities through more frequent, faster, greener trains between Manchester, Leeds and York, running on a better, cleaner, and more reliable railway.

A Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) is required to deliver these elements of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. This is a piece of legislation approved by the Secretary of State for Transport, granting permission to carry out the work.[/QUOTE}

 

[superkev]

Don Coffey latest video has full run thru from Manchester Victoria to York via Wakefield and Castlefield. Filmed November -24. Might be interested in thread, sorry no annotations, are those required?

Video was filmed last Nov so quite a few changes since then.
Noticed some works going on around Mossley and east of Deighton the length of new track layed a while back was describes as a datum.
K

It is good that various constituent parts of the overall project are being conducted simultaneously.

Also I did not realise that:

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth) scheme - Network Rail

As part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, we are proposing a number of changes between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth)

www.networkrail.co.uk

The map has some detail that I appreciate.

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth also is having a TWAO applied for.

Very interesting link, thanks.
That's a lot of bridge works possibly making this section the most difficult.
K

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Video was filmed last Nov so quite a few changes since then.
Noticed some works going on around Mossley and east of Deighton the length of new track layed a while back was describes as a datum.
K

Very interesting link, thanks.
That's a lot of bridge works possibly making this section the most difficult.
K

It’s fairly isolated too. Poor access roads etc as far as I understand.

 

[David Bullock]

An article was published in the Yorkshire Post yesterday, mentioning journey times of 33 mins between Leeds and Manchester. Is this an error? That seems very ambitious for an upgrade to the existing line.

The article is here - paywalled unfortunately.

TransPennine Route Upgrade 'will give North a rail network to rival Elizabeth line'

The completed £11.5 billion TransPennine Route Upgrade will “rival or better” the Elizabeth line, a rail boss has told The Yorkshire Post, with the “short-term pain worth the long-term gain”.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

 

[may032]

An article was published in the Yorkshire Post yesterday, mentioning journey times of 33 mins between Leeds and Manchester. Is this an error? That seems very ambitious for an upgrade to the existing line.

The article is here - paywalled unfortunately.

TransPennine Route Upgrade 'will give North a rail network to rival Elizabeth line'

The completed £11.5 billion TransPennine Route Upgrade will “rival or better” the Elizabeth line, a rail boss has told The Yorkshire Post, with the “short-term pain worth the long-term gain”.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

AIUI it’s generally been expected to knock about 10-15 minutes off the typical journey time to around 40 minutes. It’s more about increased capacity than reduced journey times

 

[takno]

An article was published in the Yorkshire Post yesterday, mentioning journey times of 33 mins between Leeds and Manchester. Is this an error? That seems very ambitious for an upgrade to the existing line.

The article is here - paywalled unfortunately.

TransPennine Route Upgrade 'will give North a rail network to rival Elizabeth line'

The completed £11.5 billion TransPennine Route Upgrade will “rival or better” the Elizabeth line, a rail boss has told The Yorkshire Post, with the “short-term pain worth the long-term gain”.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

It also suggests 41 minutes from York to Manchester, so I'm going with mistake. Article wasn't paywalled for me incidentally

 

[Bald Rick]

It also suggests 41 minutes from York to Manchester, so I'm going with mistake. Article wasn't paywalled for me incidentally

Paywalled for me. What an awful website. One of David “Rommel” Montgomery’s presumably, they are all terrible.

 

[takno]

Paywalled for me. What an awful website. One of David “Rommel” Montgomery’s presumably, they are all terrible.

God only knows why it's working for me then. The relevant bit is mostly nonsense with no attempt at attribution:

Unlike the controversial high-speed line between London and Birmingham, reportedly costing £66bn, this is both on time and on budget, due to be completed in 2033.

It will increase capacity - allowing eight more trains to run each hour – improve reliability, and also cut journey times.

People will be able to travel between York and Manchester in 41 minutes and from Leeds to Manchester in 33 minutes.

 

[Hophead]

York to Leeds in 8 minutes would be a rather bigger upgrade than most people were expecting I suspect (not least those at Network Rail!).

 

[Spartacus]

That York - Leeds time sounds good, average speed approx 200 mph! Even the 80mph needed for Leeds - Manchester in 33 would be quite something, presumably with no stops!

 

[Bald Rick]

I suspect they have looked at a doucument and got mixed up.

Leeds - Manchester in 41min, Manchester - Liverpool in 33min sounds more realistic. However I don’t suppose the Yerkshire Post would intentionally report on the latter.

 

[nwales58]

Amongst the PR hype rubbish:

Quote: ... this is both on time and on budget, due to be completed in 2033.

So a clairvoyant knows the outturn in 8 years' time?

Crossrail was on time and on budget until it wasn't a year or so before supposed opening.

Let alone the original budgets (and scopes, admittedly) for various bits of trans-pennine blew up a while ago.

 

[brad465]

Kent route did something funky with access strategies on the Hastings Line - I forget the detail but it was somehting like a few weeks with last trains around 2030 Mon-Weds, to give 8 hours maintenance access overnight. It worked well, delivered loads of maintnenance very efficiently and unquestionably prevented some major failures.

The grief the Kent team got from a minority of passengers south of Tunbridge Wells was unbelievable. Unfortunately, one of them was a feature writer for the Daily Mail…

That neck of the woods seems to be full of crooked toffs; Stonegate was where the infamous Oyster card fare evader who was a hedge fund manager came from.

 

[class26]

It also suggests 41 minutes from York to Manchester, so I'm going with mistake. Article wasn't paywalled for me incidentally

My understanding is Manchester - Leeds is 42 Minutes so the journo is confusing Leeds for York

 

[M60lad]

Out of interest do we actually know yet when work will start on Stalybridge-Diggle section? Is it due to start this year?

 

[edwin_m]

Amongst the PR hype rubbish:

So a clairvoyant knows the outturn in 8 years' time?

Crossrail was on time and on budget until it wasn't a year or so before supposed opening.

Let alone the original budgets (and scopes, admittedly) for various bits of trans-pennine blew up a while ago.

Assuming it's true, "on time and budget" means that activities are being completed at the planned times (particularly the "critical path" ones where any delay will affect the end date) and the amount spent so far is about what was planned to be spent to complete what has been done. There is always the risk that activities later in the programme will face delays or overspend, particularly as these include system integration which carries more risk than civil engineering.

 

[YorkshireBear]

God only knows why it's working for me then. The relevant bit is mostly nonsense with no attempt at attribution:

I suppose that depends on your definition of on time and on budget and which version of TRU budget and programme are we using. But based on when committed they do at the moment seem to be doing well.

It is good that various constituent parts of the overall project are being conducted simultaneously.

Also I did not realise that:

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth) scheme - Network Rail

As part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, we are proposing a number of changes between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth)

www.networkrail.co.uk

The map has some detail that I appreciate.

Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth also is having a TWAO applied for.

That looks like a very complex bit of electrification... Just in a different way.

 

[Falcon1200]

BR wired weaver jcn to Motherwell

And have you seen the videos of how they did it? Dibnah levels of safety!

Yes indeed. One of my Control colleagues had worked on the WCML electrification in Scotland, and told hair-raising stories of being up at overhead wire level with the line below open to traffic; When a train came they would simply remove the ladders and leave him up there while the train passed! Not possible nowadays, I think....

 

[Alexd]

Out of interest do we actually know yet when work will start on Stalybridge-Diggle section? Is it due to start this year?

I believe that they are applying for the TWAO for this section soonish. When that’s granted (hopefully) we will know more

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I believe that they are applying for the TWAO for this section soonish. When that’s granted (hopefully) we will know more

Yes I read the details and it said a TWAO would have to be applied for.

 

[Southsider]

Yes indeed. One of my Control colleagues had worked on the WCML electrification in Scotland, and told hair-raising stories of being up at overhead wire level with the line below open to traffic; When a train came they would simply remove the ladders and leave him up there while the train passed! Not possible nowadays, I think....

I had a summer job many years ago painting the OHL masts. I remember asking if they were serious when they explained the above - they were!

 

[Halish Railway]

I suppose that depends on your definition of on time and on budget and which version of TRU budget and programme are we using. But based on when committed they do at the moment seem to be doing well.

Maybe they did plan for the electrification of Church Fenton to Colton Junction to take five to six years…