Leeds trains: Full diversions as buses to replace trains on Morley line - everything you need to know

TRU Engineers will carry out vital improvements to the railway between Ravensthorpe and Leeds across three weeks in March, with customers urged to plan their journeys ahead of time.

Amended timetables on both TransPennine and Northern services will be in place throughout the works. Here’s everything you need to know...

How long will the route be shut?

Services will be impacted from Monday, March 3 to Friday, March 21. Weekend services will remain unimpacted during this period.

Diversionary routes and rail replacement buses will be in operation throughout to keep passengers on the move.

What work is taking place?

The upgrades will see over 1.9km of new track installed and over 860m of drainage renewed, whilst overhead line equipment (OLE) will be installed between Morley and Leeds. Engineers will also remove Batley signal box, which has been non-operational since June 2023.

This is the next phase of upgrades in this part of West Yorkshire, following work completed back in November which saw the installation of 101 electrification masts, 107 OLE mast foundations, over 3km of new track, and the removal of 900m of redundant cable.

What is the work for?

The work is part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, a multi-billion pound programme of rail upgrades between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.

During this period, trains will not call at Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Batley, Morley and Cottingley. Passengers travelling between Huddersfield and Leeds will be kept on the move via a diversionary route, increasing journey times.

Which services will be replaced by buses?

• Dewsbury - Leeds (direct). An hourly rail replacement bus service will run directly between Dewsbury and Leeds. The estimated journey time is 30 minutes.
• Huddersfield - Leeds (all local stations). An hourly rail replacement bus service will run between Huddersfield and Leeds, calling at Deighton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Batley and Morley. The estimated journey time is 89 minutes.
• Huddersfield - Leeds (fast). An hourly rail replacement bus service will run between Huddersfield and Leeds, calling only at Dewsbury. The estimated journey time is 65 minutes.
• Huddersfield - Manchester Airport. An hourly rail replacement bus service will run between Huddersfield and Manchester Airport, calling only at Stockport. The estimated journey time is 80 minutes.
• Halifax - Leeds: An hourly rail replacement bus service will run between Halifax and Leeds, calling at Brighouse, Mirfield, Dewsbury, Batley, and Morley. The estimated journey time is 83 minutes.

Which TransPennine Express services will be diverted?

• Liverpool Lime Street - Hull. Services from Hull will start/terminate at Leeds instead of Liverpool Lime Street.
• Liverpool Lime Street - Newcastle. This service will run to an amended timetable. It will divert between Mirfield and Leeds using the Healey Mills diversionary route, increasing journey times. It will not call at Dewsbury.
• Manchester Airport - Redcar Central. Services from Redcar Central will start/terminate at Manchester Victoria instead of Manchester Airport. They will divert between Mirfield and Leeds using the Healey Mills diversionary route, increasing journey times, and will not call at Dewsbury.
• Manchester Victoria - Scarborough. Services from Scarborough will start/terminate at York instead of Manchester Victoria.
• Huddersfield - Leeds (local stopping service). This service will not run. A rail replacement bus will run, calling at all local stations.

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Which Northern services will be diverted?

• Wigan Wallgate - Leeds: This service will divert between Leeds and Sowerby Bridge, and will not call at Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Mirfield and Brighouse. This service will instead call at Bradford Interchange and Halifax.
• Huddersfield - Leeds (local stopping service). This service will not run. A rail replacement bus will run, operated by TPE, calling at all local stations.

What has Network Rail said about the work?

Jonathan Hepton, Project Sponsor for TRU, said: “This series of weekday works affecting services between Dewsbury and Leeds will enable vital upgrades to this stretch of railway. Further installation of electrification equipment and new track takes us one step closer to an upgraded, electrified Transpennine route.

“I’d encourage any passengers travelling on weekdays during this period to plan their journey ahead of time.”