Nine days of rail replacement buses for Hope Valley train users

Starting on Saturday March, 16 there will be disruption for passengers travelling to and from Sheffield and Stockport, and those going on to Derby and London St Pancras.

A spokesperson for East Midlands Railway (EMR) said: “We will be operating a reduced service across the regional route between Sheffield and Manchester later this month.

“The works by Network Rail will take place between Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 24, on tracks near Dore and Totley station near the outskirts of Sheffield.”

The Hope Valley Railway Upgrade is a major rail improvement project being carried out by Network Rail throughout 2024. The work will provide additional track capacity and eliminate bottleneck areas along the route between Manchester and Sheffield.

This increased capacity will allow passenger trains to overtake slower-moving freight and provide more options for EMR to keep customers moving should issues arise.

Dave Meredith, Customer Services Director at East Midlands Railway, said: "We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused while these vital improvements take place.

"We urge all customers to plan ahead and check their journey details before setting off. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated as we work towards a better, more efficient railway network for everyone."

During this nine-day blockade, customers travelling on EMR's Liverpool Lime Street - Nottingham - Norwich route will be required to complete part of their journey using rail replacement buses between Sheffield and Stockport.

At Stockport, customers will connect with services from Northern Trains and TransPennine Express to continue their journey via Manchester.

Customers travelling on EMR's Sheffield / Derby – London St Pancras route will also be affected by a diversion, resulting in an increased journey time of up to 20 minutes.

The Hope Valley Railway Upgrade will continue through 2024, with further engineering works scheduled.

Services will also be adjusted to accommodate these works from Saturday, April 27, to Wednesday, May 1, and between Saturday, August, and Thursday, August 29.

For more information about the works and changes to the services visit here: https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/hope-valley-upgrades