Transpennine Upgrade : Manchester/Leeds

[CWJ]

NR has released their Network Change paperwork for the biggest element of the TRU (in my opinion), which is the reinststement of 4 tracks between Huddersfield and Ravensthorpe, with a new cutting for the 100mph fast lines at Heaton Lodge Jn, a new flying junction at Ravensthorpe and the remodelling of Huddersfield among other things.

 

Coupled with all the behind-the scenes feasibility, design and consultation work, plus some enabling works on the ground, I'd say this means it's pretty certain to go ahead.

 

There used to be a really good description on NR's website but it's been taken down. This video sums it up well:

 

 

Cheers,

 

Will

 

PS. I forgot to mention that this part of the project includes electrification 🙄  Pretty importsnt given the title of the thread! 

Edited December 15, 2023 by CWJ
To actually mention electrification.

[CWJ]

PS. Is everyone enjoying the TV ads featuring a reliveried Hornby Class 800 and a Northern Class 331 made out of a Bachmann 150?

 

 

Someone on here will know who made them 🙂

[jamie92208]

It looks pretty good to me.   

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

I stumbled on this video on YouTube.quite technical at times with an alphabet soup of acronyms but interesting. 

 

The only mention of the Leeds to Dewsbury section was a snip about getting approvals for electrification clearances through Morley tunnel.

 

Jamie

Edited February 6 by jamie92208

[4630]

I posted the following image on the class 800 thread but as it's also illustrating some of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) work currently underway, I thought I'd add it here too.

 

The image is of 802204 passing through Deighton station, east of Huddersfield and shows the vegetation clearance that has been undertaken over the past couple of months.  As can be seen, a site meeting was also underway.

 

 

In response to a query that was raised on the class 800 thread regarding the TRU plan at Deighton, as many will know in steam days the formation at this point was wide enough for four tracks, subsequently rationalised to the current two.  The existing Deighton station being a much later addition, opening on 26th April 1982.  

 

From the TRU plans it seems as though the cutting slope will be reprofiled allowing the existing Up and Down Huddersfield to be slewed to the right.  They will then become the Up and Down Slow.

 

With the additional width to the formation thereby created, the new Up and Down Fast will be constructed on the left and through what is currently platform 2.

 

A new station will be constructed, serving only the two slow lines and although mostly on the existing site, the 'footprint' will be slightly further towards Huddersfield. 

[4630]

Following on from my last post showing the position at Deighton, I thought it would be interesting to show the state of play at other locations along the Huddersfield line where Transpennine Route (TRU) upgrade work is now gathering pace.

 

As and when time allows I'll try to cover all the publicly accessible areas along the railway heading east from Huddersfield, where work is either planned or underway.

 

This update shows the position ½ mile east of Deighton station at Bradley Junction where there is a connection, now a single line, to the former LNWR line to Bradley Wood Junction and the L&Y Calder Valley line.  This connection is primarily used these days by the hourly local services between Huddersfield and Bradford Interchange via Halifax, operated by Northern.

 

View at Bradley Junction looking west towards Deighton and Huddersfield, taken on 11th February 2024.

 

The new Fast lines with OHL will be sited on the left of the current formation.  The  Up and Down Huddersfield lines, to be renamed the Up and Down Slow also with OHL, and Bradley Junction are to remain as currently shown. 

 

The overbridge in the distance - Wheatley's Colliery Lane Overbridge - which is a cycle route is to be demolished and replaced with a new structure.

 

For historical interest, the building on the right adjacent to Bradley Junction is the former station building for Bradley station which was closed on 4th March 1950 and is now in private hands.

 

View at Bradley Junction looking east towards Colne Bridge and on to Heaton Lodge Junction, taken on 11th February 2024.

 

The route for the new Fast lines has already been cleared here.

 

The overbridge in the distance - B6118 Colne Bridge Road - is to be demolished and replaced with a new structure.

 

For ease of reference, the following Google Maps link may be helpful for those unfamiliar with this part of God's Own County West Yorkshire;

 

Bradley Junction

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13 by 4630

[62613]

There was a meeting between Mossley Town Council, and some of the TRU people last Wednesday evening, to explain the plans for Mossley station. As some who live near that town know, there are problems getting the knitting under Stamford Road bridge (Mossley Brow); the bridge can't really be raised, due to the gradients of the road. This means that either the track and platforms would have to be lowered, or the solution proposed, a new station in a different location. There are problems of access for infirm and disabled people at the existing station

 

The second solution is going to be adopted; a new station, 300 yards uphill from the existing one with proper disabled access (lifts). This is in the area of the exit from the old goods yard. The existing ticket office is listed and will be repurposed (apparently).

 

Looking at Greenfield station, some similar problems exist there, IMHO.

Edited February 24 by 62613
added "track and" before "platforms"

[jamie92208]

Two thi gs,. 

 

Apparently a class 331 has run as a proving train from Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge. 

 

Secondly this video of works at Ravensthrpe has just been posted. 

 

No very informative but there does seem to be a lot of work going on. 

 

Jamie

[peanuts]

On 23/02/2024 at 21:07, 62613 said:

There was a meeting between Mossley Town Council, and some of the TRU people last Wednesday evening, to explain the plans for Mossley station. As some who live near that town know, there are problems getting the knitting under Stamford Road bridge (Mossley Brow); the bridge can't really be raised, due to the gradients of the road. This means that either the track and platforms would have to be lowered, or the solution proposed, a new station in a different location. There are problems of access for infirm and disabled people at the existing station

 

The second solution is going to be adopted; a new station, 300 yards uphill from the existing one with proper disabled access (lifts). This is in the area of the exit from the old goods yard. The existing ticket office is listed and will be repurposed (apparently).

 

Looking at Greenfield station, some similar problems exist there, IMHO.

the footbridge at Greenfield is supposedly going and either being replaced with a new structure and lifts or the old underpass being reinstated and access built  from Oldham road for disabled to the eastbound platform.the road bridge is a major obstacle can only see lowering of the track bed 

[62613]

5 minutes ago, peanuts said:

the footbridge at Greenfield is supposedly going and either being replaced with a new structure and lifts or the old underpass being reinstated and access built  from Oldham road for disabled to the eastbound platform.the road bridge is a major obstacle can only see lowering of the track bed 

Which what I was saying. Marsden doesn't look right brilliant, either, come to think of it

[jamie92208]

Rail Focus have just uploaded a video about the project. 

 

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Rail Focus has uploaded another video about the TRU, this one concentrates on  the Huddersfield to Dewsbury stretch. 

 

Jamie

[62613]

Just now, 62613 said:

Huddersfield Station closed at the moment, for the first phase of the changes. TPE were operating an hourly Manchester - Marsden shuttle on Good Friday. I used the 0812 to go from Stalybridge to Greenfield; I nearly had the train to myself.

 

[jamie92208]

There are various videos on YouTube from the weekend showing the major works over Easter.  There is work at Mirfield and Ravensthrpe but the major work appears to be at Huddersfield.  I think this is a 10 day closure. It seems that there is work goi g on in the station to create the extra platform to the north in the stabling sidi gs and the it seems that a bridge in the viaduct is being replaced.  I think that it's one span of the viaduct over Bradford Road.  From the several video as posted by Sarah Bell they have removed a steel span on the north side of the viaduct. There is a large crane there and the old span is bei g cut up in the roadway.  I think that the southern pair of tracks which cross a stone arch are still in place.   

 

I'm fairly certain about Bradford Road as I used to cycle that way to the Poly in 1972 and have memories of an Indian takeaway there. 

 

Jamie

[4630]

Here are some photos @jamie92208 from 30th and 31st March of the work in Huddersfield, involving the removal of the steel span across the A641 Bradford Road. 

 

And for those unfamiliar with the area, the following Google Maps reference might help;

 

A641 Bradford Road Huddersfield

 

Mid-morning on the 30th March.

 

 

 

 

Late morning on 31st March.

 

 

 

There were three engineers' trains at Mirfield over 30th/31st March which seemed to be in connection with further track fettling around the station following the work to remove platform 2 there a couple of months ago.  Photos can be found in the class 66 thread here;

 

 

Huddersfield station is currently closed with diversions along the Calder Valley line via Brighouse.   Only limited services are available from Huddersfield between 2nd and 5th April - basically an hourly TransPennine Express stopping service westwards between Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly and an hourly Northern service along the Penistone line between Huddersfield and Sheffield.

 

The line between Huddersfield eastwards to Heaton Lodge Junction is closed, with the exception for access for around a dozen engineers' trains scheduled over the coming days, until 'normal' service resumes on the morning of 8th April 2024.   I believe the majority of these engineers' trains are in connection with work ongoing around Deighton, Bradley Junction and Colne Bridge that I referenced in my post on 6th February 2024.

 

Work was ongoing at Deighton on 30th March as shown in the following photo;

 

 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

Thanks very much for that @4630@4630.   72/73 Iwas at the Poly lib NG ianmouse infested bedsit up Halifax Old Road so Bradford Road was my way into town.  The Indian curry house was known to us a Chiefeys and we never asked exactly what kind of meat was in his fridge.  It:s great to see real evidence of the work ongoing. I presume that the rep, a cement span is somewhere nearby ready to be lifted into place.

 

Jamie

[4630]

20 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Thanks very much for that @4630@4630.   72/73 Iwas at the Poly lib NG ianmouse infested bedsit up Halifax Old Road so Bradford Road was my way into town. 

I know Halifax Old Road very well as my house is located on the other side of the Grimscar Valley looking across towards it.  It’s a well known short cut into Hudds from the M62 and is also now a nighttime racetrack for the local boy (and girl too I would guess) racers. 😕  It’s a bit of road around here that I go out of my way to avoid!  

There is a lot of enabling work going on now virtually the full length of the line between Huddersfield and Dewsbury.  
 

There was a short concrete span on an artic trailer when I was there on the 31st, but it appeared to me to be too short to bridge the gap.  It’s on my list to investigate tomorrow.

[Mol_PMB]

There's a lot of detail on the Huddersfield station plans here, including the various options considered and the final design:

 

https://gat04-live-1517c8a4486c41609369c68f30c8-aa81074.divio-media.org/filer_public/7b/c3/7bc3698e-fdc6-48db-ac71-ce3c1d46eee9/nr15a_huddersfield_station_design_and_access_statement.pdf

[Mol_PMB]

NR’s latest trackplan for Huddersfield station ;-)

[Mol_PMB]

I thought the TRU was about electrification and capacity improvements, but apparently it’s just a free bag of snacks.

 

Better than nothing I suppose!
These were being handed out at Hudds this evening.  

[KingEdwardII]

1 hour ago, Mol_PMB said:

it’s just a free bag of snacks.

Bribery CAN win you friends...

[corneliuslundie]

"just a free bag of snacks."

No doubt factored into the contractor's price and therefore paid for by NR, ie by you.

Jonathan

[jamie92208]

Sarah Bell has just uploaded a video showing works at Heaton Lodge and Deighton. Well produced. 

 

Is the new bridge installed over Bradford Road in Huddersfield yet?

 

Jamie

[4630]

There's a seven page article about the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) in the May issue of Modern Railways.

 

Much of the content will be familiar to readers of this forum, but the article draws on input from Neil Holm, who is the TRU Managing Director, so IMHO should be the definitive version of the project, in terms of scope, and current and planned progress. 

 

 

On 12/04/2024 at 11:27, jamie92208 said:

Is the new bridge installed over Bradford Road in Huddersfield yet?

 

Jamie

 

Not yet Jamie, but I don't believe the instal was planned for during the recent rail line and Bradford Road closure.  It'll be during one of the later closures.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, 4630 said:

There's a seven page article about the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) in the May issue of Modern Railways.

 

Much of the content will be familiar to readers of this forum, but the article draws on input from Neil Holm, who is the TRU Managing Director, so IMHO should be the definitive version of the project, in terms of scope, and current and planned progress. 

 

 

 

Not yet Jamie, but I don't believe the instal was planned for during the recent rail line and Bradford Road closure.  It'll be during one of the later closures.

Thanks, I will hopefully receive MR later this week.  Sarah Bell uploaded another progress video and it showed them pumping concrete up to the viaduct on Bradford Road, obviously for footings for the new span. 

 

Jamie