Transpennine Route Upgrade and Electrification updates

brad465 · Tuesday at 22:08

How far off is the OHLE going live from Church Fenton to at least Micklefield? I assume all that's needed is for the last bit through Church Fenton under the new bridge to be installed then it's ready.

RailUK Forums

76020 · Tuesday at 23:30

1D53 said:
They were installed last weekend, in darkness over Saturday night, hence perhaps why no videos of them being installed.

Thanks for the clarification. I live nowhere near the TRU area but I find the upgrade extremely interesting.

43095john · Tuesday at 23:54

brad465 said:
How far off is the OHLE going live from Church Fenton to at least Micklefield? I assume all that's needed is for the last bit through Church Fenton under the new bridge to be installed then it's ready.

Once Church Fenton is done and the gap in wires filled I believe Testing/commissioning for Church Fenton - Micklefield wires is due for December

Imagine Micklefield - Neville Hill East to follow shortly after as most of that is almost complete. Just 3 miles of wires to fit all structures/steelwork already up.

Remaining gap will be Neville Hill area which will stay like that until that gets remodelled

brad465 · Wednesday at 00:41

43095john said:
Once Church Fenton is done and the gap in wires filled I believe Testing/commissioning for Church Fenton - Micklefield wires is due for December

Imagine Micklefield - Neville Hill East to follow shortly after as most of that is almost complete. Just 3 miles of wires to fit all structures/steelwork already up.

Remaining gap will be Neville Hill area which will stay like that until that gets remodelled

Thanks for confirming, I'm guessing some headway on the Micklefield-Neville Hill wires will be made during a couple of upcoming weekend closures through there.

LNW-GW Joint · Wednesday at 08:35

Just to add, and not really part of TRU, but stove-pipe attachments for OHL cantilevers are now installed on the Rochdale lines from Brownlee St to Miles Platting and beyond.
These will be for the new EMU sidings for terminating eastbound services, rather than in the station platforms at Victoria.
There are still some masts and wall fixings to go up, but mostly it is additions to the existing gantries which span all 4 tracks east of Manchester Victoria.

76020 · Wednesday at 10:03

76020 said:
Thanks for the clarification. I live nowhere near the TRU area but I find the upgrade extremely interesting.

On track with Tim is now updated showing all last weekends
work and a summary of the 16 day blockade.
The old part of the A62 bridge is still there.
The new staircases and footbridge at Deighton have been installed.

erikvd28 · Wednesday at 13:16

43095john said:
Once Church Fenton is done and the gap in wires filled I believe Testing/commissioning for Church Fenton - Micklefield wires is due for December

Imagine Micklefield - Neville Hill East to follow shortly after as most of that is almost complete. Just 3 miles of wires to fit all structures/steelwork already up.

Remaining gap will be Neville Hill area which will stay like that until that gets remodelled

Is that part going to be upgraded to 125mph then?

speedy1 · Wednesday at 13:18

1D53 said:
East of Stalybridge to Heaton Lodge and Huddersfield to Lockwood, no access to Marsden.

Thanks!

fat_boy_pete · Wednesday at 15:00

76020 said:
On track with Tim is now updated showing all last weekends
work and a summary of the 16 day blockade.
The old part of the A62 bridge is still there.
The new staircases and footbridge at Deighton have been installed.

A link to the 42 minute long video for those who want it.

There is speculation in the comments of this video that the old bridge might be demolished during this weekend's blockade.

LNW-GW Joint · Wednesday at 15:46

Until this week, and confirmed by Tim's excellent overhead video, I hadn't realised how much curvature there is in Gledholt Tunnel.
You get no feel for that while passing through on a train.

Tim_UK · Wednesday at 18:44

I had a couple of hours spare in Huddersfield today so went for a look around.

A641 Bradford road - they are still cladding the new concrete bridge.

The viaduct has overhead spans at both ends, but a few missing in the middle.

Deighton has stairs and bridges. They are really hard to see from the road - and below the level of the new car park parapet. I couldn't see if the fast lines installed in Deighton. Chap says they plan to hand the side back to Network Rail in April.

Leeds Road bridge is still there. No fast lines either side. Still groundworks to do either side.

Wheatleys colliery bridge is still shut - I think it is still utilities work.

The 4 tracking is down to Colne Bridge Bridge. Nothing further east. Power supply building is still there.

There are some droppers on gantries visible from Colne Bridge Road to the West.

Feel free to ask questions and I'll post the pictures later.

YorksLad12 · Wednesday at 18:52

43095john said:
Once Church Fenton is done and the gap in wires filled I believe Testing/commissioning for Church Fenton - Micklefield wires is due for December

Imagine Micklefield - Neville Hill East to follow shortly after as most of that is almost complete. Just 3 miles of wires to fit all structures/steelwork already up.

Remaining gap will be Neville Hill area which will stay like that until that gets remodelled

I'm sure I've seen gaps in the steelwork between Cross Gates and Micklefield, but can't remember where. Not in the office again until Monday, but will have a look. When you're on the train it's difficult to see which wires are up, but missing masts are fairly obvious.

Iskra · Wednesday at 19:05

LNW-GW Joint said:
Just to add, and not really part of TRU, but stove-pipe attachments for OHL cantilevers are now installed on the Rochdale lines from Brownlee St to Miles Platting and beyond.
These will be for the new EMU sidings for terminating eastbound services, rather than in the station platforms at Victoria.
There are still some masts and wall fixings to go up, but mostly it is additions to the existing gantries which span all 4 tracks east of Manchester Victoria.

Thanks for this update, I noticed the work on those sidings this week, but wasn't sure why. What services could turn around there?

YorkshireBear · Wednesday at 19:17

YorksLad12 said:
I'm sure I've seen gaps in the steelwork between Cross Gates and Micklefield, but can't remember where. Not in the office again until Monday, but will have a look. When you're on the train it's difficult to see which wires are up, but missing masts are fairly obvious.

I should be in Friday I'll take a look. I'm sure last time I checked there wasn't any.

KN94 · Wednesday at 21:22

Iskra said:
Thanks for this update, I noticed the work on those sidings this week, but wasn't sure why. What services could turn around there?

I believe it's to enable a new Northern timetable that splits quite a few services at Manchester Victoria, with them running off into the West Sidings or the new Brewery Sidings rather than taking up platform space.
I want to say May 2027 but that might have slipped.

Iskra · 2026-10-08T08:07:02+0100

KN94 said:
I believe it's to enable a new Northern timetable that splits quite a few services at Manchester Victoria, with them running off into the West Sidings or the new Brewery Sidings rather than taking up platform space.
I want to say May 2027 but that might have slipped.

Thanks!

neil65 · 2026-10-09T14:06:08+0100

Another of my updates regarding the TPRU & Huddersfield Station rebuild
Starting off with a couple of videos taken from the class 185 i was travelling on from
Dewsbury to Ravensthorpe, The Baker Viaduct