Rail Engineer last visited the Transpennine Upgrade Programme (TRU) in Issue 208 (May-Jun 2024) and with great pleasure recently received another invitation to visit and view further progress on the scheme. Rail Engineer was pleased to meet David Lawrance, engineering & technical director, TRU at Network Rail, and Sonam Norbu, associate director at ARUP and design lead for civil engineering on TRU Project W3A, who hosted the visit together with a few other colleagues.
Though the route is geographically challenging, this transformative, multibillion pound infrastructure programme has great significance for the connectivity of freight and passenger business in the North of England, and its aims are clear: faster and more reliable journeys; longer trains with more seats; improved stations; and greener travel.
The situation at the time of our visit in February was that significant works had been completed, including diversionary route upgrades and capacity and electrification schemes at both the Manchester and York ends of the route.
Further large-scale upgrade engineering works were under way. In particular, the massive earthworks for the vital grade separation scheme at Ravensthorpe and the significant works on the Grade 1 listed station at Huddersfield. A journey on the route from Leeds to Huddersfield allowed the sheer scale and the tremendous impact of the project to be appreciated. Of note was the complexity of the staging sequence. Disruptive access is extensive, but the well thought through overhaul of diversionary routes to the value of over £100 million means that passengers are kept on trains to the maximum possible extent.
The major service aims of the project are the provision of up to six fast services every hour between Leeds and Manchester and up to two local services for connectivity. Journey improvements will see Manchester-York travel time cut by 14 minutes down to 63 minutes and Leeds-Manchester cut by 10 minutes to 41 minutes.
The station works accompanying the rail infrastructure scope aim to maximise accessibility via a £100 million station improvement fund. In terms of environmental gain, the scheme will see the complete electrification of the line from Leeds to Manchester and, on completion, is predicted to remove 1,000 lorries from the road every day through increased freight capacity. The project’s wide-ranging scope will make a significant contribution to decarbonising transport across the Pennines.
Project outline
The scope of this scheme has varied over the years, but its range is now fixed and has been assembled into the following key outputs:
- KO1 – Diversionary routes resilience.
- KO2 – Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge.
- KO3 – York to Church Fenton.
- KO4 – Huddersfield-Leeds-Church Fenton.
- KO5a – Stalybridge-Huddersfield.
- KO5b – ETCS.
The first three of these have now been chalked off, with over 25% of the route already electrified.
K04 is the next major system change, but there are numerous intermediate milestones achieving significant benefits along the way, including:
- Four new stations at Huddersfield, Morley (completed), Ravensthorpe, and Mirfield (now officially opened).
- 10km of four-tracking coming into use between Huddersfield and Ravensthorpe (Huddersfield blockade recently complete).
- Major junctions include Ravensthorpe grade separation and Baker Viaduct.
- The phased introduction of electrification.
- A new Northern Trains fleet.
- Looking ahead, work will progress in line with Key Output 5A on the Stalybridge–Huddersfield section. This will involve:
- Infrastructure construction in 2027-2031.
- Lowering the track through Scout and Stalybridge Tunnels achieving W12 clearance.
- Third track between Marsden and Huddersfield (10 km).
- Four new proposed stations: Greenfield, Mossley, Slaithwaite, Marsden (not currently authorised).
- Level crossing closures and numerous bridge recons.
- TransPennine Express new fleet introduction.
Completion is currently scheduled for 2034. While that may seem some way off, access constraints have necessitated a deferral of the original start date.
In addition to this impressive list are the various permanent and temporary depot enhancements required to support existing and new rolling stock during and following the upgrade works.
Overall, the programme is valued at £11 billion, with £7.3 billion approved to date. In terms of employment, the programme supports a workforce of around 5,000 people, more than 85% of whom live within 40 miles of the worksites. It has also created 456 apprenticeships and delivered over £2.3 billion in social value.
Amid ongoing concerns around the electrification of England’s national railway, full electrification of the route is estimated to remove more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Given the scale of the programme, there is a clear responsibility to ensure that its intended benefits are fully realised. As such, a significant emphasis has been placed on a systems engineering approach, providing a clear line of sight from the initial definition of programme outcomes, through to projects with well-defined requirements, and along the ‘V-diagram’ to ensure that projects are delivered as intended and add up to deliver the outcomes.
With the enterprise also incorporating train operators (see later), this approach extends to close collaboration between the programme and its operator partners, ensuring that new rolling stock plays a full and effective role in delivering the overall railway system outcomes.
Society
Along with its core aims and sustainability benefits, this project is a catalyst for unlocking growth and opportunities, connecting towns and cities, and supporting a stronger, resurgent North. The project aims to target a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) by 2035, and is targeting a 30% reduction of construction-associated carbon. In a boost for accessibility, the station schemes are enabling step-free access at the majority of stations along the route.
Mention has been made of the facilitation of around 590 apprentices across the life of the programme, and the programme aims to engage around 64,000 children via Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) volunteering sessions. Additionally, at least 25% of the programme’s expenditure will be directed towards local businesses, underscoring its strong commitment to its surrounding communities.
Delivery
Delivery of the programme works centres on two alliances, plus an additional ‘hub’ capability for delivery of ETCS and the Stalybridge to Huddersfield works. The West Alliance is a partnership of Network Rail, Amey, Bam Nuttall, Siemens, and ARUP. The East Alliance, covering Leeds to York, comprises Network Rail, J. Murphy and sons, Volker Rail, Siemens, and Systra. The Programme Management Organisation is a blend of Network Rail and Enterprise Partners, plus supplementary support from Jacobs (engineering and system integration) and Arcadis (programme management).
The Enterprise Model
The project has moved to be inclusive of all interested production parties and, to that end, has assembled a structure that brings together the whole industry to deliver the programme. The players involved are the Department for Transport, Network Rail, and the delivery alliances. These parties are led by an Enterprise Executive team, with their respective sub-teams working collaboratively to make the best decisions for the railway system as a whole.
These arrangements were certainly not always easy, with the inevitable, but constructive, tensions arising, but the outcome has been massively preferable to a traditional model.
A useful example can be seen with re-baselining in early 2024. The team moved back-end schedule contingency into front-end schedule resilience, which required a substantial re-cast of the access plan. This would normally have involved a massive negotiation, but it was agreed within a few weeks because the operators were already in the tent, understanding the challenges and that the proposal represented a better system solution.
Innovation
There’s a clear sense of pride within the team when it comes to applying innovation, and the results show it’s making a real difference. While there’s always more to be done, several standout examples highlight how innovation can take many forms.
First, is the Checkpoint Authority app. This is a great example of how the TRU programme supported an SME with a great idea to get through NR’s safety assurance process with a true win-win outcome. The app allows engineering supervisors to grant worksite authority to multiple sites simultaneously, the conventional alternative being individual phone calls to perhaps 30-50 COSSs. Use of the app enables an additional 30-60 minutes of production, taking into account the time at the beginning and end of a possession.
Other examples include the Triple Pipe Jack maintaining partial operation of the live railway whilst installing new culverts. Also, a tunnel inspection radar was used to understand what is occurring behind tunnel linings, particularly where attaching OLE. Additionally in place is the cable route system combining screw piles with raised troughing, which drastically reduces time, effort, and cost when installing high voltage cables.
Extremely valuable gains for electrification have included input from Network Rail HQ engineers in the areas of Voltage Controlled Clearances (VCC) and removing train requirements for new electrification. A particularly clever solution can be seen at Mossley, where 25 cottages back directly onto the line, leaving very limited clearance – with some even having washing lines at the same height as the OLE.
After considerable consultation and explicit risk evaluation to work through risk mitigation options came the proposal of an earthed section, with downhill coasting on the nearside under normal conditions. Careful analysis and signaling controls will be required around a wrong direction running uphill on rare occasions.
Skills hub
The Kirklees Skills Hub is a state-of-the-art training facility based at Kirklees’ College’s Engineering centre in Huddersfield, the result of a partnership between Kirklees College, Flannery plant hire, and Kirklees Council. It has had a significant effect on stakeholders along the route, most important of which is the impact on employment of those around the project.
The facility plays a vital role in supporting the local economy by equipping individuals with practical skills that meet the growing demand for trained plant operators across West Yorkshire and beyond.
At the heart of the Hub is a mobile training unit fitted with a high-tech virtual reality plant simulator and classroom space for theoretical learning. Adjacent is a live construction site to give operators a hands-on experience in a controlled environment.
Project elements
A considerable amount of work had already been completed when Rail Engineer last visited the project, and its progress continues to proceed at pace. The TRU is a massive undertaking and along the route are several geographic points of significance.
Scout & Stalybridge tunnels, for instance, date back to the mid to late 1800s. They are amazing feats of engineering, but sadly not tall enough for W12 gauge freight traffic. Thus, the need to lower the rail level by up to 500mm and install slab track. This has required a very careful approach.
The work, which is taking place in some very challenging ground conditions, brings with it the real risk of destablising the walls. Permeation grouting is required where there is not competent ground, and trials are imminent. This is combined with ground anchors throughout to stabilise the walls during the temporary and permanent configuration.
The work to upgrade Huddersfield station commenced in the second half of 2023 and a number of different activities have taken place, including the removal of the listed tearoom, the installation of scaffold towers, the removal of the old canopy roof, and steel work strengthening and repairs. New platforms 1 and 2 have also been installed.
The plans for Huddersfield include: reconfigured and extended platforms to improve capacity; a new footbridge and lifts; step-free access from the front entrance; an extension of the passenger subway with new lifts; the sympathetic restoration of the existing station roof alongside new rooves for new platforms; and track upgrades to support more trains.
In September 2025, Huddersfield station was closed for reconfiguration into its temporary state. The work set for the back end of 2026 includes major remodelling that will transform the layout of the station and enable more trains with more seats to run through the area.
The enhancement of the station is supported by the works on Huddersfield Viaduct which is undergoing a significant upgrade with some spans being fully reconstructed and extensive strengthening elsewhere. The design has been significantly influenced by the listed status of the structure, originally built in the 1840s.
The result will be a structure that has been enhanced for greater capacity and greater resilience for the effects of climate change.
While generally viewed as part of the East Coast Mainline, York station is a key transport hub connecting passengers with cities and towns across the North of England. As part of the TRU, the area has undergone enhancements such as the renewal of tracks and improvements to drainage between York and Church Fenton. Also replaced are the two heavily used sets of points which allow trains in and out of Holgate sidings.
Plans for Huddersfield include: lengthening the platforms to 200 metres; asset protection and strengthening works to the historic footbridge to improve accessibility between the platforms and the entrance; and extending the canopies and waiting areas.
Improvements are currently under way with the works scheduled to be complete by summer 2026.
Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe station is undergoing major development with the key feature being its relocation 200 metres west of the original site. The new station will feature an island platform, two accessible and step-free platforms, new lifts, and a new footbridge. It will also receive upgraded lighting and CCTV with customer information screens, as well as a new forecourt with accessible parking bays and additional bicycle storage facilities. The significant work requires the closure of the existing station and construction is planned to be spread over two and a half years.
At the Leeds end of the newly four-tracked section, the Ravensthorpe grade separation and the Baker viaduct are probably the centrepiece of the TRU infrastructure works. The core aims of easing access in from Healey Mills and a general contribution to robust passenger and freight workings are readily apparent when studying the layout.
The groundworks are huge and extremely impressive, with massive plant in operation. Even national grid pylon lines are affected as the lines crossing the site are being rerouted into underground cabling. In addition is the accompaniment of the foundations for the Static Frequency Convertor – another application of innovation to the programme and its electrification power supply supports the level of innovation withing the programme.
Overview
In summary, David Lawrance emphasised the reality of delivering a project of this scale and complexity safely, sustainably, and to a planned timescale — all within an environment where it is well understood that major railway schemes can, and sometimes do, go wrong. He acknowledged that there are many ways such challenges can arise, and that this project certainly had the scale and complexity to be at risk of them.
The TRU is taking a proactive approach to steer away from these risks. While the causes of major project challenges are numerous, this programme encompasses many of them — including the introduction of new technology, a wide range of internal and external interfaces, and multiple stages of infrastructure and operational change.
The challenges become clear when visiting the sites, and the case for the route upgrade is reinforced by the poor quality of the main roads across the Pennines in this area. The geology presents significant difficulties, but equally evident is the careful integration of new technology – such as ETCS at the Western End – alongside customer-focused improvements, including better access, level boarding, and new rolling stock introduced by the train operating companies.
Also notable are the works taking place beyond traditional ‘railway’ sites, alongside significant on-track activity such as re-ballasting and deep excavations to deliver a more robust and resilient infrastructure. There is also a clear sensitivity to environmental and heritage considerations, exemplified by efforts such as the rebuilding and reinstatement of the historic tearoom at Huddersfield.
TRU has certainly committed to a systems engineering approach, which should help it reach the finishing line with the confidence it will meet its output commitments. Just as importantly, the programme is underpinned by a culture that recognises the value of learning from past experience and actively embraces external expertise wherever it can be found.
With many thanks for the guidance and hospitality of David Lawrance and Sonam Norbu, ably assisted by Daisy Dick.