Buses to replace trains between Leeds and York for nine days to facilitate TRU improvement works

From Saturday 24 October until Sunday 1 November, no trains will run on the mainline between Leeds and York as Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) teams undertake major improvement works in the Church Fenton area. Direct rail replacement buses will be in operation between the two cities, as well as local stopping bus services for stations in between.

The nine-day line closure follows two recent weekends of work to remove the life-expired Common Lane railway bridge in Church Fenton, and will allow TRU to install the new structure over the railway.

Dating from 1900-1901, bridge inspections by Network Rail suggested that it would need replacing in 2027 as it neared the end of its asset lifespan. TRU is carrying out the replacement a year earlier, as the current structure is too low to accommodate the overhead line equipment needed to power greener, electrified trains across the North.

Adam Sellers, TRU senior sponsor, said:

“We’re now in the final phase of installing the new Common Lane bridge following two successful weekends of work in Church Fenton. This nine-day closure allows our teams to carry out the reconstruction safely, and will take us a step closer to electrifying this section of the route.

“I’d like to thank both customers and our local communities for their patience during this essential work which will help us deliver greener, quieter, electrified journeys across the North.”

Customers should also be aware that on the weekends of 24-25 October and 31 October-1 November, trains between Darlington, York and Doncaster will also be replaced by buses while engineers carry out a major programme of improvements on the East Coast Main Line. Track, drainage and overhead line equipment will be renewed across various North Yorkshire locations to provide smoother, more reliable journeys.

Carl Harland, TRU Customer Lead for Northern, said:

“There never is an ideal time to close parts of the railway, however, the works taking place at Church Fenton is a crucial next step in unlocking future benefits that the TRU programme will deliver between York, Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester.

“While work is taking place at Church Fenton, trains will not be able to run between Leeds and York via Garforth. A direct rail replacement bus will operate between the two cities and is the quickest way for customers to travel, while buses will also serve local stations we are unable to call at, connecting into rail services that are still running. 

“Whilst we have worked hard to ensure the impact journeys is minimal, our advice to customers is that they should check their journey before they travel and to allow extra time for their travel. Our teams will be on hand to support customers during this time.”