Media centre

Tuesday 26 Mar 2024

Passengers advised to check before they travel as Hope Valley bridge is rebuilt

Region & Route:

North West & Central: North West

Network Rail is advising passengers of work to rebuild a railway bridge in Hope, Derbyshire, on the picturesque Hope Valley line.

£3.4m is being invested to make the bridge safe and reliable for years to come.

To carry out the work, buses will replace trains between Sheffield and Manchester from Saturday 27 April – Wednesday 1 May 2024. Passengers are advised to check with their train operator or at www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.

From 29 March, Bowden Lane, in Hope, will be closed to make sure the work can be carried out safely. Diversions will be in place and clearly marked. 

Theresa Nibloe, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: “We’re investing £3.4m to rebuild a bridge along this key corridor between Sheffield and Manchester. The work will make sure the bridge is safe and reliable for rail passengers and road users for years to come.

“I’d like to thank passengers and the local community for their patience while the essential work is carried out. Please check before you travel between Sheffield and Manchester from Saturday 27 April to Wednesday 1 May 2024.”

A spokesperson for the train operators Northern and TransPennine Express said: “All investment in rail infrastructure is welcomed and we would ask for our customers patience while these important works are carried out. Rail replacement busses are in place but customers are advised to check before they travel.”

Sections of the railway line between Manchester and Sheffield are closed from Saturday 16 March to Sunday 24 March as work is carried out to complete the final phase of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade. 

This work also affects Sheffield station, with a much smaller number of platforms available only for longer-distance trains to use. Passengers travelling from, to or through Sheffield should check before they travel.