First Wires Installed to Power Faster, Greener Trains in Greater Manchester

Electric wires that will power faster, cleaner, and more reliable trains between Manchester and Stalybridge were installed over the weekend as part of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade.

The wires are the initial step towards fully electric local services between Manchester and Stalybridge by the middle of the decade - meaning better, greener, and more reliable trains for passengers in Greater Manchester.

Electric wires will eventually stretch from Manchester Victoria to York, passing through Huddersfield and Leeds, as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. The multi-billion pound project will bring one of the countries key travel corridors into the 21^st century, with 70-miles of fully electric, digital railway.

The successful installation of the overhead electric wires marks a key steppingstone in the major project to improve services between Manchester and Stalybridge, which will see Stalybridge station close for 26 days in March while significant upgrades to track and infrastructure take place.

The Transpennine Route Upgrade is the biggest investment on the Transpennine route since the 1870s and will transform rail journeys across the North. These improvements will enable more trains to run between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York giving passengers more choice and more seats.

Hannah Lomas, Principal Programme Sponsor for the Transpennine Route Upgrade said: “Once complete, the Transpennine Route Upgrade will transform travel in the North of England, reducing our carbon footprint by 87,000 tonnes of emissions each year, and providing a route that passengers can rely on.

“The installation of the very first Transpennine Route Upgrade electric wires in Greater Manchester is a major step toward a future of faster, greener and more reliable travel between Manchester and Stalybridge.”