Passengers advised of service changes ahead of extensive engineering work

Tuesday 30 Sep 2025

Passengers advised of service changes ahead of extensive engineering work

Region & Route:: Eastern; | Eastern: East Coast

A wide range of rail improvement projects will affect passenger journeys on three consecutive weekends.

Network Rail is carrying out engineering work at various sites, closing some lines and meaning changes to rail services.

On Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October, there will be no trains between Doncaster/Leeds and York/Northallerton/Darlington.
On Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November, there will be a reduced service to/from and through York.
On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November, rail replacement buses will operate between Wakefield/Leeds and York.
Buses will replace trains between Knaresborough and York from Saturday 25 October to Sunday 2 November.

The work being carried out while lines are closed includes:

replacing sleepers and ballast at Tollerton.
renewing track components at Skelton Junction and Holgate
new track at Holgate Junction, Dringhouses, Earfit Lane and Moor Lane
drainage renewal north of York
improving the resilience of overhead line equipment

Other work taking place includes a £125,000 investment in Nether Poppleton level crossing to make it smoother and safer. The surface will be upgraded, and the road markings and cill beams (the interface between road surface and railway) will be renewed.

The road will be closed to vehicles on 25 and 26 October, with a signed diversion in place. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to use the crossing, with the work site fenced off and marshals on hand to supervise.

Further south, between Selby and Doncaster, about 150 colleagues will be working on a £1.1m investment at Heck sidings, where the ground frame will be upgraded from a manual to mechanical set-up.

The apparatus, which controls the points (movable sections of track enabling trains to switch lines) has reached the end of its lifespan, and the improved mechanism will mean safer and smoother journeys.

The nine-day line closure between Knaresborough and York will allow for repairs to Cattal signal box and the renewal of its lever frame, as well as new gates and hinges at Cattal level crossing.

Sam MacDougall, Network Rail operations director, said:

"We’re investing in vital upgrades across the area to deliver a more reliable and resilient railway for passengers. While we understand that changes to services can be disruptive, this work is vital to keep the network running safely and smoothly for years to come.

“We’re working closely with train operators to keep people moving and thank everyone for their patience while we carry out these improvements.”

A spokesperson for the train operating companies said:

“We’re working closely with Network Rail to keep passengers on the move while this essential engineering work takes place. Replacement buses and revised timetables will be in place to help people reach their destinations, and we’re encouraging everyone to check before they travel.”

Passengers are urged to check details of their journeys before travelling via National Rail or with their train operators.

Notes to Editors

On 25 and 26 October:

CrossCountry will have buses replacing trains between Leeds and Darlington.

No Grand Central trains will run between London King’s Cross and Sunderland.

No LNER services will operate between Doncaster and Northallerton. Trains from London King’s Cross which would usually call at York, Newcastle or Scotland will terminate at Doncaster, and trains from Newcastle and Scotland will terminate at either Darlington or Northallerton. Rail replacement coaches will operate between Doncaster and Northallerton/Darlington. For York only, coaches will run between York and Wakefield to connect with LNER trains to the south, and between York and Northallerton to connect with LNER trains to the north.

Lumo will have no services between London King’s Cross and Newcastle, and a reduced service between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

No Northern trains will operate between Blackpool North and York; Sheffield and York; or between Leeds and York via Garforth. Buses will replace trains between York and Moorthorpe/Selby/Micklefield.

TransPennine Express will have no service running between Leeds and York via Cross Gates.

Trains between Liverpool Lime Street and Hull will call additionally at Newton-le-Willows
Trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Scarborough will instead run between Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield, and between York and Scarborough
Trains between Manchester Piccadilly and York will instead run between Manchester Piccadilly and Wakefield Kirkgate via Huddersfield
Trains between Manchester Victoria and York will instead run between Manchester Victoria and Leeds via Huddersfield / Dewsbury
Trains between Manchester Airport and Redcar Central will instead run between Manchester Airport and Leeds via Huddersfield / Dewsbury

Replacement bus services will operate between Leeds and York; Wakefield Kirkgate and York; York and Northallerton; and York and Redcar Central.

On 1 and 2 November:

CrossCountry will have buses replacing trains between Leeds and Darlington.

No Grand Central services will operate between London King’s Cross and Sunderland.

No LNER services will operate between Doncaster and Northallerton. Trains from London King’s Cross which would usually call at York, Newcastle or Scotland will terminate at Doncaster, and trains from Newcastle and Scotland will terminate at either Darlington or Northallerton. Rail replacement coaches will operate between Doncaster and Northallerton/Darlington. For York only, coaches will operate between York and Wakefield to connect with LNER trains to the south, and between York and Northallerton to connect with LNER trains to the north.

Lumo will operate a reduced timetable between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Northern will have buses operating between York and Moorthorpe/Selby/Micklefield. No trains will run between Blackpool North and York; Sheffield and York; and between Leeds and York via Garforth (Sunday only). On Saturday, trains between Leeds and York via Garforth will start/terminate at Micklefield.

TransPennine Express will have an amended service as follows:

Liverpool Lime Street to Hull services will additionally call at Newton-le-Willows

Manchester Victoria to Leeds services will only call at Huddersfield and Dewsbury
Manchester Airport to Leeds via Huddersfield and Dewsbury
Manchester Piccadilly to Wakefield Kirkgate via Huddersfield
Northallerton to Newcastle
York to Scarborough (Saturday only)
Malton to Scarborough (Sunday only)

Rail replacement buses will operate between Leeds and York; Leeds and Darlington; York and Northallerton; York and Malton; and York and Redcar Central.

On 8 and 9 November:

CrossCountry will have buses running between Leeds and York.

Grand Central will have no trains between London King’s Cross and Sunderland.

No LNER services will operate between Doncaster and York. Trains from London King’s Cross which would usually call at York, Newcastle or Scotland will terminate at Doncaster, and trains from Newcastle and Scotland will terminate at York. Rail replacement coaches will operate between York and Wakefield Westgate, connecting with LNER trains to the north and south. LNER services between London King’s Cross and Hull will be diverted and will not call at Selby. Coaches will replace trains between Doncaster and Selby.

Buses will replace trains between Doncaster and Selby, and between Wakefield Westgate and York.

Lumo will have a reduced service between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

No Northern trains will run between Blackpool North and York; Sheffield and York; and between Leeds and York via Garforth (Sunday only). Trains between Hull and York will be diverted to run between Leeds and Hull. On Saturday, trains between Leeds and York via Garforth will start/terminate at Micklefield.

Buses will replace trains between Moorthorpe and York; Selby and York; and Micklefield and York.

TransPennine Express will have an amended service as follows:

Liverpool Lime Street to Hull services will additionally call at Newton-le-Willows
Manchester Airport to Leeds
Manchester Victoria to Leeds
Manchester Piccadilly to Wakefield Kirkgate
Manchester Piccadilly to Huddersfield
York to Newcastle
York to Redcar Central/Saltburn (Note: on Sunday, buses also replace trains between Northallerton and Middlesbrough) You should use Northern services between Middlesbrough and Redcar Central/Saltburn.
York to Scarborough
York to Darlington (Sunday only)

Rail replacement bus services will run between Leeds and York; Wakefield Kirkgate and York; and Northallerton and Middlesbrough (Sunday only).

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Gareth Dennison
Media relations manager, Eastern region
Network Rail
07561 874858
gareth.dennison@networkrail.co.uk

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