Transpennine Route Upgrade - What immediate improvements will passengers see?

[Tractor37]

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.

Only just catching up on this thread but the service is to be retained after the TRU work is finished but is transferring from TPE to Northern, which I mentioned to our Area Operations Manager as an idea when we used to operate it as a Huddersfield to Castleford service before it transferred from us to TransPennine but he was told by the DfT that there was no business case to run it from Castleford to York. Next minute TP get the work and it can run through to York!!

 

[yorksrob]

Only just catching up on this thread but the service is to be retained after the TRU work is finished but is transferring from TPE to Northern, which I mentioned to our Area Operations Manager as an idea when we used to operate it as a Huddersfield to Castleford service before it transferred from us to TransPennine but he was told by the DfT that there was no business case to run it from Castleford to York. Next minute TP get the work and it can run through to York!!

Thanks, that's interesting to know - and good news that it's being retained.

I wonder why the transfer to Northern. Rolling stock ? It would suit a 158 I suppose. TPE seems to have a better supply of longer distance units at the moment.

 

[Fokx]

Before it transferred from us to TransPennine but he was told by the DfT that there was no business case to run it from Castleford to York. Next minute TP get the work and it can run through to York!!

Its because the route in it's entirety has surpassed passenger number and financial expectations.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Its because the route in it's entirety has surpassed passenger number and financial expectations.

Outstanding news.

 

[yorksrob]

Its because the route in it's entirety has surpassed passenger number and financial expectations.

Outstanding news.

That is indeed very good news.

 

[Iskra]

Its because the route in it's entirety has surpassed passenger number and financial expectations.

…but will it continue to do so when the Manchester service is withdrawn? Wakefield already had direct York services, it is highly likely that Manchester was the main attraction of this service.

*and Normanton of course @yorksrob

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Thanks, that's interesting to know - and good news that it's being retained.

I wonder why the transfer to Northern. Rolling stock ? It would suit a 158 I suppose. TPE seems to have a better supply of longer distance units at the moment.

Transfer to Northern (working under the assumption that GBR will continue to have some degree of operational separation between local and express services) makes perfect sense. It's a local stopping service that just happens to run for quite some distance.

As long as the route upgrade is ongoing, it'll probably continue to be run by TPE using the 185s as it does now (or rather when Huddersfield isn't blockaded). When the main focus of the work is on Stalybridge to Huddersfield, would be the sensible time to transfer it to Northern, as it'll likely see long spells of turning around at Huddersfield rather than Piccadilly. Presumably using 158s or 150s initially, before Northern's incoming bi-mode units arrive.

 

[Iskra]

Does anyone know when the wires will be energised between Huddersfield and York?

 

[dodecahedron67]

Does anyone know when the wires will be energised between Huddersfield and York?

2030 for it all IIRC.

Cross Gates - York is likely to be done beforehand so you may get the 802s using this wiring. The big things giving the 2030 finish date are Neville Hill remodelling, Morley Tunnel and the Ravensthorpe remodelling. Annoyingly the fact that Morley Tunnel and Ravensthorpe are the two big things means it's unlikely to get any wire usage between Huddersfield and Leeds until it's all finished, even if some of the wires are done beforehand

 

[Iskra]

2030 for it all IIRC.

Cross Gates - York is likely to be done beforehand so you may get the 802s using this wiring. The big things giving the 2030 finish date are Neville Hill remodelling, Morley Tunnel and the Ravensthorpe remodelling. Annoyingly the fact that Morley Tunnel and Ravensthorpe are the two big things means it's unlikely to get any wire usage between Huddersfield and Leeds until it's all finished, even if some of the wires are done beforehand

Thanks!

 

[yorksrob]

…but will it continue to do so when the Manchester service is withdrawn? Wakefield already had direct York services, it is highly likely that Manchester was the main attraction of this service.

*and Normanton of course @yorksrob

Are they definitely withdrawing it to Manchester ? I read @Tractor37 's post as meaning Northern would take over the whole route into Manchester.

 

[Djgr]

That is indeed very good news.

I have to say that I do enjoy bypassing Leeds, which is sometimes a source of delay both in and out.

 

[yorksrob]

I have to say that I do enjoy bypassing Leeds, which is sometimes a source of delay both in and out.

Indeed. There's just no need for every single trans pennine service to go through Leeds.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 May 2026 ==

Transfer to Northern (working under the assumption that GBR will continue to have some degree of operational separation between local and express services) makes perfect sense. It's a local stopping service that just happens to run for quite some distance.

As long as the route upgrade is ongoing, it'll probably continue to be run by TPE using the 185s as it does now (or rather when Huddersfield isn't blockaded). When the main focus of the work is on Stalybridge to Huddersfield, would be the sensible time to transfer it to Northern, as it'll likely see long spells of turning around at Huddersfield rather than Piccadilly. Presumably using 158s or 150s initially, before Northern's incoming bi-mode units arrive.

It already picks up the stopping service West of Huddersfield, so it would make sense to continue as a through service.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Anyone know when the Grid Feeder for the scheme is likely to go on.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It already picks up the stopping service West of Huddersfield, so it would make sense to continue as a through service.

Sorry, I meant it'll be turning at Huddersfield (or cancelled throughout- hopefully not!) while the line west of Huddersfield is being rebuilt. Not for that whole period of course, but it'll likely endure a number of extended blockades just as the lines east of Huddersfield have.

That would be the ideal time to transfer it to Northern, or rather the Northern department of GBR, as it'll make sense to use resources (crews and stock) from the Yorkshire side.

Once TRU is fully completed, I agree that there's a strong argument for running it as it does now (engineering blockades notwithstanding) going forwards, eventually using Northern's bi-mode units.

 

[yorksrob]

Sorry, I meant it'll be turning at Huddersfield (or cancelled throughout- hopefully not!) while the line west of Huddersfield is being rebuilt. Not for that whole period of course, but it'll likely endure a number of extended blockades just as the lines east of Huddersfield have.

That would be the ideal time to transfer it to Northern, or rather the Northern department of GBR, as it'll make sense to use resources (crews and stock) from the Yorkshire side.

Once TRU is fully completed, I agree that there's a strong argument for running it as it does now (engineering blockades notwithstanding) going forwards, eventually using Northern's bi-mode units.

Yes, indeed. I was thinking into the time after the upgrade.

 

[zwk500]

Anyone know when the Grid Feeder for the scheme is likely to go on.

It's in the V of the junction at Raventhorpe, so presumably will need to wait for major works on the new Baker viaduct to be completed? This Slide deck: https://www.thepwi.org/wp-content/u...-10_Transpennine-Route-Upgrade_D-Lawrance.pdf shows it's location in relation to the final state of the railway.

This post on the ECML PSU thread suggests that feeding Leeds-York can be done from existing (if upgraded) feeders:

ECML Power Supply Upgrade

Many thanks for the very clear schematics. Might it be possible to mark the transformer ratings at the FS sites? These could range from 7.5 to 26.5MVA IIRC for classic and 40 MVA up to AT. I like the diagrammatic representation of the overlap neutral sections (what used to be called quarter...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It's in the V of the junction at Raventhorpe, so presumably will need to wait for major works on the new Baker viaduct to be completed?

Sounds like about 2028 ish then.