Leeds to York trains are running again after Network Rail's Transpennine Route Upgrade team completed nine days of work at Church Fenton in North Yorkshire. Between Saturday 24 October and Sunday 1 November, engineers worked around the clock to install the new Common Lane railway bridge and finish fitting new overhead power lines for future electric services. Network Rail said the line reopened to trains on time, and services resumed on Monday 2 November.

A bridge brought forward a year

The old Common Lane bridge dated from 1901 and was reaching the end of its life. Network Rail inspections suggested it would need replacing in 2027, but the Transpennine Route Upgrade brought the job forward a year. The new bridge removes a physical barrier to electric trains running from York into Leeds, clearing the way for overhead wires on this stretch as part of the work needed before electric Leeds to York services can run.

Closure and road reopening

During the closure, no trains ran between Leeds and York via Garforth. Direct replacement buses linked the two cities, while local buses served the stations in between. Work has now started to move diverted utility services into the new structure, with Common Lane itself due to reopen to road traffic in June 2027.

The wider upgrade

The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a multi-billion-pound programme to upgrade the railway linking Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. Network Rail says 25% of the route is now electrified, with electric services running between York and Church Fenton and between Manchester and Stalybridge. The programme also covers improvements to all 23 stations on the route and a £100 million upgrade of diversionary routes, completed ahead of the main works.

Sources: Network Rail announcement, 2 November 2026, via Leeds Today; Network Rail announcement, 22 October 2026.