Leeds to York trains return after nine-day Church Fenton closure

A new bridge at Church Fenton clears another obstacle to running electric trains between Leeds and York on the Transpennine route.

Leeds to York trains are running again after Network Rail’s Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) 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.

Why This Matters For Leeds

The new Church Fenton bridge removes a physical barrier to electric trains running from York into Leeds. For commuters and employers along the Garforth corridor, the payoff for the closure is a quicker, more reliable line once the wires are switched on. Each finished section brings faster links between Leeds, York and Manchester closer for the city's businesses.

The new Common Lane bridge at Church Fenton

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 TRU brought the job forward a year because the structure was too low to take the overhead line equipment electric trains need. Combining the two jobs in one closure means less disruption for the local community later, Network Rail said.

Storm Boelo hit during the closure. Activities had been rescheduled in advance so work could pause for safety at the height of the winds. The team still kept to its timetable.

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.

Adam Sellers, TRU senior sponsor, said: “We’ve completed this major work at Church Fenton safely and on time, bringing us a step closer to more frequent, faster, greener trains between York, Huddersfield, Leeds and Manchester.”

Work has now started to move diverted utility services into the new structure, with Common Lane due to reopen to traffic in June 2027. Over the past two weekends, a separate programme on the East Coast Main Line in North Yorkshire covered track and points renewals, overhead line and drainage upgrades, vegetation management and platform improvements.

“The upgrades that have been delivered form an integral part of transforming the route between Leeds and York, helping better connect our communities.”

Carl Harland, TRU Customer Lead for Northern, Transpennine Route Upgrade

The wider upgrade for Leeds to York trains

TRU 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 £100m upgrade of diversionary routes, completed ahead of the main works.

The new bridge clears the way for overhead wires on this stretch, part of the work needed before electric Leeds to York trains can run. It follows other rail investment in the city, including £200m in the Budget for three new entrances at Leeds station and a £1bn deal for new trains on the Manchester to Leeds route.