Transpenninexpress

Manchester Piccadilly to York

Back in 2000, the Trans-Pennine franchise was held by Northern Spirit, the foreunner of Northern Rail and latterly the eponymous TOC. The main rail line over the Pennines via Huddersfield, saw four Transpenninexpresses plying the route every hour and we were on board one such service formed of a three car class 158.

The line climbs or falls almost continuously for 43 miles, the only level section being inside Standedge Tunnel, the major engineering feature of the line. The tunnel is the fourth longest on the national network at 3 miles 66 yards. Both it and the other major tunnel at Morley are seen (and heard) from the driver's cab with the aid of additional lighting.

Today's route incorporates the lines of various pre-grouping companies with no less than ten significant junctions being traversed between Manchester and Leeds. Our class 158 Express then continues to York over another three - the last of which brings us onto the East Coast Main Line. As well as gradients, junctions and tunnels, the route also features track circuit block signalling.

Last, but not least former Yorkshire ITV's Geoff Druett tells of the fascinating history.