Media centre

Monday 29 Sep 2025

First passenger train pulls into Huddersfield station following 30 days of major upgrades

Region & Route:

Eastern

This morning, the first passenger train arrived at the newly rebuilt platforms at Huddersfield Station, marking a major milestone in Phase One of the station upgrades. This achievement takes customers one step closer to faster, cleaner, more reliable trains across the North.

Over the past month, our TRU West Alliance has been working around the clock to transform the station. The work, which included demolishing the old platforms and building new ones, strengthening Huddersfield viaduct, replacing John William Street bridge, installing new track and upgrading the signalling, will all lead to faster, more reliable journeys for customers and help support local economic growth by connecting Huddersfield more efficiently with Manchester, Leeds and beyond.

While the station was closed to services, Team TRU has:

· Laid 2390 metres of new track

· Ran 13,500 rail replacement bus services to keep customers moving

· Carried over 3000 trains via our diversionary routes

· Installed four bridges

· Constructed 658 metres of drainage

 

James Richardson, Managing Director for TRU said:

“Seeing the first train pull into the new platform this morning was a proud moment for everyone involved. People can see from today how this transformation is a key step forward in delivering a modern, future-ready station for Huddersfield, by offering customers more capacity, better services and greater reliability.

“While we’re pleased to have achieved this key milestone, we have to extend a sincere thank you to passengers, local residents, community groups and local Huddersfield businesses for their patience and understanding while the station was closed. We know these works cause disruption and we greatly appreciate the support that’s been shown over the last month.

“This weekend marked the 200th anniversary of the railway, an invention that changed the lives of millions all over the world. As phase two of the works continues partially out of public view until early 2027, all of us on TRU are proud of the difference we are making across the enterprise, taking the railway well into the future for years to come.”

 

 

From today (29 September), Huddersfield station will operate with a temporary layout using just three platforms (Platforms 1, 2 and 3) while phase two of the work continues behind new barriers. The changes mean:

· Platform 2 (Sheffield services) becomes platform 1

· Platform 1 (Manchester services) becomes platform 2

· Platform 4 (Leeds services) becomes platform 3

The remaining platforms, canopy restoration, track work and signalling enhancements will be undertaken over the next two years, with the station upgrade completed in early 2027. During this phase, some services will run from different platforms, and others may be replaced by rail replacement buses, so customers are urged to check before travelling and allow some extra time.

 

Chris Nutton, Major Projects & TRU Director at TransPennine Express, said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome customers back into Huddersfield station and we’d like to thank them and our local communities for their continued patience and understanding while these upgrade works were carried out as part of the once-in-a-lifetime Transpennine Route Upgrade.

“The end of the 30-day closure is a major milestone in the history of our iconic station, and I couldn’t be prouder of how we came together as an industry to deliver it. From track engineers to train crew, and from train planning to rail replacement bus coordinators – everyone played a vital role.

“While trains are now running through Huddersfield again, there are a number of changes to how the station operates, with fewer platforms available and changes to some of the services. We advise customers to plan ahead and take extra time when travelling.”

 

Liam O’Shaughnessy, TRU Programme Delivery Lead at Northern, said:

“We’d like to thank our customers for bearing with us over the last 30 days while these upgrade works have been carried out. We’d also like to thank all our colleagues from across the industry who’ve come together to keep customers moving during this time. The amount of work that has taken place at Huddersfield Railway Station and the surrounding areas over the last month has been staggering, and that is testament to all the planning that went into this piece of work across the rail industry.

“Whilst the next phase of construction at Huddersfield Railway Station takes place, Northern services that normally run into Huddersfield from Bradford Interchange will be unable to do so due to reduced platform capacity, this also affects stopping services from Leeds which will be diverted via Brighouse. Our advice to customers is to plan ahead and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk”