‘Milestone’ Transpennine route improvements approved

THE signing of a Transport and Works Act order by the Transport Secretary on June 27 will pave the way for a faster, greener, better-connected railway on the Leeds-Manchester TransPennine route. The approval follows three years of planning, a public consultation and a public inquiry.

Described by Network Rail as the biggest milestone the Transpennine Route Upgrade has achieved, improvements will be undertaken between

Huddersfield and Westtown (Dewsbury).

The plans are for a fourtrack electrified railway from Huddersfield to Westtown, along with station upgrades at Huddersfield, and Deighton which will gain step-free access. At Mirfield, the existing single westbound platform will disappear, and step-free access provided to the current island platform from the south side.

The biggest changes, however, will be seen at Ravensthorpe. Here the station on the LeedsHuddersfield line is adjacent to Thornhill LNW junction and Network Rail plans to demolish the existing station and build a new one some 300 yards to the west. This will allow a flyover to be built as part of the grade separation of the line from

Leeds with that from Wakefield Kirkgate. There will be a new connection from the Wakefield line into the new Ravensthorpe station, opening up journey opportunities not previously possible. The flyover will allow fast services between Leeds and Manchester to pass by unhindered by local trains.

A new, additional viaduct is planned over the River

Calder and Calder & Hebble Navigation for the extra pair of fast lines before the formation reverts back to two just before Dewsbury.

Neil Holm, Transpennine Route Upgrade Director for Network Rail, said: “This is a massive success for the Transpennine Route Upgrade. Work on this part of the route is essential for unlocking wider benefits for passengers travelling between York and Manchester via Leeds and Huddersfield and it’ll allow us to run more trains along the route.”

■ The Transport and Works Act Order was needed because some improvements include building new sections of railway outside of the existing boundaries.

CHRIS MILNER TransPennine Class 802 No. 802204 passes through Ravensthorpe station on August 14, 2020. The station will move 300 yards to behind the vantage point and the line will be electrified. Earthworks for the grade separation, realignment and flyover for the diverted lines from Wakefield (on the right) will take place on the footprint of the existing station site. Hopefully a suitable home can be found for the footbridge.