Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[neil65]

I think the work going on at the East end of Huddersfield P2 is foundation prep for the new footbridge & lift

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Dec 2025 ==

So the Curve is not as bad as it looks in the picture. The current temporary lines do go over the fast line bridge. Indeed platform 2 is on the bridge.

Sorry for a facebook link, but this video shows the alignment and crossovers at east end of Huddersfield station.

167 reactions · 14 comments | Huddersfield’s Grade I listed station was built in 1847 by architect James Pigott Pritchett, and its six-column portico is considered one of the best in Europe. #trains #huddersfield #sunrise #town #home | Marc Roberts

Huddersfield’s Grade I listed station was built in 1847 by architect James Pigott Pritchett, and its six-column portico is considered one of the best in Europe. #trains #huddersfield #sunrise #town...

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Shows a 185 leaving platform 3 at Huddersfield eastbound towards Leeds. The train goes over the new bridge on the south side (platform 2 and 3 when done)

After the bridge, the track curves to go into 2 tracks in the middle of the viaduct. There is room for at least 1 extra track on each side.

There are a 2 sets of crossovers, so both ways.

You can see the south side of the Bradford road span is still missing.

The distance is a signalling portal span over al the tracks.

They have been at that bridge over Bradford road for nearly 2 years!!
It only took 2 years to build the entire viaduct back in the 1840's!!

 

[takno]

They have been at that bridge over Bradford road for nearly 2 years!!
It only took 2 years to build the entire viaduct back in the 1840's!!

They didn't have to keep stopping to let trains past back in the 1840s

 

[zwk500]

They have been at that bridge over Bradford road for nearly 2 years!!
It only took 2 years to build the entire viaduct back in the 1840's!!

How many people died building the viaduct in the 1840s?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Exactly! I will be going regularly now I live back in the UK. I will do (post photos) of "before and after" and in between as necessary.

Welcome back to the UK. Hopefully see you soon at a forum event. I'll be doing the line maybe over Twixmas if stuff is actually running between Manchester and Leeds via Huddersfield. If not, in the new year.

 

[superkev]

Feature in the Bradford T and A that on Dec 24th 25th at Deighton, Whitacre Street overbridge will be demolished, and the A62 Leeds Road bridge will see the installation of pre-cast concrete parapets using a crane.
Not sure what other works are planned over Christmas but aren't Mirfield Platforms 1 and 2 tracks being slewed to there final layout.
K

 

[MatthewHutton]

How many people died building the viaduct in the 1840s?

It is pretty shocking how many deaths there were even 40 years ago. 40 years go more than 20 people a year died falling from train doors. I would be surprised if there weren’t similar numbers of staff deaths.

No-one would accept that now.

 

[neil65]

Feature in the Bradford T and A that on Dec 24th 25th at Deighton, Whitacre Street overbridge will be demolished, and the A62 Leeds Road bridge will see the installation of pre-cast concrete parapets using a crane.
Not sure what other works are planned over Christmas but aren't Mirfield Platforms 1 and 2 tracks being slewed to there final layout.
K

Yes i think you are right for Mirfield as the track is in place now on P1, just needs more ballasting and attaching to the main lines, waiting shelters also installed, the lifts are also supposed to be finished as well

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Isn't there some major work on the installed wires at the junction with the ECML or thereabouts taking place over Xmas/NY ?

 

[1D53]

Isn't there some major work on the installed wires at the junction with the ECML or thereabouts taking place over Xmas/NY ?

All this work has been done. The only work impacting the ECML this Christmas is the resignalling/testing between Leeds - Church Fenton which fringes into the ECML.#

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Dec 2025 ==

Yes i think you are right for Mirfield as the track is in place now on P1, just needs more ballasting and attaching to the main lines, waiting shelters also installed, the lifts are also supposed to be finished as well

This is correct - the final track layout and new footbridge and lifts are commisioned.

Also in Christmas is the bridge work referenced above, demolition work at Ravensthorpe, scaffolding works in Huddersfield and all the works east of Leeds.

 

[takno]

All this work has been done. The only work impacting the ECML this Christmas is the resignalling/testing between Leeds - Church Fenton which fringes into the ECML.#

Is this a full resignalling, or just relatively minor changes?

 

[59CosG95]

Is this a full resignalling, or just relatively minor changes?

Semi-major; signals are being repositioned in Leeds' area of control between Leeds & York. Some of the resignalling work is why some of the OLE between Church Fenton & Micklefield isn't complete yet, by the by (owing to signal sighting issues with the legacy equipment).

 

[1D53]

Complete resignalling between Neville Hill East Jn and Church Fenton North Jn. The signals etc are all already installed in the main.

 

[D6130]

Semi-major; signals are being repositioned in Leeds' area of control between Leeds & York. Some of the resignalling work is why some of the OLE between Church Fenton & Micklefield isn't complete yet, by the by (owing to signal sighting issues with the legacy equipment).

I thought it was already all controlled from York ROC.... including Leeds station?

 

[S101]

I thought it was already all controlled from York ROC.... including Leeds station?

It is. Can still be re-signalled though, new equipment, signals, maybe axel counters replacing track circuits... not really familiar with the scheme.

 

[swt_passenger]

[…]
Not sure what other works are planned over Christmas but aren't Mirfield Platforms 1 and 2 tracks being slewed to there final layout.
K

I thought that the work at Mirfield that reinstates the lines through P1 and P2 was all confirmed in the discussion following on after your question in post #9862? Post #9869 seemed fairly categoric.

 

[superkev]

I thought that the work at Mirfield that reinstates the lines through P1 and P2 was all confirmed in the discussion following on after your question in post #9862? Post #9869 seemed fairly categoric.

Yes but things may have changed since then.
K

 

[YorkshireBear]

Is the resignalling from Leeds to Church Fenton reducing headways/increasing capacity at all or just a like for like with modern equipment done for sighting?

 

[superkev]

Latest excellent youtube from "on track with Tim" of the Raventhorpe area shows more Baker viaduct spans in place over the canal, the latest being where 4 tracks merge to 2.
See

K

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Dec 2025 ==

Latest Flickr drone footages from Robert Stenhouse shows Mirfield Station north platform 1 track in place and ready to be re connected.
Looks like platform 2 will be re connected to the centre track at the same tim.
Also shows the Baker viaduct 6 huge span girders in place and progress with concrete pouring.
K

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Latest Sarah Bell video is good as usual. Spends the time focusing on Mirfield Station and progress. Also, Ravensthorpe triangle progress. Christmas week is pivotal.

 

[Angmering1974]

Hudds P3 situation doesn't seem to be being handled very well despite the many staff (who the couple of times I've watched them from my train seem to contribute to the problem, mingling in groups having a chinwag at a choke point and not really moving when lots of people get off the train lol )

It's like they stand in the way to try to block people walking east down the platform but don't really stop them? Bit odd. Shrug what do I know

 

[xdbjacx]

Hudds P3 situation doesn't seem to be being handled very well despite the many staff (who the couple of times I've watched them from my train seem to contribute to the problem, mingling in groups having a chinwag at a choke point and not really moving when lots of people get off the train lol )

It's like they stand in the way to try to block people walking east down the platform but don't really stop them? Bit odd. Shrug what do I know

I also noticed this the other day. The stop board for 802s is right at the eastern end of P3. I was waiting for a booked 802 and went down there because it was quiet and everyone else was waiting in a big gaggle at the top of the subway. A Northern guy walked up and down that section twice before vanishing through a door on the temporary hoarding to the north side. Shortly afterwards he appeared again and seemed to be checking on what I was doing (nothing) lest I forget that the railway exists for the benefit of staff.

 

[1D53]

Is the resignalling from Leeds to Church Fenton reducing headways/increasing capacity at all or just a like for like with modern equipment done for sighting?

Between Fenton and Micklefield only, the distants are replaced with 'full' signals. No headway changes elsewhere.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Between Fenton and Micklefield only, the distants are replaced with 'full' signals. No headway changes elsewhere.

Thank you. That at least is good then.

 

[rower40]

On studying January’s timetables, it can be seen that Church Fenton to Micklefield remains closed until Mon 26th Jan. XC mostly diverting via Doncaster (omitting Wakefield and Leeds stops), other Leeds-York trains via Castleford.

 

[Freightmaster]

On studying January’s timetables, it can be seen that Church Fenton to Micklefield remains closed until Mon 26th Jan. XC mostly diverting via Doncaster (omitting Wakefield and Leeds stops), other Leeds-York trains via Castleford.

Correct - the new signalling will be commissioned in three stages:


Monday December 29th: Neville Hill to South Milford via Cross Gates and Micklefield

Sunday January 4th: Church Fenton to Colton Junction (up and down Normanton lines only)

Monday January 26th: Micklefield to Church Fenton and Church Fenton to Colton Junction (up and down Leeds)



MARK

 

[YorkshireBear]

Correct - the new signalling will be commissioned in three stages:


Monday December 29th: Neville Hill to South Milford via Cross Gates and Micklefield

Sunday January 4th: Church Fenton to Colton Junction (up and down Normanton lines only)

Monday January 26th: Micklefield to Church Fenton and Church Fenton to Colton Junction (up and down Leeds)



MARK

With the third stage also accompanied by track alterations at Church Fenton and I believe they have stated that all electrification works will be complete Church Fenton to Micklefield too.

 

[Crant90045]

(not my photo, found on the batley matters facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391408370969657/permalink/25218081211209039/?rdid=fBzogLGfwahhkG2v#))

 

[GRALISTAIR]

(not my photo, found on the batley matters facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391408370969657/permalink/25218081211209039/?rdid=fBzogLGfwahhkG2v#))

So basically the stairs have now been added.

 

[Wyrleybart]

It is pretty shocking how many deaths there were even 40 years ago. 40 years go more than 20 people a year died falling from train doors. I would be surprised if there weren’t similar numbers of staff deaths.

No-one would accept that now.

You are absolutely right Matthew. There was an awful death, entirely preventable, which occurred at Bescot in the 1970s which I was told about. A shunter travelling to work from Walsall got a ride on a freight which routed from Bescot junction onto the UDGL. At the mid point of the yard there were four lines running through the middle - the Up and Down mainlines, the UGL and UDGL. There was a cement train on the Up Main having relief, and the tripper had arrived on the UDGL which the shunter climbed down from.

At this point it needs stressing that when the Bescot yard complex was rebuilt in 1966 BR erected a large steel footbridge for all staff to safely cross over the main lines, but this involved climbing around 30 odd steps at each end to cross over, and most staff just walked across the four tracks

The shunter saw the cement train to his left, but never saw the approaching Walsall bound EMU coming at him from the right, and was mortally injured - in the shadow of that footbridge. The guy was carried to the booking on point where an ambulance was called, but sadly he had passed away from the horrific injuries he sustained.

I moveed to Bescot in the summer of 1980 and can still hear those sarky comments about Hi viz vests not saving you if hit by a train, but the meaning really was all about personal safety and that was sadly lost in the culture of some folk.

 

[Batley Lad]

So basically the stairs have now been added.

A few more photos of the newly installed footbridge at Batley station.