Monday 28 Jul 2025
Major rail upgrades between Manchester, Huddersfield and Leeds to begin this weekend
- Region & Route:
- Eastern
Rail customers are being urged to check before they travel as three consecutive weekends of engineering work take place between Stalybridge, Huddersfield and Dewsbury, starting on Saturday 2 August.
The work is part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) – a transformational programme of rail improvements that will bring faster, more frequent and more reliable services between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
The upgrade work will see:
- Almost 2km of track renewed, delivering smoother and more reliable journeys
- Overhead line equipment (OLE) foundations installed, supporting the electrification of the route
- Major structural enhancements to bridges across West Yorkshire, including the installation of a new bridge deck at Station Road bridge in Mirfield, using a 450ft crane
Andrew Campbell, TRU sponsor, said:
“The scale of engineering work across this section of the route has really begun to ramp up, delivering real upgrades and drive a number of benefits for the region, on and off the railway.
“This intensive programme of weekend work builds on progress made since early July and paves the way for two major upcoming projects – the temporary closure of Deighton station, which will be shut from August 2025 through to 2027, and the 30-day closure of Huddersfield station which begins on Saturday 30 August – both vital for unlocking long-term journey improvements.”
On the weekends of 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17 August, train services will be diverted or replaced by rail replacement buses between Stalybridge, Huddersfield and Dewsbury, as no trains will pass through Huddersfield. Customers are advised to plan ahead using nationalrail.co.uk or their train operator’s website. Weekday services remain unaffected.
Chris Nutton, Major Projects & TRU Director at TransPennine Express, said:
“Engineers have made steady progress on the line in recent months and will continue to do so in August, delivering upgrades that not only increase the reliability of the railway now, but enable future upgrade works to be carried out as well.
“Whilst these works take place, TransPennine Express won’t be able to run trains between Manchester and Leeds, with no services calling at Huddersfield. Rail replacement services will run to keep our customers moving across the Pennines.
“Additionally, TPE will pick up services from Northern between Manchester Victoria and Brighouse and between Leeds and York. This will allow for Northern to strengthen their services between Manchester Victoria and Leeds via the Calder Valley route, a prime example of how we come together as an industry to deliver for our customers.
“Given the scale of these works, we’d urge you to check before you travel on the first three weekends of August.”
Notes to Editors
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a multi-billion-pound railway programme that will transform journeys across the North, better connecting towns and cities like Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
TRU fast facts
- TRU is a £10.7bn railway upgrade programme
- Once complete, TRU aims to halve the time lost to delays
- There are currently 70 worksites across the 70-mile route
- TRU will deliver:
- o The full electrification of the line
- o Double the amount of tracks in key locations, allowing fast trains to overtake stopping services
- o Implement digital signalling to increase speed and capacity
- o Improve all 23 stations on the route, supporting accessibility
- TRU has over 5000 staff, with 85% coming from within 40 miles of the route – TRU will have created over 8000 jobs across the duration of the programme
- TRU is expanding freight provision, opening 15 extra freight paths and widening tunnels so shipping containers can travel between ports on the east and west coasts via rail, removing over 1000 lorries a day from the busy roads across the Pennines
Key milestones to date
- Electric train services now running between Manchester and Stalybridge
- Church Fenton to York has been energised, with electric services expected this year
- New station built at Morley
- Introduction of a fully accessible platform 2 at Castleford station to support diverted services between York and Manchester
- £100m upgrade of diversionary routes completed ahead of major works across the Transpennine Route, increasing railway resilience
Upgrade of Hope Valley line complete, with a second platform built at Dore & Totley, as well as 1km of additional track at Bamford to reduce bottlenecks
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Ewan Bayliss
Communications Executive
Network Rail
ewan.bayliss@networkrail.co.uk
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