If you’re a regular train traveller between Huddersfield, Dewsbury, and Leeds, brace yourself for some disruption. From Monday 3rd March to Friday 21st March, major engineering work will be taking place on this route as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).
This means some services will be diverted, others will have longer journey times, and a few won’t run at all—so if you rely on these trains, it’s time to check your travel plans.
What’s Happening and Why?
Over this three-week period, TRU engineers will be making key upgrades, including:
- Renewing 2,000 metres of track around Batley
- Installing new overhead line equipment (OLE) between Morley and Leeds
- Upgrading 850 metres of drainage west of Leeds
- Building a new maintenance storage area at Morley station
All of this is part of a bigger effort to improve train reliability and capacity in the long run. But in the short term, it means changes to your usual train services
How Will This Affect Train Services?
If you travel on TransPennine Express (TPE), here’s what you need to know:
- Liverpool – Manchester – Newcastle
- Trains will call additionally at Lea Green
- Services will run on an amended timetable
- Manchester Airport – Manchester – Redcar Central
- Services will start and end at Manchester Victoria (instead of Manchester Airport)
- Dewsbury won’t be served – passengers will need to change at Leeds or Huddersfield
- Liverpool – Leeds – Hull
- Trains will only run between Leeds and Hull (no service to Liverpool)
- Passengers need to change at Leeds for onward travel
- Manchester Victoria – York – Scarborough
- Trains will start and end at York (instead of Manchester Victoria)
- Passengers need to change at York to continue their journey
- Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield – Wakefield Kirkgate – York
- This service will run on an amended timetable, with longer journey times
- Huddersfield – Leeds (local stopping services)
- This service will not run
- A replacement bus service will be in place (details below)
Replacement Bus Services
To help keep people moving, rail replacement buses will be running on the affected routes:
- Leeds – Dewsbury – Huddersfield (Hourly service, journey time: 55 minutes)
- Leeds – Dewsbury (Express) (Hourly shuttle, journey time: 30 minutes)
- Huddersfield – Leeds (via local stations) (Hourly service stopping at Deighton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Batley, Morley, Cottingley; journey time: 89 minutes)
- Huddersfield – Stockport – Manchester Airport (Hourly service, journey time: 80 minutes)
Plan Ahead
With altered timetables and longer journey times, it’s best to check before you travel. Weekday train schedules will change between Monday 3rd March and Friday 21st March, so make sure to visit the TransPennine Express website for the latest updates:
👉 Planned Engineering Works | TransPennine Express
If you usually commute on this route, it might be worth leaving earlier or looking at alternative travel options during this period.
Got any questions? TransPennine Express is happy to help—just reach out to their team for more details.
TL;DR: Quick Summary
- 🚧 Engineering work from 3rd–21st March on the Huddersfield–Dewsbury–Leeds line
- 🚆 Several trains diverted, delayed, or not running (check your service)
- 🚌 Replacement bus services available but expect longer journeys
- 🔍 Check before you travel on the TransPennine Express website
If you’re affected by these changes, make sure to plan ahead to avoid last-minute surprises. Happy travels! 🚆✨
