Transpennine Route Upgrade - What immediate improvements will passengers see?

[nuneatonmark]

mods note - split from this thread

Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

Well it was suggested in the Manchester - Liverpool Electrification thread that we have a seperate Transpennine thread. Now I know that Manchester - Stalybridge is actually part of the Northern Hub project , but to me, haulage bashing Peaks in the 1970s-1980s - Liverpool-Newcastle was classed as...

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Once this current possession is complete, what, if anything, are passengers likely to see the difference in immediately?

 

[Geeves]

Once this current possession is complete, what, if anything, are passengers likely to see the difference in immediately?

No difference immediately seeing as the trains that use the Bradley Junction branch aren't currently running but presumably in the future local train capacity on the slow lines will be increased due no longer waiting for trains to slowly trundle over the 15mph? Junction

 

[hwl]

Once this current possession is complete, what, if anything, are passengers likely to see the difference in immediately?

It effectively enables future posessions (that do enable improvement for passengers) to be far less disruptive.
There will be plenty of movement of the existing 2 tracks sideways so that the alignment is clear to add the extra 2 tracks in quite few places.

 

[Dave S 56F]

No difference immediately seeing as the trains that use the Bradley Junction branch aren't currently running but presumably in the future local train capacity on the slow lines will be increased due no longer waiting for trains to slowly trundle over the 15mph? Junction

Would it be possible to double track the bradley curve to ease capacity issues?

 

[Bob55G]

Would it be possible to double track the bradley curve to ease capacity issues?

It would be possible, but totally unnecessary in the current (or foreseeable future) economic climate. The curve was originally constructed as double track, but that was when there were regular passenger, freight and parcels traffic using the route.
Prior to the TRU works affecting Huddersfield station's capacity the only services using the curve were an hourly local passenger train between Huddersfield and Bradford (and return).
The four-tracking of the line between Ravensthorpe and Huddersfield will ease any previous congestion and the slow line usage should easily be able to accommodate any services to/from the Brighouse direction without double tracking of the Bradley curve line even if the frequency of Huddersfield-Bradford services were to be increased..

 

[xdbjacx]

It would be possible, but totally unnecessary in the current (or foreseeable future) economic climate. The curve was originally constructed as double track, but that was when there were regular passenger, freight and parcels traffic using the route.
Prior to the TRU works affecting Huddersfield station's capacity the only services using the curve were an hourly local passenger train between Huddersfield and Bradford (and return).
The four-tracking of the line between Ravensthorpe and Huddersfield will ease any previous congestion and the slow line usage should easily be able to accommodate any services to/from the Brighouse direction without double tracking of the Bradley curve line even if the frequency of Huddersfield-Bradford services were to be increased..

I am fairly sure Bradley Curve had 4tph pre-Covid, in the days of the 'grand tour' and the single line section wasn't a constraint then either. I might have misremembered though.

It feels like a longer section than it is because the junctions at either end impose such a low line speed. Seemingly, this will be addressed at Bradley Junction as part of TPU, but I would imagine Bradley Wood Junction is not in scope.

 

[Ian Hardy]

I am fairly sure Bradley Curve had 4tph pre-Covid, in the days of the 'grand tour' and the single line section wasn't a constraint then either. I might have misremembered though.

In the December 2019 NRT, there was only an hourly Huddersfield - Bradford Interchange shuttle in each direction so not 4tph on the Bradley Curve.

 

[Nottingham59]

In the December 2019 NRT, there was only an hourly Huddersfield - Bradford Interchange shuttle in each direction so not 4tph on the Bradley Curve.

When TRU is complete, I would assume that the fastest way from Bradford / Halifax to Manchester will be via Huddersfield. So I would expect demand on the Bradley curve to grow substantially. Maybe topic for another thread

 

[fishwomp]

When TRU is complete, I would assume that the fastest way from Bradford / Halifax to Manchester will be via Huddersfield. So I would expect demand on the Bradley curve to grow substantially. Maybe topic for another thread

Current Huddersfield to Bradford journey times (eg. later this summer they're restored) - will be 37 mins with a stop at Brighouse, Halifax (21 mins to Hudds) and Low Moor. Current class 1 Halifax to Man Vic is is 42 mins.

With a 5 min connection, say, you'd be needing Huddersfield to Manchester in 16 mins to beat that for Halifax. Current time is 28 mins..

Now, if you could knock 5 mins off that Huddersfield - Halifax stretch skipping, say Deighton (planned to be stopped at - the service will be on the slow lines into Huddersfield) and the line speed improvement at the junction, Hudd-Manchester in 21 mins .. a bit of an ambition.

However... it's likely that there will be times on the clock where the quickest way - if you turn up and go - will be route Huddersfield vs a 30 min wait for the next Manchester direct.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I am fairly sure Bradley Curve had 4tph pre-Covid, in the days of the 'grand tour' and the single line section wasn't a constraint then either. I might have misremembered though.

It feels like a longer section than it is because the junctions at either end impose such a low line speed. Seemingly, this will be addressed at Bradley Junction as part of TPU, but I would imagine Bradley Wood Junction is not in scope.

The "Grand Tour" was just the same hourly service as today prior to the current reduced arrangement, but extended at either end- it wasn't additional to the standard Huddersfield to Bradford service. It got additional workings if Standedge is closed though, as some TPE services would come off the Calder Valley and reverse at Huddersfield. Never 4tph though, unless you're counting both directions.
The capacity constraints with the curve are largely only an issue because of the two-track formation that exists currently, meaning the slow movements back onto the main line have to fit in between everything, not just the other slow line services as will be the case after the upgrade.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 May 2026 ==

Current Huddersfield to Bradford journey times (eg. later this summer they're restored) - will be 37 mins with a stop at Brighouse, Halifax (21 mins to Hudds) and Low Moor. Current class 1 Halifax to Man Vic is is 42 mins.

With a 5 min connection, say, you'd be needing Huddersfield to Manchester in 16 mins to beat that for Halifax. Current time is 28 mins..

Now, if you could knock 5 mins off that Huddersfield - Halifax stretch skipping, say Deighton (planned to be stopped at - the service will be on the slow lines into Huddersfield) and the line speed improvement at the junction, Hudd-Manchester in 21 mins .. a bit of an ambition.

However... it's likely that there will be times on the clock where the quickest way - if you turn up and go - will be route Huddersfield vs a 30 min wait for the next Manchester direct.

In the longer term there's also Elland to factor in, though the Bradford to Huddersfield always used to have an extended dwell at Halifax (it's a few years since I used the service) which could be reduced to minimise the impact of the Elland stop. I wasn't sure if the service would start calling at Deighton when it resumes, as it didn't call there previously despite having to pass the platforms- though I assume demand at Deighton will be raised by the provision of a car park so there's probably a decent case to make for it.

 

[fishwomp]

I wasn't sure if the service would start calling at Deighton when it resumes, as it didn't call there previously despite having to pass the platforms- though I assume demand at Deighton will be raised by the provision of a car park so there's probably a decent case to make for it.

I believe that was path pressure related - it was bad enough crossing the mainline at 15mph - without then slowing to stop, and of course, crossing over again for a platform in Huddersfield. Those problems go away after the upgrade is done - but we'll see!

 

[Nottingham59]

Current Huddersfield to Bradford journey times (eg. later this summer they're restored) - will be 37 mins with a stop at Brighouse, Halifax (21 mins to Hudds) and Low Moor. Current class 1 Halifax to Man Vic is is 42 mins.

With a 5 min connection, say, you'd be needing Huddersfield to Manchester in 16 mins to beat that for Halifax. Current time is 28 mins..

Now, if you could knock 5 mins off that Huddersfield - Halifax stretch skipping, say Deighton (planned to be stopped at - the service will be on the slow lines into Huddersfield) and the line speed improvement at the junction, Hudd-Manchester in 21 mins .. a bit of an ambition.

However... it's likely that there will be times on the clock where the quickest way - if you turn up and go - will be route Huddersfield vs a 30 min wait for the next Manchester direct.

Thanks for that analysis. I was under the impression that TRU was going to deliver Manchester-Leeds in 33 minutes, but I see that ambition's been downgraded to 41-42, which makes the upgrade far less revolutionary.

But still, from your figures:

Now, if you could knock 5 mins off that Huddersfield - Halifax stretch skipping, say Deighton (planned to be stopped at - the service will be on the slow lines into Huddersfield) and the line speed improvement at the junction

Gives Halifax-Hudd in 16 minutes

With a 5 min connection, say,

Eliminated with a direct train, so 28 minutes Hudd-Manchester gives 16+28 = 44 minutes Halifax-Manchester direct, with currently planned infrastructure. Which is comparable with the 42 minutes on the current Class 1 service via Todmorden.

And sending all limited stop expresses via Huddersfield would allow a much more intensive stopping service to be timetabled on the Calder Valley route via Todmorden. My thinking is there's not much point in investing in a four track railway if you don't use it to the max.

== == == ==

Same goes for the southern TPE service through Sheffield, which currently takes 1h23m from Doncaster to Manchester. Sending that via Hudds should take 41-42m Leeds-Manchester + 3 mins reversal at Leeds + 32m Leeds-Doncaster, giving 1h17m overall.

 

[yorksrob]

I very much hope that the service via Wakefield and Castleford is retained, although frustratingly it's not been confirmed as yet.

Not everyone has the desire or need to go through Leeds.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I believe that was path pressure related - it was bad enough crossing the mainline at 15mph - without then slowing to stop, and of course, crossing over again for a platform in Huddersfield. Those problems go away after the upgrade is done - but we'll see!

Yep- that's one of the big advantages of the four-tracking: local stoppers no longer have to fit between the fasts, which allows both types of service to be improved. I'm not convinced that there'll initially be a huge amount of pent-up demand for Deighton to Brighouse and beyond, but there's no reason to not call there once the fasts and slows are separated.
It will remove one of the "stations which are directly connected by rail, but have no direct service between them" anomalies (in the days of the aforementioned "Grand Tour" there was a service between the two, but to make the journey you had to board as it headed from Wakefield to Huddersfield, then pass back through Deighton non-stop after reversing!).

 

[fishwomp]

Thanks for that analysis. I was under the impression that TRU was going to deliver Manchester-Leeds in 33 minutes, but I see that ambition's been downgraded to 41-42, which makes the upgrade far less revolutionary.
[.]

At that rate - Hudds to Man Vic would be 15-ish less than Leeds Man Vic- so 26-ish mins. It's 28 with current layout and units so I'm probably setting that bar to pessimistic for a billion here or there of investment..

Gives Halifax-Hudd in 16 minutes

Right. Some are 20 mins btw already (working timetable). When you look at things like Greetland curve (_slow_ but tight) perhaps there's 30 seconds to be had there too.

Eliminated with a direct train, so 28 minutes Hudd-Manchester gives 16+28 = 44 minutes Halifax-Manchester direct, with currently planned infrastructure. Which is comparable with the 42 minutes on the current Class 1 service via Todmorden.

Right - and if direct, and if the HUD-MCV is 26 instead of 28.. you get matched time with current via Todmorden - so why bother? .. perhaps to allow a more-stops Calder Valley.

And sending all limited stop expresses via Huddersfield would allow a much more intensive stopping service to be timetabled on the Calder Valley route via Todmorden. My thinking is there's not much point in investing in a four track railway if you don't use it to the max.

Yup - although you're now threading across the mainline (at Bradley if that's planned crossover, or on the viaduct in town) to reach the Manchester lines, but if 1 tph that's surely fine.

Same goes for the southern TPE service through Sheffield, which currently takes 1h23m from Doncaster to Manchester. Sending that via Hudds should take 41-42m Leeds-Manchester + 3 mins reversal at Leeds + 32m Leeds-Doncaster, giving 1h17m overall.

Or.. you do Hare Park Jct - Wakefield Kirkgate - Thornhill - see https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C24365/2026-08-29/detailed for timings of that on the current Sheffield - Manchester via Huddersfield overnighter! Hare Park Jct to Mirfield East Jct in 21 mins. If you go via Leeds instead, that's 17 mins Hare Park Jct to Leeds, and 11 mins Leeds to Mirfield East Jct.

So.. put that together:

Current: 1h23 DON - MAN (Pic) = 83 mins
Current infrastructure via LDS (Leeds) to MCV (Vic): 32 + 48 + 5 mins connection/reversal = 85 mins
Current infrastructure via WKK (W Kirkgate) = (Don-HarePark = 13, Hare - Mirf East = 21, Mirf East to MCV = 37) = 71 mins

Those new routes land in Victoria. To do Man Pic is only 31 mins from HUDs (vs MCV's 28 mins) - so yep, these are winners _already_... except that the Doncaster to Manchester traffic is probably quite light when you skip Sheffield.

Heh. Haven't you just created "NPR" .. the only thing you forgot to do is move Bradford Interchange into the middle of a fish market and across a busy ring road

 

[43074]

Same goes for the southern TPE service through Sheffield, which currently takes 1h23m from Doncaster to Manchester. Sending that via Hudds should take 41-42m Leeds-Manchester + 3 mins reversal at Leeds + 32m Leeds-Doncaster, giving 1h17m overall.

For the sakes of 6 minutes, what's the point? There isn't that much extra capacity to use on TRU, as any extra trains via Huddersfield still have to use the same congested approaches into Manchester, whether to Victoria or Piccadilly, whilst there is no spare capacity on the Doncaster to Leeds stretch either.

Or.. you do Hare Park Jct - Wakefield Kirkgate - Thornhill - see https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C24365/2026-08-29/detailed for timings of that on the current Sheffield - Manchester via Huddersfield overnighter! Hare Park Jct to Mirfield East Jct in 21 mins. If you go via Leeds instead, that's 17 mins Hare Park Jct to Leeds, and 11 mins Leeds to Mirfield East Jct.

Again, what's the point of a Doncaster to Manchester service which manages to skip both Sheffield and Leeds?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Yup - although you're now threading across the mainline (at Bradley if that's planned crossover, or on the viaduct in town) to reach the Manchester lines, but if 1 tph that's surely fine.

I suspect that it such a service was to run, it would stay on the slows until Huddersfield. The western throat (disregarding the Sheffield line) will eventually be the transition point from 4-tracks paired by use, to the 3-track arrangement that's being implemented between Huddersfield and Stalybridge.

Heh. Haven't you just created "NPR" .. the only thing you forgot to do is move Bradford Interchange into the middle of a fish market and across a busy ring road

Again, what's the point of a Doncaster to Manchester service which manages to skip both Sheffield and Leeds?

There isn't one. It's one thing sending a few trains that way overnight or when the Hope Valley is closed for maintenance, but quite another thing doing it every hour in normal times.
South Yorkshire to Manchester certainly needs improvement, but you don't get that by skipping Sheffield entirely. Maybe if we were already sending 4tph between Manchester and Doncaster you'd look at sending one of them via somewhere avoiding Sheffield (just as there's currently the via CasVegas service that avoids Leeds) but South TPE is 1tph- so any suggestion of missing out one of the major stations on the route is a fool's errand.

 

[yorksrob]

At that rate - Hudds to Man Vic would be 15-ish less than Leeds Man Vic- so 26-ish mins. It's 28 with current layout and units so I'm probably setting that bar to pessimistic for a billion here or there of investment..

Right. Some are 20 mins btw already (working timetable). When you look at things like Greetland curve (_slow_ but tight) perhaps there's 30 seconds to be had there too.

Right - and if direct, and if the HUD-MCV is 26 instead of 28.. you get matched time with current via Todmorden - so why bother? .. perhaps to allow a more-stops Calder Valley.

Yup - although you're now threading across the mainline (at Bradley if that's planned crossover, or on the viaduct in town) to reach the Manchester lines, but if 1 tph that's surely fine.

Or.. you do Hare Park Jct - Wakefield Kirkgate - Thornhill - see https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C24365/2026-08-29/detailed for timings of that on the current Sheffield - Manchester via Huddersfield overnighter! Hare Park Jct to Mirfield East Jct in 21 mins. If you go via Leeds instead, that's 17 mins Hare Park Jct to Leeds, and 11 mins Leeds to Mirfield East Jct.

So.. put that together:

Current: 1h23 DON - MAN (Pic) = 83 mins
Current infrastructure via LDS (Leeds) to MCV (Vic): 32 + 48 + 5 mins connection/reversal = 85 mins
Current infrastructure via WKK (W Kirkgate) = (Don-HarePark = 13, Hare - Mirf East = 21, Mirf East to MCV = 37) = 71 mins

Those new routes land in Victoria. To do Man Pic is only 31 mins from HUDs (vs MCV's 28 mins) - so yep, these are winners _already_... except that the Doncaster to Manchester traffic is probably quite light when you skip Sheffield.

Heh. Haven't you just created "NPR" .. the only thing you forgot to do is move Bradford Interchange into the middle of a fish market and across a busy ring road

Hey, Bradford Exchange has already been moved too far out of the City centre !

 

[Nottingham59]

Haven't you just created "NPR" ..

Not really. The real need is simply a conventional four track railway between Manchester and Leeds, including station capacity at each end.

 

[dodecahedron67]

Track layout at the end of this blockade will have the final alignment for the Slow Lines in use, the Bradley Jn turnout increased to 40mph and the sand drag & trap points removed.

This allows for the Fasts to be set up while services are still running on the Slows

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Track layout at the end of this blockade will have the final alignment for the Slow Lines in use, the Bradley Jn turnout increased to 40mph and the sand drag & trap points removed.

This allows for the Fasts to be set up while services are still running on the Slows

Why is the sand drag being removed? Is it because there's less risk longer-term with only joining the slows? Or because more modern signalling reduces risk by some other means? Or some other reason/combination of reasons?

I suspect that when the curve reopened in 2000 (though it was never officially closed IIRC, despite being rendered unusable with trees in the four-foot) it was done on the cheap... or rather, on the "as cheap as we can".

 

[swt_passenger]

Track layout at the end of this blockade will have the final alignment for the Slow Lines in use, the Bradley Jn turnout increased to 40mph and the sand drag & trap points removed.

This allows for the Fasts to be set up while services are still running on the Slows

I’ve just linked to a video in the other TPRU thread showing (amongst other stuff) the new sleepers going down at Bradley Jn - they’re right down the middle with no space for the sand drag.

PS, an update from Sarah Bell today shows the rails being fitted at Bradley Jn.

 

[Halifaxlad]

It would be possible, but totally unnecessary in the current (or foreseeable future) economic climate. The curve was originally constructed as double track, but that was when there were regular passenger, freight and parcels traffic using the route.
Prior to the TRU works affecting Huddersfield station's capacity the only services using the curve were an hourly local passenger train between Huddersfield and Bradford (and return).
The four-tracking of the line between Ravensthorpe and Huddersfield will ease any previous congestion and the slow line usage should easily be able to accommodate any services to/from the Brighouse direction without double tracking of the Bradley curve line even if the frequency of Huddersfield-Bradford services were to be increased..

If the Pickle Bridge Line is indeed the chosen route of this new Bradford to Huddersfield line then that one curve may end up with 3 services and hour on both directions. Surely to make timing of trains much easier and simpler it would just be much easier to reinstate it as double track ?

 

[Spartacus]

If the Pickle Bridge Line is indeed the chosen route of this new Bradford to Huddersfield line then that one curve may end up with 3 services and hour on both directions. Surely to make timing of trains much easier and simpler it would just be much easier to reinstate it as double track ?

That's a VERY big if.

 

[YorksLad12]

I suspect that when the curve reopened in 2000 (though it was never officially closed IIRC, despite being rendered unusable with trees in the four-foot) it was done on the cheap... or rather, on the "as cheap as we can".

Wasn't it still a freight route? That made the reopening much easier (unless you're waiting for Elland Station, which might be arriving 30 years later...).

 

[nr758123]

And sending all limited stop expresses via Huddersfield would allow a much more intensive stopping service to be timetabled on the Calder Valley route via Todmorden. My thinking is there's not much point in investing in a four track railway if you don't use it to the max.

But it's not a four track railway between Huddersfield and Manchester. It's three tracks between Huddersfield and Marsden (preceded by a two-track section through Springwood and Gledholt Tunnels), then two tracks to Stalybridge.

Most stations on the Calder Valley already have two trains per hour or better. It's the stations on the Standedge route with only one train per hour which merit a better local stopping service.

Same goes for the southern TPE service through Sheffield, which currently takes 1h23m from Doncaster to Manchester. Sending that via Hudds should take 41-42m Leeds-Manchester + 3 mins reversal at Leeds + 32m Leeds-Doncaster, giving 1h17m overall.

You have now filled all the paths on the Standedge route, maybe several times over, with services which could and should remain on other routes.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Wasn't it still a freight route? That made the reopening much easier (unless you're waiting for Elland Station, which might be arriving 30 years later...).

Milner Royd to Heaton Lodge was open for freight (and the occasional diverted TPE). The chords at either end at Bradley & Salterhebble which allow trains to run from Huddersfield to Halifax were either closed officially and/or left in a condition that put them beyond use. When the line through Brighouse reopened to regular traffic, those two chords were reinstated.

The Bradley chord itself would have very little practical use for freight these days- there's no rail served freight customers in the Huddersfield area, so the only use it would have is to send something that's come off the Standedge route back West via the Calder Valley, which is pointless. Going back further it may have seen some use for coal from Clayton West to the old power station at Elland, but both ends of that working were gone by the mid 1980s. In a previous discussion on here years ago, we managed to deduce that the last use of the curve at Bradley had been in around 1986 IIRC. By the time the reopening of Brighouse was proposed in the late 1990s, that curve was a miniature jungle.

 

[Halifaxlad]

Milner Royd to Heaton Lodge was open for freight (and the occasional diverted TPE). The chords at either end at Bradley & Salterhebble which allow trains to run from Huddersfield to Halifax were either closed officially and/or left in a condition that put them beyond use. When the line through Brighouse reopened to regular traffic, those two chords were reinstated.

The Bradley chord itself would have very little practical use for freight these days- there's no rail served freight customers in the Huddersfield area, so the only use it would have is to send something that's come off the Standedge route back West via the Calder Valley, which is pointless. Going back further it may have seen some use for coal from Clayton West to the old power station at Elland, but both ends of that working were gone by the mid 1980s. In a previous discussion on here years ago, we managed to deduce that the last use of the curve at Bradley had been in around 1986 IIRC. By the time the reopening of Brighouse was proposed in the late 1990s, that curve was a miniature jungle.

I tend to forget that when Brighouse reopened it wasn't just Brighouse but the chords too!

 

[Nottingham59]

You have now filled all the paths on the Standedge route, maybe several times over, with services which could and should remain on other routes.

Depends on how they choose to develop the timetable for the Standedge route after TRU is completed. With the fastest accelerating EMUs available running any stopping service, the two/three track railway between Stalybridge and Huddersfield would have a capacity for much more than the 6tph it currently carries.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I tend to forget that when Brighouse reopened it wasn't just Brighouse but the chords too!

AIUI the major works were (i) reinstatement of curves at Bradley & Salterhebble; (ii) construction of stations at Brighouse and Elland (Elland was later shelved of course); and (iii) replacement of the A641 overbridge at the Brighouse station site. Plus signalling and related works.