Over the recent Queen’s Platinum Jubilee bank holiday, 450 railway engineers completed a major project to transfer signalling equipment to Manchester’s state-of-the-art rail operating centre.

The work forms part of the Transpennine Route, which will bring faster and more reliable services between York, Leeds, and Manchester. Work over the bank holiday moved equipment from the 132-year-old signal box near Philips Park.

As part of wider improvements in central Manchester, engineers working over several weekends also installed:

• 29 new signals;
• 4 km of new track
• 2.8 km of overhead electric cables.

Work is to continue over future weekends between Manchester and Stalybridge to upgrade track and install overhead line equipment. Passengers should check before they travel via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator.

Workstation at Manchester Rail Operating Centre. Credit: Network Rail.

Northern trains between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge will be replaced by buses every Saturday and Sunday until 31st July. On the same dates, TransPennine Express trains to Manchester Victoria will be diverted to Manchester Piccadilly.

Other TransPennine Express changes to services are as follows:

June

• Local TransPennine Express stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield will not run;
• For travel to and from Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield, Mossley, these stops will be served by the Hull to Manchester services;
• Services between Manchester and Redcar Central will be start/terminate at Manchester Piccadilly, and will not stop at Manchester Victoria, Manchester Oxford Road, Gatley ,and Manchester Airport;
• On Saturday, 25th June, industrial action by the RMT Union may affect TransPennine Express Services.

July

• Local TransPennine Express stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield will not run.;
• For travel to and from Slaithwaite, Marsden, Greenfield, Mossley, these stops will be served by the Hull to Manchester services;
• Services between Manchester and Sheffield will be diverted via Huddersfield;
• Services between Manchester and Cleethorpes will terminate at Doncaster;

New signal installed near Manchester Victoria. Credit: Network Rail

Neil Holm, Transpennine Route Upgrade Director for Network Rail, said:

“This major 21st-century signalling overhaul will unlock more reliable journeys for rail passengers in Manchester, as well as the potential for faster trains in the future.

“I want to say a big thank you to passengers for using alternative travel methods to travel in and out of Manchester while this essential work took place.”

Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, said:

“The work over the Jubilee weekend was another key milestone in the Transpennine Route Upgrade; delivering a railway fit for the 21st Century.

“I would like to thank customers for their cooperation whilst the important work took place.”

Chris Jackson, Regional Director at Northern, said:

“This was another big milestone for the railway in the north and we’re grateful for the patience of our customers who found alternative arrangements over the weekend”