Blockades
A blockade is a planned closure of a railway line — sometimes for a single weekend, sometimes for several weeks — that gives engineers uninterrupted access to the track, structures and infrastructure they need to work on. With no trains running, heavy plant can move freely, possessions can be extended across multiple lines at once, and work that would otherwise take months of overnight shifts can be compressed into days.
On a major project like the Transpennine Route Upgrade, blockades are essential. Rebuilding bridges, relaying track, installing overhead line equipment and remodelling junctions all require the kind of continuous access that is simply impossible around a live railway. A blockade removes that constraint — allowing contractors to work around the clock, in sequence, with full use of the corridor. The trade-off is disruption for passengers; replacement bus services run in their place, and the railway reopens once the work is done.
The TRU corridor has seen some significant blockades already, with more to come as the project moves through its major construction phases. On Track With Tim has followed several of them in detail — below you’ll find the video playlists covering two of the most significant ones.
Bradley Junction Blockade
Bradley Junction Blockade — Daily Coverage
Follow the Bradley blockade day by day with On Track With Tim.
This playlist brings together every daily video from the blockade, capturing the work, progress and changing scenes as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
Watch in order to see how the project unfolded, revisit the highlights, or catch up on any updates you missed.
Subscribe to On Track With Tim for more railway infrastructure updates from Huddersfield and across the Transpennine route.
Open full playlist on YouTubeGledholt Tunnel & West of Huddersfield
Gledholt Tunnel & Springwood Junction Works
Follow the transformation of Gledholt Tunnel and the railway west of Huddersfield as part of the TransPennine Route Upgrade.
This playlist brings together On Track With Tim’s videos documenting the major engineering work around Gledholt Tunnel, Springwood Junction and the approaches to Huddersfield Railway Station, including track removal, tunnel works, bridge demolition, new track layouts and the major blockade activity required to rebuild this section of railway.
Gledholt Tunnel is a key part of the route between Huddersfield and Manchester, and the surrounding area is undergoing significant change as the railway is prepared for its future layout and electrification.
Videos in this playlist include progress updates, drone footage, live coverage, engineering works and detailed before-and-after views of the project as it develops.
Subscribe to On Track With Tim for continued coverage of the Gledholt Tunnel works, Huddersfield Railway Station and the wider TransPennine Route Upgrade.
Open full playlist on YouTube