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Friday 27 Oct 2023

Rail services to continue during Transpennine Route Upgrade work between Leeds and York

Region & Route:

Eastern

Major engineering works are set to commence over the next two weekends as improvements are brought to the power supply between Leeds and Neville Hill, as well as track upgrades at Church Fenton.

These developments are part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade which has already brought newly reinforced railway line through Castleford, and it’ll be that same line that means passengers can continue moving by train whilst improvements are carried out between Leeds and Neville Hill.

Over the course of the two weekends, teams will install 3 kilometres of high voltage cables alongside the railway between Leeds and Neville Hill, which will provide the power for the future electrification of the Transpennine Route east of Leeds planned for later this decade.

Meanwhile, Church Fenton engineers will completely renew a 1.5 kilometre stretch of railway, including the ballast stones and sleepers the tracks sit on.

These improvements will enable faster, quieter, greener and more frequent trains on this key line, linking the cities of York, Leeds and Manchester more efficiently than ever.

Passengers can keep their plans on track whilst these upgrades are implemented – trains between Leeds and York, as well as Leeds and Hull can continue to run via the Castleford route whilst the main line is closed.

The following routes will be affected on the following dates:

• On Saturdays 28^th October & 4^th November, direct trains between Leeds and York will be diverted and stopping services will run between Leeds and Selby instead.
• Replacement buses will run between Micklefield and York

• On Sundays 29^th October & 5^th November, trains between Leeds and York will be diverted
• Trains between Leeds, Selby and Hull will also be diverted
• Replacement buses will serve all stations between Leeds and York
• Replacement buses will also serve all stations between Leeds and Selby

Passengers planning to use the train should check before they travel via National Rail Enquiries or their train operator for the latest updates.

The past two years have seen an alternative route via Castleford undergo major work, and the benefits of this upgrade are coming to fruition as the line continues to serve as a vital diversion route able to carry an additional two trains per hour.

Adam Sellers of Network Rail, said:

“These upgrades between Leeds and York are a significant step forward for the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, bringing us one stage closer to faster, greener and more reliable journeys across the North of England. 

We have worked closely with train operators on the route, Northern and TransPennine Express, to make sure that there is a robust plan in place to keep passengers on the move with diversions and rail replacement services in place.” 

Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, said: 

“The work taking place is vital to the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme and will lead to a number of service alterations. We will do all we can to keep customers on the move, and the plan is to divert our trains via the upgraded Castleford route. 

 Customers are advised to allow additional time to travel and to check carefully for the latest travel advice on our website: www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/changes-to-train-times; updates will also be available on our social media channels.

Additional staff will also be on hand at key stations to kelp make customers journeys as smooth as possible.”