Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[sefyllian]

No. The only route into the platform currently is from the Penistone line - so you'd need to come into Huddersfield and shunt. There is a big constraint here to prevent making many changes: Springwood cutting and (two bore) tunnels each side of that cutting on the approach to Huddersfield - you can't go from up to down lines anywhere near the station throat. Theoretically installing a crossover in the cutting could connect up for you but I've not seen any proposal to do that and it smells unlikely - the new Huddersfield station will have more capacity and not need this.

Also, it was made clear in the video presentation referenced up-thread that the new station layout deliberately treats the Penistone line as separate from the other services, so that it can be operated independently. If you start to mix Manchester services in with Penistone ones, then you need to co-ordinate the two timetables. And once you do that you also need to co-ordinate with Sheffield timetables, etc. So regardless of the track layout, it’s far simpler to operate platform 1 in isolation from the other services.

 

[tomoufc]

Apologies if it's discussed elsewhere, but is that new looking part of the roof of Huddesfield station new to the TRU? Is is a replacement of an older structure or an extension to the older structure?

Thanks

 

[swt_passenger]

Apologies if it's discussed elsewhere, but is that new looking part of the roof of Huddesfield station new to the TRU? Is is a replacement of an older structure or an extension to the older structure?

Thanks

It’s a bit shorter at the south end, pending further changes to the track layout for the routes to the new island platform . Apparently it will also be lengthened at the north (Leeds) end. One of the planning docs mentioned it wouldn’t be quite as simple as moving existing roof sections from the south to the north, because they’ll be different widths (ie across the track).

Someone will know for sure, but I think what you can see so far is a restoration and repainting, but they’ve replaced some glass with opaque panels or something.

 

[tomoufc]

It’s a bit shorter at the south end, pending further changes to the track layout for the routes to the new island platform . Apparently it will also be lengthened at the north (Leeds) end. One of the planning docs mentioned it wouldn’t be quite as simple as moving existing roof sections from the south to the north, because they’ll be different widths (ie across the track).

Someone will know for sure, but I think what you can see so far is a restoration and repainting, but they’ve replaced some glass with opaque panels or something.

Thanks very much. It's just that the 'new' bit looks very different to the 'old', including even a different shape

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks very much. It's just that the 'new' bit looks very different to the 'old', including even a different shape

I think the end being completely open is a new feature, but I found a report (that was previously linked in post #9111) confirming the main framework was restored in situ:

New photos reveal stunning refurbishment of historic trainshed roof at Huddersfield Railway Station - Huddersfield Hub

Work on a £70 million internal modernisation of the 170-year-old Grade I-listed station started in November 2023

huddersfieldhub.co.uk

Work on a £70 million internal modernisation of the 170-year-old Grade I-listed station started in November 2023 and is due for completion in 2027.

A scaffolding platform was built inside the station to allow the restoration of the Grade I-listed ‘Euston’ trainshed roof, which is one of the last remaining in a UK station.

The works included grit blasting and re-painting of the ironwork, a strengthening of the roof, the installation of a new lantern and the replacement of slates.

Inside the roof space above platforms 1 and 4 the canopy’s historic features have been brought back to life and preserved for the future.

 

[AndrewE]

On the NR TPE upgrade site https://www.networkrailmediacentre....for-major-upgrades-between-dewsbury-and-york# I noticed

During the final three weekends - 25-26 October, 1-2 and 8-9 November - work will also take place just south of York to replace two sets of heavily used track points, which are crossed by more than 100 trains every day.

Given that that is only 4 per hour, do we really think that they count as "heavily used?" It's still only about 7 per hour over 16 hours...
Maybe in a busy station throat useage would be many times that, but at slow speed. How fast and heavy are trains "just south of York?" Or are they exaggerating the wear and tear on these 2 pairs?

 

[kmc1962]

I visited Huddersfield Station yesterday, and noticed that the signals now all have SL numbers on them instead of the HU ones they had before the closure period. Could someone explain why this change has been made?
Thanks in advance.

 

[edwin_m]

I visited Huddersfield Station yesterday, and noticed that the signals now all have SL numbers on them instead of the HU ones they had before the closure period. Could someone explain why this change has been made?
Thanks in advance.

Number prefixes in recent re-signallings have tended to be two letters identifing two places they are between, SL presumably being Stalybridge to Leeds. This means signals can be "recontrolled" to other centres without changing the prefix, which previously just identified the controlling signal box.

 

[bengley]

Number prefixes in recent re-signallings have tended to be two letters identifing two places they are between, SL presumably being Stalybridge to Leeds. This means signals can be "recontrolled" to other centres without changing the prefix, which previously just identified the controlling signal box.

Signals can and have been recontrolled to different boxes without changing the prefix loads of times. SE - Stalybridge (controlled by Manchester East), HM/HU - Healey Mills/Huddersfield (controlled by York ROC).

Plenty of other examples of this exist but you get the idea.

 

[edwin_m]

Signals can and have been recontrolled to different boxes without changing the prefix loads of times. SE - Stalybridge (controlled by Manchester East), HM/HU - Healey Mills/Huddersfield (controlled by York ROC).

Plenty of other examples of this exist but you get the idea.

Agreed - practice isn't entirely consistent. Re-signalling tends to use the "line of route" prefix where re-control may retain the existing ones, but there are probably numerous exceptions to both.

 

[zwk500]

Number prefixes in recent re-signallings have tended to be two letters identifing two places they are between, SL presumably being Stalybridge to Leeds. This means signals can be "recontrolled" to other centres without changing the prefix, which previously just identified the controlling signal box.

Isn't the prefix usually related to the interlocking control area? And they tend to only get re-prefixed if the interlocking is redone whereas a recontrol where a ROC Workstation takes over a PSB area usually keeps the prefix?

Although IIRC when Three Bridges ROC has taken over from it's predecessors it's kept the two-letter prefix but added a 'T' on the front so e.g. Lewes box ('LW') area became Lewes Workstation ('TLW') and Victoria ('VC') became 'TVC'. not sure how much of the interlocking underneath those boxes changed.

 

[Bald Rick]

Although IIRC when Three Bridges ROC has taken over from it's predecessors it's kept the two-letter prefix but added a 'T' on the front so e.g. Lewes box ('LW') area became Lewes Workstation ('TLW') and Victoria ('VC') became 'TVC'. not sure how much of the interlocking underneath those boxes changed.

All that can be said is that it is consistently inconsistent.

Lewes was resignalled - the interlocking and controls are all in TBROC.

AIUI Victoria originally had the interlockings replaced - but controlled at Victoria. Then it was recontrolled to TBROC with the new interlockings left st Victoria. And then I think subsequently the interlockings were ‘relocated‘ to TBROC!

(I may well be wrong with this, memory is a bit cloudy this week).

 

[edwin_m]

Isn't the prefix usually related to the interlocking control area? And they tend to only get re-prefixed if the interlocking is redone whereas a recontrol where a ROC Workstation takes over a PSB area usually keeps the prefix?

Traditionally the prefix has related to the controlling signal box or centre. Edinburgh and Yoker in the 1970s/80s used two letters, the first being E or Y and the second defining the controlling interlocking, and there may have been other Scottish power boxes doing similar, but that's the only case I'm aware of where the signal plate has identified the interlocking.

Your second sentence is essentially what I was trying to say about the difference between a re-signalling and a re-control.

 

[kmc1962]

If Rail Record Live is correct, it would appear that the new carriage sidings at Hillhouse (Huddersfield) have been brought into use. 5B74 ran just after midnight, and 5J49 and 5B03 ran around 6am today
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/live...-10-02&a=&p=on&e=on&f=on&w=on&o=on&s=on&dw=on

 

[Freightmaster]

If Rail Record Live is correct, it would appear that the new carriage sidings at Hillhouse (Huddersfield) have been brought into use. 5B74 ran just after midnight, and 5J49 and 5B03 ran around 6am today

For the record, the first trains to use the facility arrived at Hillhouse CS on Monday 29th
with three class 150s arriving late evening and leaving first thing on Tuesday morning:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Hillhouse Carriage Sidings between 2000 and 1959 on 29/09/2025

Train information at Hillhouse Carriage Sidings between 2000 and 1959 on 29/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[superkev]

For the record, the first trains to use the facility arrived at Hillhouse CS on Monday 29th
with three class 150s arriving late evening and leaving first thing on Tuesday morning:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Hillhouse Carriage Sidings between 2000 and 1959 on 29/09/2025

Train information at Hillhouse Carriage Sidings between 2000 and 1959 on 29/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK sure

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2025 ==

Re stock access to Hillhouse.
Ive watched the various drone footages of the viaduct posted on the net and can't see any crossovers.
I'm sure they are there somewhere and the plan shows both a facing and a trailing one on the viaduct at the station end. Is ths correct?
K

 

[1D53]

Yes there is a pair of crossovers at Huddersfield East/Hillhouse West Jn

 

[josh-j]

Taking a look at the new layout at Huddersfield turned out a bit more dramatically than expected - there's currently a fire incident, smoke from around the temporary toilet block area on platform 2 (doesn't seem *too* serious) and station evacuated.

Edit: And now back up and running after 10 mins or so!

 

[speedy1]

And the lifts were out of order this morning – sandbags on the platform entrance to the lifts, with some hoses and pools of water in the underpass.

Bit of a rough day for the staff there today I imagine.

And I've never seen so many staff at a railway station hah. They're doing quite a good job at answering questions, herding passengers etc

Out of curiosity, are those wearing TRU gear just TPE employees, or are those actually directly employed by TRU?

 

[wellhouse]

And the lifts were out of order this morning – sandbags on the platform entrance to the lifts, with some hoses and pools of water in the underpass.

Of course on Platform 3 (formerly Platforms 4&8) the stairs and lift are now fully exposed to the elements following demolition of the canopy.

Perhaps the consequences weren't fully anticipated?

 

[AndyHudds]

And the lifts were out of order this morning – sandbags on the platform entrance to the lifts, with some hoses and pools of water in the underpass.

Bit of a rough day for the staff there today I imagine.

And I've never seen so many staff at a railway station hah. They're doing quite a good job at answering questions, herding passengers etc

Out of curiosity, are those wearing TRU gear just TPE employees, or are those actually directly employed by TRU?

Water was literally pouring down the steps in to the subway the other morning but not sure where it was coming from.

 

[Coolzac]

Sorry if this has been mentioned already but when is the works between Manchester and York going to be completed? On the official press stuff I can't find a date.

 

[Tim_UK]

Sorry if this has been mentioned already but when is the works between Manchester and York going to be completed? On the official press stuff I can't find a date.

Years.

There is a load of work still without an actual start date.

Huddersfield to Westtown we know.

Standedge to Stalybridge, there is a consultation out. (Moving Mossley and new bridge at Greenfield). On the other hand, a lot of work has happened, including the new crossovers near Uppermill. And new access points.

Huddersfield to Standedge - I’ve not seen any actual detail or dates. I think wiring Gledholt tunnel goes in as part of Huddersfield to Westtown.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Looks like York-Leeds and possibly up to Morley will be finished by 2027.
Morley-Huddersfield maybe 2028-29.
No real date for Hudderfield-Stalybridge as contracts haven't been let yet, but after 2030.
Just my guesses.

 

[3RDGEN]

Sorry if this has been mentioned already but when is the works between Manchester and York going to be completed? On the official press stuff I can't find a date.

The Network Rail "Enhancements Delivery Plan - England and Wales - Sept 2025" - "https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/publications-and-resources/" (Scroll down the page a bit) details on page 7,

Manchester - Stalybridge - Completed.

Stalybridge - Huddersfield isn't mentioned, I assume it's a CP8 project but 2032 has been mentioned.

Huddersfield - Ravensthorpe - Feb 2030.

Ravensthorpe - Leeds - Feb 2030.

Leeds - Church Fenton - April 2030.

Church Fenton - York - April 2026. Presumably this is the full section including trackwork and removal of level crossings at Church Fenton, not the current upgrade that starts someway beyond the station towards York. Church Fenton appears to have a total block this Christmas to New Year and then the Leeds lines blocked for the first two or three weeks of Jan 2026 from current RTT data.

 

[1D53]

Out of curiosity, are those wearing TRU gear just TPE employees, or are those actually directly employed by TRU?

Funded by TRU, Employed by TPE, represent all impacted operators.

 

[Revaulx]

Anyone know what they’ve been up to in this weekend’s blockade? I’d like to know what to look out for.

 

[1D53]

Follow up works on various parts including A62 bridge, track renewals, site tidy up, some deferred work on points at Hillhouse, foundation and piling works around Deighton.

 

[grangergranger]

I’ve got two questions:

1). Any update on the situation regarding White Rose Centre Station??

2). I’m not sure where this is within the thread, but between Leeds and Garforth is it confirmed that there will be a passing loop or 4 tracking??

 

[YorkshireBear]

I’ve got two questions:

1). Any update on the situation regarding White Rose Centre Station??

2). I’m not sure where this is within the thread, but between Leeds and Garforth is it confirmed that there will be a passing loop or 4 tracking??

1) not seen anything recently and it's not in scope for TRU.

2) nothing confirmed at the moment only passive provision for Thorpe Park Station is planned nothing else. Outside of scope of TRU.