The Biggest Changes Yet East of Leeds
Major progress is continuing across the TransPennine Route Upgrade east of Leeds, with bridge replacements, station improvements, electrification works and the construction of a new train care facility all gathering pace.
Filmed between Tuesday 21 and Thursday 23 July, the latest On Track With Tim documentary revisits several important locations along the route, beginning near Micklefield before travelling west towards Leeds and Shipley.
Ridge Road Bridge takes shape
West of Micklefield, the A656 Ridge Road has been closed since March 2026 while the original railway bridge is replaced. The old structure was demolished last month, allowing construction of the new bridge to begin immediately. Since then, significant progress has been made on both sides of the railway.
The new southern abutment is already clearly visible, while shuttering and reinforcing steel are being prepared for further concrete pours. A dedicated lifting area has also been created beside the road, ready for the crane that will eventually position the new bridge deck.
The replacement structure must also accommodate utilities running through the area, including a high-pressure gas main. Current arrangements appear to route some services temporarily above ground while permanent infrastructure is constructed beneath the railway.
Electrification progress at East Garforth
Further west, East Garforth Station provides a clear indication of how preparations for railway electrification are advancing. The station already offers step-free access through ramps leading to the bridge, while its platforms are long enough to accommodate six-car trains.
Overhead Line Equipment has now appeared through the station, although electrified services are not expected to begin here until August 2028. The early installation demonstrates how multiple stages of the upgrade are being coordinated well before the new infrastructure enters service.
Garforth Station prepares for the future
Garforth Station has also undergone substantial change. The station offers more facilities than East Garforth, including a car park and café, while a replacement footbridge installed in April 2024 now provides lifts at both ends.
The new bridge was constructed at a greater height to create sufficient clearance for future overhead electrification equipment. Although the OLE installation has not yet been completed throughout this section, the masts are already visible alongside the railway. These works form part of the wider effort to improve accessibility while preparing the route for electric trains.
Austhorpe Lane Bridge reconstruction
At Austhorpe Lane Bridge in Cross Gates, the original bridge deck was removed last month. Since then, sheet piling has been installed on both sides of the railway to stabilise the ground while the replacement abutments are constructed.
Utility diversion work is continuing around a series of trenches beside the bridge. During the visit, a CIFA K36L-5 concrete pump truck was seen entering the worksite, suggesting that another major concrete pour could be approaching. The bridge replacement is one of several structures east of Leeds being altered or rebuilt to create the required clearance for electrification.
Cross Gates Station improvements
Cross Gates is the first station east of Leeds and is also undergoing significant improvement work. Platform copers have recently been replaced as part of the upgrade, while the bridge carrying Station Road has been partially renewed — the remaining section dates from work completed around 50 years ago.
The TransPennine Route Upgrade will also deliver a new accessible footbridge linking both platforms within the station. Together, these changes will modernise the station while preparing it for future electrified services.
Why Neville Hill matters
Neville Hill Train Care Centre plays a vital role in daily railway operations across Yorkshire. Northern trains operating throughout West Yorkshire are serviced and maintained at the depot. LNER’s Class 91 locomotives, Mark 4 coaches and Azuma fleets are also maintained or stabled there.
The depot carries out heavy maintenance on both diesel and electric trains, making continued access essential. However, future electrification and track remodelling around Neville Hill could temporarily restrict access to the facility. Any prolonged disruption could affect Northern’s ability to maintain trains serving the Airedale and Wharfedale lines.
To reduce this risk, the TransPennine Route Upgrade is constructing an additional train care facility at Shipley.
A new train care hub for Shipley
The new Shipley Train Care Depot is one of the most significant projects featured in the documentary. The site was previously used as a scrapyard and, before that, as a railway goods yard. It is now being transformed into Northern’s second major train care hub in West Yorkshire.
Once operational, the depot will help reduce congestion through Leeds Station because trains will no longer need to travel across the city to reach Neville Hill. The main facility will include four internal roads, with a further four tracks passing beneath the existing arches at Valley Road. Four stabling sidings will also be constructed, alongside an underframe cleaning building, access roads and supporting facilities.
Connections will be provided from both the Bradford and Shipley sides of the depot, allowing trains to be stabled, serviced and cleaned efficiently. Shuttering and formwork for the main building foundations are already visible, while Yorkshire Water has completed work to divert a sewer crossing the site.
More than a temporary solution
Although the Shipley facility is being developed partly to protect railway operations during work at Neville Hill, it will remain in use after the main TransPennine Route Upgrade is completed. More than 100 permanent jobs are expected to be created, with many vacancies already being advertised. Once fully operational, the depot is expected to become the largest employer in the immediate area.
Construction of the main building is scheduled to begin in autumn.
A changing railway east of Leeds
The developments at Ridge Road, East Garforth, Garforth, Cross Gates, Neville Hill and Shipley demonstrate the scale of the work taking place beyond the more frequently documented projects around Huddersfield.
Some changes are highly visible, including bridge demolition, new abutments and overhead line equipment. Others are less obvious but equally important, such as utility diversions, operational planning and the creation of new maintenance capacity. Together, these projects will support a faster, more reliable and increasingly electrified railway across the North.
The full documentary, “The Biggest Changes Yet East of Leeds,” is available on the On Track With Tim YouTube channel.
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