Transpenninexpress (2000)

The main rail line through the Pennines via Huddersfield carries four Transpennine Express trains every hour. The 43-mile route features constant changes in elevation, with the only level section being inside Standedge Tunnel, a major engineering feat. The tunnel, the fourth longest in the country at 3 miles 66 yards, and the other tunnel at Morley are visible and audible from the train driver's cab thanks to extra lighting. Today’s journey follows the paths of several former railway companies, passing ten significant junctions between Manchester and Leeds. Our Class 158 Express then continues to York via a final three sections, connecting to the East Coast Main Line. The route also includes track circuit block signaling, alongside gradients, junctions, and tunnels. Yorkshire ITV's Geoff Druett provides insights into its fascinating history.