Network Rail starts £145m Manchester-Sheffield upgrade Sunday
The project includes platform extensions, signalling improvements and the construction of new overbridges, platforms and a railway loop.
Work will take place starting on 29 May and every weekend throughout July. This will involve the closure of Dore & Totley, Grindleford, Bamford and Hathersage stations.
During this time, Northern services from Manchester will terminate at Hope, with passengers having to take a bus to finish journeys towards Sheffield.
TransPennine Express’s Manchester-Cleethorpes services will be diverted via Huddersfield and will terminate at Sheffield. There will be a shuttle between Doncaster and Cleethorpes.
VolkerRailStory Joint Venture has been recruited as main contractor for the project.
Key aspects of the improvements include building a new platform and accessible footbridge with lifts at Dore & Totley station and a new overbridge at Hathersage West. There will also be a railway loop created between Bamford and Hathersage.
“We’re so pleased to see this major work begin,” said Hannah Lomas, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail. “It’ll make Hope Valley stations and train services better, and improve reliability for passengers in the future.”
VRSJV project director Darren Lockwood said: “We thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carry out these essential upgrade works on the Hope Valley line. The work plays an important part in facilitating this important investment in Northern travel infrastructure.”
£145 million, wow, I can hardly contain myself. The cost of building one railway station on Crossrail.
By Elephant
Does this include electrification?
By Anonymous
Anonymous – no, it doesn’t include electrification
By Hope Valley
Incredible how much these sorts of things cost. Anyone know what a Raliway loop is?
By AngryfromManchester
This is peanuts! Transport for London would laugh at such a derisory sum of money.
By Monty
And still no access to Chinley station platforms for people with restricted or limited mobility.
By Anon
A railway loop is a stretch of extra track where fast or express trains can overtake trains stopping at all stations, or overtake goods trains.
By Chris S.
And still no level access to the platforms at Chinley station (Hope Valley line) for those with limited or restricted mobility, and for people with prams.
By MP3
I don’t think that London transport would laugh at £145m of spending, on a line that, comparatively, carries very few passengers.
The biggest problem is the wasteful cost of doing railways in the UK. The work being done costs three times more than in mainland Europe (according to recent studies).
£145m should be transformative, but it’s not.
By Jeff
How much of this £145 million is actually routine maintenance spending? TfL spent £900 million of our national tax on improving one tube station at Bond Street alone…
By Dr B
A loop on the railway normally means the provision of a second track over a section of line that will permit an increase in the number of services
By Phil.
@AngryfromManchester They probably meant a Passing Loop. It’s a bit like a siding, where slow trains can stop and fast trains can pass. Will make Express trains faster
By Anonymous
Gold taps for London, running water for Manchester and think yourself lucky.i.e no expense spared for the South East and scraps for everyone else.
By Peter Chapman
Why not electrify it too?
By Anonymous
A drop in the ocean. Barely newsworthy….
By Grumpy Old Git
I see leveling-up is alive and well!
By Manc Man