TPE brings more electric services to Greater Manchester thanks to TRU
TransPennine Express (TPE) Nova 1 (Class 802) trains have started using the overhead line equipment between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.
TransPennine Express (TPE) has taken steps to becoming an even more environmentally friendly operator after celebrating its first electric powered train to travel from Manchester towards Stalybridge.
The Nova 1 (Class 802) train, which is bi-mode so can also run using diesel engines, made the journey on Sunday – all thanks to vital improvement work as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).
Leaving for Newcastle at 9.45am, the Nova 1 was the first TPE train to depart Manchester Victoria and head to Stalybridge using a pantograph and the electric overhead wires.
The completion of this phase of TRU – and the introduction of services using the electric lines on TPE’s route means a larger part of the TPE network can now be served by greener electric trains.
Chris Nutton, Major Projects and TRU Director at TransPennine Express, said: “This is an exciting time for the railway in the North, as TRU continues to deliver benefits for TPE and our customers.
“The use of our Nova 1 fleet in electric mode between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge gives our customers a taste of what is to come, as TRU continues to transform the railway between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.”
This milestone is a direct benefit of the multi-billion-pound TRU programme and follows the work done during a 26-day blockade between Manchester and Stalybridge and multiple weekends in 2023 and 2024, during which the overhead line equipment was installed.
The line between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge is the first to be fully electrified as part of TRU, with the remainder of the route between Manchester and York set to be electrified in the years to come.
Ross Ashton, TRU Senior Sponsor, said: “This is another pivotal moment for TRU, bringing us one step closer to a fully electrified trans Pennine route.
“We're delighted that after successful tests, TransPennine Express customers can now travel from Manchester Victoria towards Stalybridge on a cleaner, greener railway.
“We'll be continuing our upgrades across the Pennines and, with successful test runs between Church Fenton and York earlier this year, we look forward to welcoming customer services onto this section of the line by 2026.”
TRU has delivered other upgrades between Manchester and Stalybridge as well, with line speed increases as part of track upgrades at Miles Platting, a new higher-speed railway junction at Stalybridge, and 25 new signals which will allow for closer spacing of trains.
Notes to editors
Notes to Editors
TPE Notes to Editors
TransPennine Express is a rail operator that provides a premium service for customers across the North and into Scotland. Our vision is We’re going places, and we’re raising the bar in rail travel, putting our customers first and helping build better infrastructure for the future of the regions we connect.
Following an investment of more than £500m, including the introduction of Nova trains, we are continuing to transform rail services through high levels of performance, investment in stations, enhanced accessibility, measures to improve sustainability and more investment.
TransPennine Trains Ltd is a subsidiary of the Department for Transport’s public sector owning group, ‘DOHL.’ DOHL has responsibility for three other train companies: Northern Trains Ltd (Northern), LNER and SE Trains (Southeastern).
Our network is:
North TransPennine – including Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street, Redcar/Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport, Scarborough to York, Edinburgh to Newcastle, and Hull to Liverpool Lime Street
South TransPennine – including Cleethorpes to Liverpool Lime Street via Doncaster, Sheffield to Liverpool Lime Street, and Manchester Airport to Sheffield
Anglo Scottish – including Liverpool to Glasgow, and Manchester Airport to Edinburgh
Destinations served by TransPennine Express include Liverpool, Manchester, Manchester Airport, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Sheffield, Warrington, Birchwood, Irlam, Urmston, Stockport, Dore & Totley, Meadowhall, Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Barnetby, Habrough, Hull, York, Lea Green, Scarborough, Durham, Newton-Le-Willows, Gatley, Stalybridge, Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, Deighton, Mirfield, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, Batley, Morley, Cottingley, Leeds, Cross Gates, Garforth, South Milford, Selby, Howden, Brough, Malton, Seamer, Thirsk, Northallerton, Darlington, Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Thornaby, Middlesbrough, Redcar Central, Saltburn, Chester-Le-Street, Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnmouth For Alnwick, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Reston, Dunbar, East Linton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Bolton, St Helens Central, Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Lockerbie, Carstairs, Motherwell, Haymarket, Castleford and Normanton.
TRU Notes to Editors
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is transforming journeys across the North, better connecting towns and cities through more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway. TRU will bring customers:
- More trains to choose from and more seats. Our improvements will enable more trains to run between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York with up to six fast services every hour between Leeds and Manchester and up to two stopping services for local connectivity.
- Faster journeys so you can travel to your favourite towns and cities more quickly. Our fastest journey times are forecast to be 63 - 66 minutes between Manchester and York and 41 - 42 minutes between Manchester and Leeds.
- More reliable journeys with trains that run on-time
- Since May 2023 our improvements to three diversionary routes have been in place, which means more reliable journeys for customers during engineering work
- Better stations across the trans Pennine route, bringing customers a better travel experience through improved, more accessible stations
- Greener travel, reducing our carbon footprint and improving air quality. Our plans aim to save up to 87,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year – supporting the government’s Net Zero objectives.