The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has reached another significant milestone in its mission to deliver faster, more frequent and more reliable rail services across West Yorkshire and the wider North, following the successful completion of a major programme of planned engineering works.
Work began on Saturday 2 May and concluded on Monday 25 May, with teams delivering a wide-ranging package of infrastructure improvements across the Huddersfield–Deighton corridor. The 24‑day line closure enabled critical upgrades to track, stations and structures, laying the foundations for increased capacity, improved reliability and future electrified services.
Key improvements delivered
During the closure, engineers completed a series of complex interventions, including:
- 6.2km of track replaced, improving ride quality and long-term reliability
- More than 50 overhead line equipment (OLE) foundation bases installed, supporting future electrification and greener services
- Reconstruction of Whitacre Street bridge in Deighton, with five beams weighing a combined 132 tonnes, creating space for the route to expand from two to four tracks so faster services can overtake stopping trains
- Platform remodelling at Huddersfield and Deighton stations, increasing capacity for longer trains and more seats for customers
- Construction of a new footbridge at Huddersfield station, enhancing step-free access and passenger circulation
Together, these works represent a major step forward in unlocking faster journey times and increased resilience on one of the North’s busiest rail corridors.
Industry leaders welcome progress
Sophie Leishman, TRU sponsor, said:
“Thanks to the hard work of our teams and the support from customers and local communities, this 24-day line closure has been a huge success. We made great strides in the upgrades of Huddersfield and Deighton stations, and made significant improvements to the railway between Huddersfield and Leeds.
“Across the programme, we are well on track with delivering a more reliable, electrified railway across the Pennines, with journey times reduced and capacity increased.”
To keep passengers moving throughout the closure, TRU deployed almost 2,500 trains across its £100m diversionary route network. This investment has strengthened the resilience of alternative routes, minimising disruption during major engineering work. In addition, nearly 650 Customer Delivery Manager shifts ensured staff were available at affected stations to support customers throughout the 24‑day period.
Liam O’Shaughnessy, TRU Programme Delivery Lead for Northern, said:
“A significant amount of work has been completed in and around Deighton during May and it’s fantastic to see what has been achieved by everyone involved in delivering this latest milestone for TRU.
“We’d like to thank our customers and local communities for their patience and understanding while these upgrade works have taken place. We’d also like to thank all our colleagues from across the industry who’ve come together to keep customers moving while these works have progressed, especially in utilising Brighouse station as an interchange for replacement buses, to keep customers moving between Huddersfield and Leeds.”
Focus shifts to Morley–Dewsbury upgrades
Attention now turns to TRU’s next major phase of work, with a further line closure planned between Morley and Dewsbury from Saturday 30 May to Saturday 27 June.
During this period, teams will deliver another intensive programme of improvements, including:
- Track and drainage renewals to improve reliability
- Installation of OLE masts to enable future electric services
- Batley station upgrades, improving platforms and accessibility
- Dewsbury station enhancements, including better customer facilities and footbridge strengthening
- Reconstruction of Jack Lane bridge in Dewsbury, enabling faster and longer trains to use the route
This phase marks another major step in the transformation of Batley and Dewsbury stations, both of which are scheduled for completion later this summer.
Once finished, the upgraded stations will offer improved accessibility, extended platforms for longer trains and enhanced passenger facilities, supporting better journeys for customers travelling across the North and reinforcing the long-term benefits of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
Image and Video credits: Network Rail
