£145m improvements for Hope Valley line begin

WORK to improve passenger train performance both in the Hope Valley and at the Sheffield end of the crossPennine route, got underway at the end of May. The line will be closed every weekend throughout July; Dore & Totley, Grindleford, Bamford and Hathersage stations will be closed. One of the problems on the route between Dore & Totley and Chinley is the lack of a freight loop, and with increasing numbers of aggregate trains on the line emerging from the quarries around Buxton, passenger services can get stuck behind slow moving freight trains. The £145m package of improvements will include: ■ a new loop in the eastbound direction between Bamford and Hathersage; ■ a new overbridge at west of Hathersage, replacing the current foot crossing between Castleton Road and Jaggers Lane; ■ platform extensions to accommodate longer trains; ■ reinstatment of the second track and platform at Dore & Totley station with a new footbridge and lifts; and ■ signalling improvements to improve reliability. The layout at Dore & Totley was rationalised in March 1985, meaning east and westbound services through the Hope Valley share the same platform, which has proven to be a significant bottleneck.

Network Rail says the car park at Dore & Totley will see some part and full closures, and there will also be changes to Northern and TransPennine services. TPE will divert its Manchester-Cleethorpes services via Huddersfield. A shuttle will run between Doncaster-Cleethorpes. Customers travelling between Sheffield and Doncaster will need to use another operator. Northern services from Manchester will terminate at Hope. Buses will operate from Chinley connecting onwards to Sheffield. East Midlands Railway will run connecting buses between Stockport-Sheffield or Chesterfield. Work on the whole project is expected to continue into 2023.