Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[YorkshireBear]

So they are committing more money to the existing plan to fix it, the plan which is already well underway, while claiming there is no plan to fix it.

 

[WAO]

At a guess, it may be the approval of wiring East of Stalybridge to Huddersfield that does not appear to have started yet? These schemes seem to proceed in little spurts as each contract is approved.

Watch out for pegs and de-vegetation.

WAO

 

[takno]

So they are committing more money to the existing plan to fix it, the plan which is already well underway, while claiming there is no plan to fix it.

I think the claim that there is no plan to fix it is a bit silly, and makes them look out of touch given the huge amount of very visible work which is going on to fix it. At the same time it was probably necessary to have the launch and make a bit of noise about the north, if only because Reeves went in a bit too hard over the last few months on the Oxford-Cambridge arc or whatever they're calling it.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

At a guess, it may be the approval of wiring East of Stalybridge to Huddersfield that does not appear to have started yet? These schemes seem to proceed in little spurts as each contract is approved.

Watch out for pegs and de-vegetation.

WAO

My thoughts exactly

 

[YorkshireBear]

I think the claim that there is no plan to fix it is a bit silly, and makes them look out of touch given the huge amount of very visible work which is going on to fix it. At the same time it was probably necessary to have the launch and make a bit of noise about the north, if only because Reeves went in a bit too hard over the last few months on the Oxford-Cambridge arc or whatever they're calling it.

All they needed to say is on a route which has been under invested in for decades prior to TRU and it would have been spin rather than lies.

 

[The Ham]

And whether or not it was rail industry’s fault, and something he would be able to ‘fix’?

Although at least he used a train to get there rather than helicopter.

 

[crunchello]

I’m sure this has been asked already but I cannot find it anywhere… will the upgrade include ETCS? If so, is it across the full line or only parts of it?

Cheers

 

[jfollows]

I’m sure this has been asked already but I cannot find it anywhere… will the upgrade include ETCS? If so, is it across the full line or only parts of it?

Cheers

EG post 8,647 above

As I understand it, the installation of ETCS on the Transpennine Route will be an overlay, rather than the complete removal of ‘lights on sticks’ as is planned for the ECML south of Grantham

 

[Alexd]

At a guess, it may be the approval of wiring East of Stalybridge to Huddersfield that does not appear to have started yet? These schemes seem to proceed in little spurts as each contract is approved.

Watch out for pegs and de-vegetation.

WAO

Don’t think this recently announced money will be for wiring Huddersfield to Marsden, still at the surveying and planning phase, so the TWAO for this section won’t be applied for this next tax year at least. Stalybridge to Diggle was in the public consultation phase in Autumn last year, would expect the TWAO to be applied for this year for this section.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

So the latest Sarah Bell video shows work in progress on Sunday March 30th at just two locations.

1. A62 Leeds Road Bridge
2. Wheatleys colliery bridge

There is some great civil engineering action showing piles and a great Auger bit augering out spoil and a rebar cage being lowered in and then back fill with concrete. Really great video.

 

[Pete_uk]

What advantages will there be with ETCS 'overlay'?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

What advantages will there be with ETCS 'overlay'?

There will be the possibility of more "signal" sections with greater capacity (closer separation), for suitably-equipped trains.
The speed/braking profile might also be optimised for ETCS-fitted trains.

 

[zwk500]

What advantages will there be with ETCS 'overlay'?

ETCS trains get most of the advantages of ETCS while still allowing non-ETCS fitted trains to run on the route.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Which trains used on the route will be/are already fitted with ETCS?

 

[zwk500]

Which trains used on the route will be/are already fitted with ETCS?

Anything ordered in the last few years should have been designed with provision for it at the very least, So TPE's 397s and 802s should be relatively straightforward to fit (especially as Hull Trains's 802s will need to be/are fitted for ECML ETCS), even if the 185s get shuffled around to avoid ETCS areas. Northern's 195s and 331s should also be quite straightforward to fit, although they have quite a lot of older stock that may take longer to convert.

Also any Operator that runs between Peterborough and King's Cross will need ETCS fitted, so LNER and Grand Union would interact with the TRU route at some point, although I don't know exactly what the limits of ETCS Overlay are going to be.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Northern's 195s and 331s should also be quite straightforward to fit, although they have quite a lot of older stock that may take longer to convert.

They probably won't add it to the Sprinters (or maybe any of the non-Civities), the new trains will presumably arrive with it either already built in or with provision for it.

 

[Roast Veg]

The rollout of ETCS on the 66s will be fairly slow, given the sheer quantity of them.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

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.

 

[superkev]

Re Hudds station roof. Interesting feature and pictures in the Bradford T and A reporting that the scaffold will be removed in the next few weeks and woek will move to the track sllrerations. Looks almost complete.
See https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...ion-roof-restored-transpennine-route-upgrade/

K

 

[Alexd]

Re Hudds station roof. Interesting feature and pictures in the Bradford T and A reporting that the scaffold will be removed in the next few weeks and woek will move to the track sllrerations. Looks almost complete.
See https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...ion-roof-restored-transpennine-route-upgrade/

K

Also reported in Huddersfield Hub, looks very impressive

New photos reveal stunning refurbishment of historic trainshed roof at Huddersfield Railway Station - Huddersfield Hub

Work on a £70 million internal modernisation of the 170-year-old Grade I-listed station started in November 2023

huddersfieldhub.co.uk

 

[Halifaxlad]

Restoration of the station roof appears ti be progressing well: https://huddersfieldhub.co.uk/new-p...ainshed-roof-at-huddersfield-railway-station/

 

[td97]

The Class 91 OLE test train completed dynamic OLE testing at Colton Junction overnight.

Realtime Trains | 1Q10 2149 Gascoigne Wood Down Loop to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop | 04/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Q10 2149 departure from Gascoigne Wood Down Loop to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop on 04/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1Q92 0012 Micklefield to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop | 05/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Q92 0012 departure from Micklefield to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop on 05/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The Class 91 OLE test train completed dynamic OLE testing at Colton Junction overnight.

Realtime Trains | 1Q10 2149 Gascoigne Wood Down Loop to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop | 04/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Q10 2149 departure from Gascoigne Wood Down Loop to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop on 04/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1Q92 0012 Micklefield to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop | 05/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Q92 0012 departure from Micklefield to Gascoigne Wood Down Loop on 05/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

This presumably a precursor to be authorised for use?

 

[td97]

This presumably a precursor to be authorised for use?

Yes

The latest update is that passenger service/EIS is expected in June for E1

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Looks like the test train only used the Leeds lines between Church Fenton and York.
Are the Normanton lines (across the ECML junction at Colton Jn) part of the EIS plan or not?

 

[bengley]

Looks like the test train only used the Leeds lines between Church Fenton and York.
Are the Normanton lines (across the ECML junction at Colton Jn) part of the EIS plan or not?

That's next week.

I was one of the drivers on the test runs this week and all went to plan (on Friday night) and the wires performed well.

 

[Ploughman]

That's next week.

I was one of the drivers on the test runs this week and all went to plan (on Friday night) and the wires performed well.

I assume because you can't have both the Leeds and Normanton's at the same time.

 

[bengley]

I assume because you can't have both the Leeds and Normanton's at the same time.

Yes the SPZ can only be on one pair at a time to allow other traffic to continue to run

 

[Geeves]

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

 

[Halifaxlad]

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

It looks amazing, thanks for sharing!

Its just such a pity the site facing the road is lined with a decaying grade 2 structure.