What’s happening on the Transpennine Route this spring? Upgrade dates, station changes, and delays explained

If you’re planning to take the train anywhere between Manchester and Leeds or beyond over the next couple of months, you’ll want to keep reading. The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is kicking into another big phase this spring, and yep, that means more weekend works, delays, and temporary changes. But before you start moaning (and fair enough), here’s why it’s happening and what to expect.

Why the Transpennine Route is getting a major upgrade

Let’s be honest, the northern rail network has needed a bit of a glow-up for years. Trains between Huddersfield, Leeds, and Manchester often run late, feel overcrowded, or crawl along like it’s still 1985. The TRU is all about changing that.

This spring, the engineers are getting stuck into some important parts of the route—replacing old track, sorting out bridges, updating the signalling systems, and getting the tunnels and viaducts into better shape. The goal? Faster, more reliable trains and less grumbling at the platform.

Here’s what’s going on and when it might affect your journey.

Weekend works: Huddersfield to Mirfield and beyond

🗓️ Saturday 10 May – Sunday 11 May

Kicking off with a busy weekend between Marsden and Mirfield via Huddersfield. If you're around Deighton or Huddersfield station, expect a lot of action. Engineers will be:

• Upgrading Huddersfield viaduct
• Installing new track and overhead line equipment in Deighton
• Carrying out improvement works at both Deighton and Huddersfield stations

If you're commuting or planning a weekend trip—especially with a change at Huddersfield—this might not be the smoothest weekend for rail.

Four more weekends of work: Huddersfield to Dewsbury

🗓️ Saturday 17 May – Sunday 15 June (excluding 24–25 May)

Over four weekends (except the bank holiday weekend of 24–25 May, thank goodness), the busy bit of railway between Huddersfield and Dewsbury is getting a proper revamp. Here's what’s happening:

• Bridge repairs and upgrades
• Laying new track sections
• Sorting out drainage (yep, boring but very necessary when it floods every five minutes)

Think of this stretch like a major A-road during roadworks—expect some detours and delays, but it’ll be worth it when it’s smoother in the future.

Weekday works: Ravensthorpe to Leeds

🗓️ Monday 26 May – Friday 20 June

If you're commuting into Leeds from places like Dewsbury, Batley, or Morley, brace yourself. There's weekday work going on for nearly a month. It’s quite a big one too:

• 1,500 metres of new track
• More bridge works (again, in Dewsbury and nearby towns)

This bit is all about improving reliability on the urban commuter stretch, so trains don’t get stuck behind freight or crawl through bottlenecks anymore.

Leeds to Church Fenton: final phase of spring works

🗓️ Saturday 7 June – Sunday 29 June

Four weekends of work between Neville Hill (Leeds) and Church Fenton. Expect:

• Signalling system upgrades (basically, the railway’s version of traffic lights)
• More overhead line work
• Track renewals in the area

Church Fenton might sound like a sleepy spot, but it’s key for connecting Leeds with York and the East Coast line, so this work matters more than you might think.

What this means for your travel plans

Let’s not sugarcoat it—your usual train might not be running, or it might be on a bus replacement service (urgh, the worst). So make sure you:

• Check before you travel on sites like TransPennine Express, National Rail, or Northern
• Don’t rely on “same as last week”—works change and timetables are shifting constantly

And if you’re planning a weekend away or commuting into work, give yourself a bit of extra time, especially on the above dates.

Quick recap of the spring works

Here’s a snapshot of the dates and what’s happening:

Dates	Area	What’s happening
10–11 May	Marsden to Mirfield (via Huddersfield)	Track upgrades, overhead lines, viaduct work
17 May – 15 June (weekends, excl. 24–25 May)	Huddersfield to Dewsbury	Bridge repairs, drainage, new track
26 May – 20 June (weekdays)	Ravensthorpe to Leeds	1,500m new track, bridge work
7–29 June (weekends)	Leeds to Church Fenton	Signalling upgrade, track renewals, overhead lines

Quotation

“We advise customers to always check their travel details before travelling to ensure the most up to date journey information has been received.”

Fair advice—and probably something we should all do more often.

Where to stay updated

Bookmark these for updates:

• TransPennine Express – Engineering Work
• National Rail Enquiries
• Northern Rail’s website

You’ll find the latest on delays, alternative routes, and any changes to timetables.