Standedge Tunnel Fire 25/1

[Killingworth]

This was the Northern message to user groups issued at 7.20 today.

In support of our TPE colleagues here is the latest update on services affected today.

We keep you posted on development as things progress.

Update: Fire in a tunnel affecting TransPennine Express services

TransPennine Express train services for Monday 26th January will operate as outlined below:

• Liverpool to Hull - divert over the Calder Valley
• Manchester Airport to Redcar - divert over the Calder Valley
• Liverpool to Newcastle - divert over the Calder Valley, stopping additionally at Rochdale and Hebden Bridge as Northern have withdrawn some of their services to reduce congestion
• Manchester to Scarborough - Will run as Scarborough to York shuttles only
• York to Manchester Piccadilly stopping services – Will run between York and Marsden
• Manchester Piccadilly to York stopping services - Will run between Manchester Piccadilly and Stalybridge where possible
• Rail replacement services will operate on the following routes:
  • Stalybridge-Huddersfield calling at Mossley, Greenfield, Slaithwaite and Marsden
  • Huddersfield-Manchester Piccadilly calling at Marsden, Slaithwaite, Greenfield, Mossley and Stalybridge
  • Dewsbury-Huddersfield
  • Huddersfield-Dewsbury
  • Customers at Huddersfield are advised to travel to Dewsbury and connect into train services towards Leeds and Manchester

Service running will be monitored and reviewed through the day with amendments made if required. Services may therefore be cancelled, part cancelled or operate at short notice. Customers are advised to check the status of their service before travelling.

Ticket acceptance remains in place with Northern, CrossCountry, EMR, LNER and Metrolink as follows:

• Northern (between Huddersfield and Sheffield and also Leeds and Sheffield)
• CrossCountry (between Leeds and Sheffield)
• EMR (between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly/Liverpool Lime Street)
• LNER (between York and Doncaster)
• Metrolink (between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria)
• TransPennine Express (customers to/from Rochdale and Hebden Bridge)

Further updates will be issued throughout today however for the very latest position and travel advice please visit: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates

We apologise for the disruption this incident has caused. Please let us know if you have any queries.

For more information on our range of services, please visit https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/

 

[TUC]

This was the Northern message to user groups issued at 7.20 today.

That is rather clearer than National Rail have managed.

 

[Bungle965]

By pure chance I walked into Rochdale and saw a TPE in the platform going towards Liverpool.
No evidence of this on the screens at all mind! It was still advertising a Chester service on the CIS

 

[Cell2025]

By pure chance I walked into Rochdale and saw a TPE in the platform going towards Liverpool.
No evidence of this on the screens at all mind! It was still advertising a Chester service on the CIS

I'm on the 11.30 Leeds to Liverpool and we've gone via Brighouse, stopping at Hebden Bridge and Rochdale. Further stops at Victoria, Newton le Willows and Lea Green before arriving a Lime Street allegedly pretty well on time.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm on the 11.30 Leeds to Liverpool and we've gone via Brighouse, stopping at Hebden Bridge and Rochdale. Further stops at Victoria, Newton le Willows and Lea Green before arriving a(t) Lime Street allegedly pretty well on time.

Reckon you'll be around 15-20 minutes late arriving at Liverpool Lime Street. (= Delay Repay threshold met)?

 

[Cell2025]

Reckon you'll be around ~15 minutes late arriving at Liverpool Lime Street. (= Delay Repay threshold met)?

Yeah. Lost some time around Newton Heath. Arriving in Manchester now.

Touch and go on the DR, but with a senior Railcard the ticket from Bramley only cost £7.95 so it's not going to make me rich!

To be fair I'm quite impressed with the response overall, accepting that not everyone has been so lucky.

 

[nr758123]

Manchester Piccadilly to York stopping services - Will run between Manchester Piccadilly and Stalybridge where possible

Apart from a handful of early morning services it doesn't appear to have been possible, leaving Stalybridge with just the hourly Northern service from Victoria.

Rail replacement services will operate on the following routes:

• Stalybridge-Huddersfield calling at Mossley, Greenfield, Slaithwaite and Marsden
• Huddersfield-Manchester Piccadilly calling at Marsden, Slaithwaite, Greenfield, Mossley and Stalybridge

I don't get why bus replacements would run from Piccadilly in one direction, but in the other direction they would only run as far as Stalybridge. Surely some mistake?

 

[TUC]

I'm on the 11.30 Leeds to Liverpool and we've gone via Brighouse, stopping at Hebden Bridge and Rochdale. Further stops at Victoria, Newton le Willows and Lea Green before arriving a Lime Street allegedly pretty well on time.

I presume it also gives Leeds-Hebden Bridge passengers a quicker journey than normal? (I looked on RTT to check, but it isn't able to deal with the diversion, simply showing 'no report' between Heaton Lodge and Miles Platting junctions.)

 

[Cell2025]

I presume it also gives Leeds-Hebden bridge passengers a quicker journey than normal? (I looked on RTT to check, but it isn't able to deal with the diversion, simply showing 'no report' between Heaton Lodge and Miles Platting junctions.)

Yes indeed. About 30 minutes compared to 45ish on the Northern route.

 

[pdq]

There's a post on West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WYFRS/post...8Moz5VGRE5n5qCemYG1uUXhofLVbwCRFAhFCdQxUgdDLl

Crews were mobilised to a fire involving heavy railway machinery located approximately 1.5km inside the main tunnel.

Access was made via the designated access tunnel, with firefighters progressing on foot with equipment through challenging conditions. It took around two hours to establish water onto the fire due to several operational factors, including the exact location of the fire being initially unknown, restricted access routes, limited initial water supplies and large volumes of smoke, significantly reducing visibility and slowing safe progression.

Once the fire was located, crews implemented sectorised control measures and established a sustainable open-water supply, enabling a controlled and successful extinguishing operation.

The incident required close working with Network Rail, alongside support from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

 

[noddingdonkey]

I'm surprised they weren't able to take water from the canal

 

[Killingworth]

The pictures remind us how we're very expensively trying to upgrade a 19th century network to provide a railway fit for the 21st century - and beyond. The 22nd century is only 74 years away.

The men who built all the trans-Pennine canal and rail tunnels would be amazed that with all the advances in tunnelling and technology we're still patching up their work and not building new.

 

[TUC]

The pictures remind us how we're very expensively trying to upgrade a 19th century network to provide a railway fit for the 21st century - and beyond. The 22nd century is only 74 years away.

The men who built all the trans-Pennine canal and rail tunnels would be amazed that with all the advances in tunnelling and technology we're still patching up their work and not building new.

And built a lot quicker than we're capable of.

 

[800Travel]

There was some info on ticket acceptance, I only copied the bit about services as it expanded the other information.
There is, ocourse, cross acceptance between DfTO operators at times of disruption.

It is weird that on this occasion they have only got acceptance in for cancellations rather than delays beyond York. Looks like some of the TPEs that are running are significantly delayed, but with no acceptance for passengers to use alternative services. I understand the cancellation acceptance is automatic, but weird no manual acceptance has been organised.

 

[Fokx]

It is weird that on this occasion they have only got acceptance in for cancellations rather than delays beyond York. Looks like some of the TPEs that are running are significantly delayed, but with no acceptance for passengers to use alternative services. I understand the cancellation acceptance is automatic, but weird no manual acceptance has been organised.

There is on selected routes

Northern services between Huddersfield and Sheffield, Leeds and Sheffield and Hudderfield/Mirfield and Leeds

CrossCountry services between Leeds and Sheffield until the end of the day.

East Midland Railway services between Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street

LNER services between York and Doncaster

Metrolink services between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria/Manchester Airport

 

[D1537]

It is weird that on this occasion they have only got acceptance in for cancellations rather than delays beyond York. Looks like some of the TPEs that are running are significantly delayed, but with no acceptance for passengers to use alternative services. I understand the cancellation acceptance is automatic, but weird no manual acceptance has been organised.

When Liverpool-Newcastle services have been spun at York (as the last three northbounds have been, although the next one will be going through as it forms an Edinburgh service next), passengers have been advised to use LNER between York and Newcastle. I'm not exactly sure what happens for Chester-le-Street passengers, though.

 

[Killingworth]

There is on selected routes

Northern services between Huddersfield and Sheffield, Leeds and Sheffield and Hudderfield/Mirfield and Leeds

CrossCountry services between Leeds and Sheffield until the end of the day.

East Midland Railway services between Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street

LNER services between York and Doncaster

Metrolink services between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria/Manchester Airport

It's a long way round from Huddersfield to Leeds via Sheffield. Barnsley might be quicker.

Curious that EMR is given as an option between Sheffield and Liverpool but not TPE (or all 3 to Manchester).

For many not travelling is their best option.

 

[Fokx]

Network Rail Engineers have confirmed the line will continue to be closed until Wednesday morning*.

(*Subject to further extensions)

 

[Tim_UK]

Turnback capabilities at Diggle were removed, it was planned with the resignalling but never commissioned.

Diggle was removed, but another crossover for turnback was installed a bit nearer to Greenfield near Uppermill.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Standedge Tunnel will be closed until 0600 Thursday 28th now.
Some significant delays now at the Liverpool end, including putting the delayed 1424 TPE to Newcastle behind the Man Airport stopper - it got past at Huyton.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Standedge Tunnel will be closed until 0600 Thursday 28th now.
Some significant delays now at the Liverpool end, including putting the delayed 1424 TPE to Newcastle behind the Man Airport stopper - it got past at Huyton.

28th is Wednesday.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

28th is Wednesday.

True - should have said 0600 Thur Jan 29.

Incident: Stalybridge | National Rail

Major disruption between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria . Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[syorksdeano]

True - should have said 0600 Thur Jan 29.

Incident: Stalybridge | National Rail

Major disruption between Huddersfield and Manchester Victoria . Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

It has changed a number of times today.

Having said that would it make sense for them to keep it shut all week as it's going to be closed at the weekend again anyway?

 

[josh-j]

If they get it repaired why keep it closed longer?

 

[TUC]

For many not travelling is their best option.

i always find that approach puzzling to be honest. Most peo0le don't live their lives in a way that a long journey planned for today can be off until tomoreow. They have work or social commitments for today. Whilst this kind of disruption is unavoidable, the presumption should be that most people will travel.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2026 ==

It has changed a number of times today.

Having said that would it make sense for them to keep it shut all week as it's going to be closed at the weekend again anyway?

Do you not think that people will rightly expect that, if it is at all possible, for the line to be opened on Thursday and Friday? Rail services should never be built around operational convenience.

 

[Geeves]

All I can say with the back an forth on here about the information levels, the wording of the issue, the "impression of" that the majority of passengers through Victoria knew what was going on today.

The main issue created with delays was TPE removing extra stops that were supposed to be in place to cover for the removal of the xx:57 Vic to Leeds services. Not really very helpful but both controls were doing all sorts of stupidity changing stopping patterns when in most cases these trains were stuck behind stoppers on the Calder Valley anyway! You may as well have left Rochdale, Hebden Bridge and Lea Green alone as it saved no time anyway.

 

[syorksdeano]

If they get it repaired why keep it closed longer?

Because for some bizarre reason even though the post said Thursday I somehow thought Friday.

My excuse is it's been one of those weeks and it's only Monday

 

[josh-j]

Because for some bizarre reason even though the post said Thursday I somehow thought Friday.

My excuse is it's been one of those weeks and it's only Monday

To be fair I wouldn't be surprised if the closure was extended!

 

[mm333]

I wonder why they are running buses to Dewsbury instead of stopping all the diverted TPEs at Brighouse and running buses there, as would be the case if it was a planned closure

Northern are now running hourly Brighouse-Huddersfield buses, to connect out of the Leeds-Wigan Wallgate service.

 

[Russel]

i always find that approach puzzling to be honest. Most peo0le don't live their lives in a way that a long journey planned for today can be off until tomoreow. They have work or social commitments for today. Whilst this kind of disruption is unavoidable, the presumption should be that most people will travel.

I agree here, I've always found the "You can use your ticket tomorrow" to be quite passenger unfriendly, as you say, most people have work and social commitments meaning it just isn't practical, to me, it should be that you can use your ticket within the next 30 days or something along those lines.