Leeds disruption again Saturday 09 August

[Calderdale Ian]

Any ideas what the issue is at Leeds please , multiple cancellations on the Calder Valley since about 4pm . Another day of network rail disruption...Blackburn had a points failure around start of service today .

 

[skyhigh]

Loss of signalling between Leeds and Bradford Interchange.

Last update I saw suggested potential cable theft.

 

[Intercity_225]

The National Rail website says the following:

Service alteration details
Incident reported: Saturday 09 August 2025 at 16:26

If you would like to follow this incident on X, please useLeeds

Last updated
Saturday 09 August 2025 at 17:30

Train operators affected
Northern
TransPennine Express
Route(s) affected
Northern between Leeds and Wigan Wallgate / Manchester Victoria / Chester, between York and Blackburn / Blackpool North

TransPennine Express between Brighouse and Manchester Victoria

Description
A fault with the signalling system at Leeds means that some lines are blocked. Trains running between Leeds / Brighouse and Hebden Bridge may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.

Major disruption is expected until 18:00.

Northern customer advice:
Network Rail engineers are on site to investigate the fault.

Rail replacement road transport has been requested but there is no availability at this time. Should this change, you will be updated here.

To help you complete your journey, your ticket can be used at no extra cost on:

East Midlands Railway

Manchester Metro services

TransPennine Express services

If the train you have a ticket for is cancelled, you can travel on any Northern, TransPennine Express or LNER service within 2 hours before or after your cancelled service was due to depart

Alternatively, customers at Manchester Piccadilly can travel to Leeds via Sheffield.

TransPennine Express customer advice:
To help you complete your journey, rail replacement transport has been requested to run between Manchester Victoria and Brighouse in both directions.

The following times for rail replacement transport:

Departing xx:30 at Manchester Victoria to Brighouse calling at all booked stations.

Departing xx:58 at Brighouse to Manchester Victoria calling at all booked stations.

Please see station information posters for the location of rail replacement pick up points and be advised that journey times may be extended by 90 minutes whilst travelling by rail replacement transport.

Your ticket can be used at no extra cost on:

Metrolink services between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale in both directions until 19:00

Incident: Leeds | National Rail

Major disruption between Leeds / Brighouse and Hebden Bridge expected until 18:00. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Andyh82]

Loss of signalling between Leeds and Bradford Interchange.

Last update I saw suggested potential cable theft.

Looks like nothing east of Hebden Bridge with a very limited bus service

And of course Huddersfield/Dewsbury is blocked this weekend due to TRU works so there is no alternative (except via Sheffield)

 

[skyhigh]

Second time this week there has been cable theft in that area - couldn't have come at a worse time really with the only real diversionary option shut too.

 

[Andyh82]

Northern ultimately issued a ‘Do Not Travel’ notice for Leeds to Bradford/Halifax/Manchester and Leeds to Blackpool North

There were reports of availability of replacement buses being very limited

 

[M60lad]

I was caught up in this yesterday and had a South Pennine's Rail Ranger now normally I don't think these are valid either via Rotherham or on Cross Country services via Wakefield, considering yesterdays disruption would I have been Ok to use it any permitted route? I asked at Northern Ticket Office at Leeds Station and they said I could go which ever way I wanted to Sheffield.

There were also problems yesterday morning on Hope Valley line as a freight train managed to disgrace itself in Totley Tunnel blocking the route in both directions for a couple of hours.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

There were also problems yesterday morning on Hope Valley line as a freight train managed to disgrace itself in Totley Tunnel blocking the route in both directions for a couple of hours.

That earlier issue was being discussed here...

Bad day in the Pennines.

Woodhead closed in 1984 and there are engineering works through Huddersfield today, so not many routes available. Unfortunately a freight train has broken down at Grindleford now ! The diverted TPE's at Leeds are going to be busy !

share.google

 

[YorkshireBear]

I was caught up in this yesterday and had a South Pennine's Rail Ranger now normally I don't think these are valid either via Rotherham or on Cross Country services via Wakefield, considering yesterdays disruption would I have been Ok to use it any permitted route? I asked at Northern Ticket Office at Leeds Station and they said I could go which ever way I wanted to Sheffield.

There were also problems yesterday morning on Hope Valley line as a freight train managed to disgrace itself in Totley Tunnel blocking the route in both directions for a couple of hours.

If I remember rightly the south Pennines day ranger was valid in XC services Westgate to Sheffield, but not the stoppers. It was an oddity when I did them loads as a teenager (nearly 20 years ago now mind).

 

[Iskra]

I was caught up in this yesterday and had a South Pennine's Rail Ranger now normally I don't think these are valid either via Rotherham or on Cross Country services via Wakefield, considering yesterdays disruption would I have been Ok to use it any permitted route? I asked at Northern Ticket Office at Leeds Station and they said I could go which ever way I wanted to Sheffield.

There were also problems yesterday morning on Hope Valley line as a freight train managed to disgrace itself in Totley Tunnel blocking the route in both directions for a couple of hours.

That was valid yesterday as Northern were routing Manchester-Leeds passengers via Sheffield.

Point 28.2 of the Conditions of travel would have allowed it though even if they hadn’t explicitly stated the above.

If I remember rightly the south Pennines day ranger was valid in XC services Westgate to Sheffield, but not the stoppers. It was an oddity when I did them loads as a teenager (nearly 20 years ago now mind).

It’s valid both ways according to the map.

 

[John C]

Looks like for the second Saturday in a row the Calder Valley is at a stand still due to a track circuit failure between Manchester Vic and Rochdale. 1J07 at a stand in Todmorden with engines shut down.

 

[NorthWestRover]

Yep, Man Vic is fun

 

[Bantamzen]

Yep, currently stuck at Warrington BQ on the 09:50 to Leeds going nowhere. Sounds like ticket acceptance has been organised on Metrolink to Rochdale, but it's not clear if anything is running from their.

So with this, Huddersfield and Stockport closed travel across the north of England is pretty much stuffed, again.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Stuck at Manchester Victoria right now, been here an hour.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So with this, Huddersfield and Stockport closed travel across the north of England is pretty much stuffed, again.

Is Manchester->Sheffield also closed today?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Is Manchester->Sheffield also closed today?

No, people are being advised to divert that way

 

[Bantamzen]

Is Manchester->Sheffield also closed today?

No but it's going to be chaos, if that's the only route. But for me it's getting worse, now moved across to a TfW 197 to get at least to Manchester, and this double 197 is having traction issues and hasn't moved.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

The crowd here at Manchester Victoria is getting lighter, it appears there is a 10:45 bus to Todmorden.
I'm going to stay here and just hope

 

[skyhigh]

Line is about to (or has just) reopened with a reduced service.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Line is about to (or has just) reopened with a reduced service.

Yes, they've not announced it yet here at Victoria, but Network Rail have said it on Twitter.

 

[Bantamzen]

We're finally heading in the right direction, I'm hoping by the time we hit Victoria (after transferring from Oxford Road) things will be moving a bit. Going via Sheffield isn't really an option if I want to be in Bradford for a 3pm kick-off.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I've given up and am going home
But it looks like the first train to Leeds for 4 hours just arrived

 

[800001]

Looks like for the second Saturday in a row the Calder Valley is at a stand still due to a track circuit failure between Manchester Vic and Rochdale. 1J07 at a stand in Todmorden with engines shut down.

Why would the train have its engines shut down? Surely needs them on for lights, air con, toilets etc?

 

[Bantamzen]

Just leaving Manchester Victoria as I type, on what was the 10:21 to Leeds. Ironically this was formed off the canned 09:50 from Warrington BQ, which was my original service... Hey ho...

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Just leaving Manchester Victoria as I type, on what was the 10:21 to Leeds. Ironically this was formed off the canned 09:50 from Warrington BQ, which was my original service... Hey ho...

You probably passed right by me then! I watched the very late 10:21 leave

 

[Bantamzen]

You probably passed right by me then! I watched the very late 10:21 leave

That'll be the one!

 

[John C]

Why would the train have its engines shut down? Surely needs them on for lights, air con, toilets etc?

Don’t know but it arrived, sat in the platform for 10 minutes or so then the engines were switched off and passengers let off to stand on the platform if they wished, 1J07 was eventually turned back towards Leeds as 1J06.

 

[NorthWestRover]

You probably passed right by me then! I watched the very late 10:21 leave

...and if Bantamzen had a Bradford top on and has long hair, my sisters saw him too

 

[hawk1911]

We're finally heading in the right direction, I'm hoping by the time we hit Victoria (after transferring from Oxford Road) things will be moving a bit. Going via Sheffield isn't really an option if I want to be in Bradford for a 3pm kick-off.

I got caught in yesterday's chaos. I was at Manchester Victoria just after 09:30. I was advised to get the tram to Rochdale (as were many others) to pick up a train from there to Bradford but, having got there, we were told no trains from there either and no replacement transport either. As Northern's representatives refused point blank to help (no replacement buses, no taxis provided), I ended up paying £35 myself (and a fellow stranded passenger) for a taxi to Hebden Bridge, to pick up a Blackpool to York service to Bradford.

It was well worth it, with another great performance by City and at least the return journey went a lot better.

Now onto the "fun" of trying to get Northern to reimburse my taxi fare. Why oh why does it aways seem to be Northern who refuse to help stranded passengers?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I got caught in yesterday's chaos. I was at Manchester Victoria just after 09:30. I was advised to get the tram to Rochdale (as were many others) to pick up a train from there to Bradford but, having got there, we were told no trains from there either and no replacement transport either. As Northern's representatives refused point blank to help (no replacement buses, no taxis provided), I ended up paying £35 myself (and a fellow stranded passenger) for a taxi to Hebden Bridge, to pick up a Blackpool to York service to Bradford.

Where were the staff saying that? I certainly didn't hear any of that, all the announcements at Victoria were saying to go via Sheffield for Leeds, with people only being advised to get the tram if they want Rochdale.

I saw a 10:45 and 11:45 bus to Todmorden appear on the boards, but I can't imagine many people got it.