HUGE disruption for 2 weeks on train routes out of West Yorkshire
Many routes to Manchester are being part-suspended from tomorrow (31 July)
Last updated 30th Jul 2021
Huge disruption is on the way for train services between West Yorkshire and the North West of England.
From tomorrow (Saturday 31 July), routes travelling through Rochdale and Stalybridge towards Manchester Victoria will be part-suspended for 16 days.
A variety of reduced rail services and replacement buses will be running until (and including) Sunday 15 August.
Train operators say it's for major Network Rail engineering work on a Transpennine Route Upgrade.
Impact on routes
For up to date information on the impact on rail routes, Network Rail has a dedicated webpage: networkrail.co.uk/TRU
For passengers travelling from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Todmorden and Rochdale, buses will travel between Rochdale and Manchester Victoria and and Manchester Victoria and Moston.
The Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle route, which includes travel through Leeds, will divert and terminate at Manchester Piccadilly, instead of Victoria. Onward travel to Liverpool Lime Street is then available on a different service.
Trains between Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly, via Huddersfield, will divert via Stalybridge and Guide Bridge, with buses between Stalybridge, Guide Bridge and Ashton-under-Lyme.
Transpennine Route upgrade
The closure will see key sections of track renewed and bridges upgraded to improve reliability.
It's part of a wider project to upgrade the entire 76-mile Transpennine route from York to Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield.
This 2 week timeframe will see 3200m of new track and 17 new signals installed, as well as restructuring work on bridges.
Network Rail say the work will help run trains more quickly and frequently.