We’re upgrading sections of the Transpennine route between Huddersfield and Leeds from this bank holiday Monday 26 May until Friday 20 June.
Four weeks of work will give you faster, more frequent and greener journeys in the long term between York and Manchester via Leeds and Huddersfield.
Lengthening the platforms at Dewsbury station
Starting on Monday, teams will work on extending the platforms at Dewsbury station by 200 metres. This is needed to allow longer trains to stop at the station – giving you more space and more seats, reducing overcrowding and making your journeys more comfortable. It’s on track to finish by next summer.
We’ll also extend the canopies and waiting areas at the station to accommodate more people and make your experience more pleasant.
Renewing track inside Morley tunnel
Nearby at Morley tunnel, engineers will renew two kilometres of track and drainage. These upgrades will allow faster and more frequent trains to pass through in the future.
Plus, we’ll prepare the tunnel for upcoming electrification work that will allow electric trains to run inside as well.
Electrification work
We’ll also continue installing overhead line equipment on the line between Dewsbury and Leeds that will power electric trains in the future.
It’s part of our wider £11bn Transpennine Route Upgrade that will bring electric trains along the full 70-mile route between York and Manchester.
We’ve already made significant strides by successfully electrifying a large section of the route between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge early last year. You’ve been able to catch the greener, quieter and more reliable electric trains here since last August.
We reached another milestone in our journey when the first test electric train ran successfully along the line between York and Church Fenton in September. We expect the first electric passenger services to start this summer.
Check before you travel
Andrew Campbell, project sponsor for Transpennine Route Upgrade at Network Rail, said: “The upcoming period is key for the Transpennine Route Upgrade, where a wide range of upgrades across West Yorkshire will bring us a step closer to faster, more frequent trains with more seats through the area and beyond.”
We’ll need to close sections of the railway between Huddersfield and Leeds to allow our teams to safely carry out the work. Please check your journeys across the Pennines from Monday 26 May to Friday 20 June – for the weekends and weekdays – with National Rail or your train operator.
