Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

[59CosG95]

It's all blocked from Bradley Jn to Dewsbury East Jn so must be something pretty major.

All lines? Must be something OLE related then.
Edit - trackwork, as per post 10,530 above mine!

 

[speedy1]

Not sure they could have made the Huddersfield to Leeds alternatives more annoying. The change at Sowerby gets you the busy 2 carriage Northern service instead of connecting with the later 5 car service. Running a Huddersfield to Leeds via Halifax surely was theoretically possible?

And the bus goes via Dewsbury, taking just over an hour. No directs lol

Edit: Even better today ! The inbound from Manchester Airport arrives at the exact same time the Victoria service for Sowerby Bridge leaves, so that would add an hour if you wanted to stick to the trains.

 

[stevieinselby]

Still pretty feeble in my opinion. Leeds to Manchester is 40 miles as the crow flies, so that is an average speed of less than 60mph.

For reasons that are pretty obvious to anyone who has seen The Pennines, trains crossing them don't follow the same route as crows. The railway route is about 15–20% longer than a straight line would be, so the actual platform-to-platform average speed between Leeds and Man Vic will be considerably higher than 60mph. Even on the current arrangements and at quiet times of day, the train is typically a comparable time to driving, and for much of the time is already quicker even before cutting 10 minutes off the journey. Without boring a new tunnel in a straight line right under the hills, you're going to struggle to get journey times down much more.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

According to the ELR numbers it's just over 42 miles from Victoria to Leeds.
(I'm going off MDL2 which ends at Whitehall West Jnc at 42m 25c, datum is listed as Victoria via Huddersfield)

 

[QueensCurve]

For reasons that are pretty obvious to anyone who has seen The Pennines, trains crossing them don't follow the same route as crows. The railway route is about 15–20% longer than a straight line would be, so the actual platform-to-platform average speed between Leeds and Man Vic will be considerably higher than 60mph. Even on the current arrangements and at quiet times of day, the train is typically a comparable time to driving, and for much of the time is already quicker even before cutting 10 minutes off the journey. Without boring a new tunnel in a straight line right under the hills, you're going to struggle to get journey times down much more.

There is so much that could be done to remove slow turnout speeds.

 

[Killingworth]

There is so much that could be done to remove slow turnout speeds.

When the Hope Valley Capacity Scheme was being explained I recall talk of the Dore Station Junction planned turnout speeds having to be reduced because higher speed pointwork was going to add significant extra cost for modest benefit - and there may have been a suggestion that such tailor made track work couldn't be made in Britain at that time.

Nothing is as easy as it may seem on the railway.

 

[swt_passenger]

I noticed in some of the recent videos about Dewsbury that a couple of people have commented about the platforms there being altered to provide level access. Is this wishful thinking? Isn’t it the case that the platforms are being altered to match following the track being lowered slightly, to give electrification clearance. I haven’t seen anything official suggesting level access is being aimed for generally across the route?

Or, it might end up better than before, but not actually ‘level’. Does anyone know for sure?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Level access to National Rail trains the height of current trains at Dewsbury won't happen anywhere outside of the Elizabeth line core and Heathrow. So no chance of level boarding until Northern's new trains arrive for the line I the 2030s, which will have at least some level boarding (the likes of which Stadler's British trains have in full).

 

[Ian Hardy]

There is so much that could be done to remove slow turnout speeds.

That is why they remodelled Stalybridge in 2023, having only done it 11 years earlier in 2012. The issue was that the 2012 scheme didn't produce higher speeds for the line towards Victoria as Piccadilly was the centre of the universe. Since then TPE services were moved to Victoria and so the 2023 scheme rectified that.
When Huddersfield is finished, the turnout speeds will be increased there as well.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

Level access to National Rail trains the height of current trains at Dewsbury won't happen anywhere outside of the Elizabeth line core and Heathrow. So no chance of level boarding until Northern's new trains arrive for the line I the 2030s, which will have at least some level boarding (the likes of which Stadler's British trains have in full).

Yeah they definitely should and would not be altering the platforms to fit the old standard train height. It would be out of gauge with container freight anyway I think

 

[Batley Lad]

Interesting pictures thanks. There looks to be lots to do before the blockade ends.
Unlike Dewsbury unless ive missed something they dont seem to be renewing the track at Batley.
K

Track renewal started today:

 

[superkev]

Track renewal started today:

View attachment 206021

View attachment 206018View attachment 206019View attachment 206020

Thanks, interesting. I note the weaver green banded lighting columns have been erected on the station side.
K

 

[nr758123]

Not sure they could have made the Huddersfield to Leeds alternatives more annoying. The change at Sowerby gets you the busy 2 carriage Northern service instead of connecting with the later 5 car service. Running a Huddersfield to Leeds via Halifax surely was theoretically possible?

And the bus goes via Dewsbury, taking just over an hour. No directs lol

Edit: Even better today ! The inbound from Manchester Airport arrives at the exact same time the Victoria service for Sowerby Bridge leaves, so that would add an hour if you wanted to stick to the trains.

The current (June) Saturday service at Huddersfield consists of an hourly stopping service on the Penistone line, an hourly stopping service to/from Piccadilly, and an hourly service to Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, etc, Victoria. It's quite frustrating that almost none of them connect well with each other, not helped by having to walk right to the far end of the renumbered platform 3 to use the new footbridge.

Incidentally, can anyone shed any light on why the stairs on platform 3 face outwards towards Deighton, extending the walking distance and time when changing platforms and trains. Was there a reason why the stairs couldn't face towards the centre of the station?

It also seems a bit daft, when there are two trains per hour to Manchester, that the departure times from Huddersfield are so close together that the Victoria train departs just before the train to Piccadilly but is overtaken and arrives in Manchester later.

 

[D6130]

Incidentally, can anyone shed any light on why the stairs on platform 3 face outwards towards Deighton, extending the walking distance and time when changing platforms and trains. Was there a reason why the stairs couldn't face towards the centre of the station?

May be something to do with the new location for the rebuilt listed café?

 

[speedy1]

Incidentally, can anyone shed any light on why the stairs on platform 3 face outwards towards Deighton, extending the walking distance and time when changing platforms and trains. Was there a reason why the stairs couldn't face towards the centre of the station?

Hasn't the platform had an extension and perhaps the bridge will look less out of place once the extension is open? And once the subway is reopened too of course, in the sense that people won't use it quite so much.

But yes still strikes me as a bit odd and I'm curious too

 

[3RDGEN]

Incidentally, can anyone shed any light on why the stairs on platform 3 face outwards towards Deighton, extending the walking distance and time when changing platforms and trains. Was there a reason why the stairs couldn't face towards the centre of the station?

Once complete the rebuilt island platform and the new platforms will be much further East than current so having the footbridge that way will distribute passengers along the platforms. With the subway back in use it will provide access at the West end and the new footbridge the East end of the new build platforms.

There are a few Artist Impressions of the rebuilt Huddersfield station on the TRU website at "https://thetrupgrade.co.uk/yourstation/huddersfield/", you need to scroll down a bit.

 

[swt_passenger]

May be something to do with the new location for the rebuilt listed café?

I think the columns holding up the main east end canopy extension on P3 will be right where you’d want a flight of stairs facing towards the middle of the station to come down. So it would need to be offset to the P3 side of the platform width to put the stairs under the new high canopy. The P4 side new canopy would not be high enough. Then the position necessary to avoid the columns might become too close to the P3 platform edge.
.

 

[edwin_m]

Fire evacuation considerations may also determine where the steps are.

 

[QueensCurve]

That is why they remodelled Stalybridge in 2023, having only done it 11 years earlier in 2012. The issue was that the 2012 scheme didn't produce higher speeds for the line towards Victoria as Piccadilly was the centre of the universe. Since then TPE services were moved to Victoria and so the 2023 scheme rectified that.
When Huddersfield is finished, the turnout speeds will be increased there as well.

I always wondered why Stalybridge was remodelled twice in so short a time. I didn't realise it was as long as 11 years.

 

[MboroFC]

Hi,

I passed Morley recently and saw works outside the station on the platform two side. Want to say I saw a catenary maintenance vehicle when flying through but there were a lot of vans, skips, hi Vis workers.

If anyone could shed some light, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[grdc]

Hi,

I passed Morley recently and saw works outside the station on the platform two side. Want to say I saw a catenary maintenance vehicle when flying through but there were a lot of vans, skips, hi Vis workers.

If anyone could shed some light, that would be greatly appreciated.

They have added some more masts in-between the gasworks (Natasha Elliot) footbridge and Morley station.

There had been a significant pause in his work.

This was the last mast before the station in November 2024:


No more masts were put in between that time and the last two weeks.

Here was the view last Monday:



There was some gear sat there waiting to be erected:




There has also been lots of work going on inside Morley tunnel during the numerous recent possessions.

No idea what, apart from it involving ballast, but I did enjoy seeing workmen coming and going in their people mover. Can't have them walking to work in the tunnel, its 2 miles long!





Noticed this antenna on the old Leeds bound platform, presumably helps communicate with those working in the tunnel?

 

[MboroFC]

That's interesting, thanks. Would I be right in saying that the site on the platform two side is for storing maintenance vehicles and equipment?

 

[grdc]

That's interesting, thanks. Would I be right in saying that the site on the platform two side is for storing maintenance vehicles and equipment?

Yes, there's a big gravelly yard behind more or less the full length of Platform 2, where various vehicles and supplies have been stored over the last few years. There is a point just past the end of the platforms (Leeds end) where the compound access is, and the level-crossing allowing the road/rail vehicles to transfer on and off the tracks.

This picture, taken during the construction of the new station in February 2023, gives a clear view of the compound before the lift shafts obscured the view.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Will it be quad track through Morley?

 

[Monkeyhead]

Some new structures have appeared at Garforth since last time I was here - the massive structure plonked in the middle of the platforms seems a bit unfortunately placed though

 

[YorkshireBear]

Will it be quad track through Morley?

No

 

[MboroFC]

Yes, there's a big gravelly yard behind more or less the full length of Platform 2, where various vehicles and supplies have been stored over the last few years. There is a point just past the end of the platforms (Leeds end) where the compound access is, and the level-crossing allowing the road/rail vehicles to transfer on and off the tracks.

This picture, taken during the construction of the new station in February 2023, gives a clear view of the compound before the lift shafts obscured the view.
View attachment 206126

That's really helpful, thanks. Wow I hadn't realised there used to be a big mound there as as well.

Might turn into a car park by the end as a guess.

 

[quantinghome]

Some new structures have appeared at Garforth since last time I was here - the massive structure plonked in the middle of the platforms seems a bit unfortunately placed though

Wow, they're certainly putting the can into cantilever...

The one on the platform is massive - from the look of it they have had to set it back behind the footbridge stairs to avoid it getting in the way any more than it already does. That means the span is huge and the column size has to be very big to support it.

 

[Monkeyhead]

I hadn’t realised until the train journey back from York that the wiring seems to be up form Church Fenton to Micklefield, and plenty of structures up to East Garforth that look ready for having wires installed.

 

[grdc]

That's really helpful, thanks. Wow I hadn't realised there used to be a big mound there as as well.

Might turn into a car park by the end as a guess.

Unfortunately that land, despite previously being sidings, no longer owned by the railway. Network rail are merely borrowing it.

All of the plots down valley road, former railway and former gasworks are a little bit "skeevy," and have been subject to various rejected planning requests.

First houses, then a traveller encampment, then *drum roll* a totally unofficial railway car park complete with coffee kiosk.

<a href="https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/o...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=S5NAAVJBKUW00">Planning link</a> This was refused, as the council were unhappy with the amount of traffic it would generate on the narrow bridge above the tunnel portal, and the fact that they had no permission from network rail to actually access the station from the site.

So, once the TPRU people have moved on, it will presumably go back to being "open storage" land full of decommissioned semi trailers and shipping containers used for storing god-knows-what, alsacians roaming around, etc.