Leeds-York Line Upgrade Complete: Boosts Capacity, Speeds Up Travel

Leeds-York rail line upgraded with 70 new signals and track renewal. This £100M project boosts capacity, speeds up services, and supports economic growth in the North.

January 26, 2026 7:39 pm

🛑 Key Takeaways:

Critical railway upgrades on the Leeds-York line are complete after a 32-day work period.
Key assets installed include 70 new signals, 11 switches, a new passing loop, and 3km of renewed track.
The project increases line speed and capacity, enabling more services and supporting economic growth in the North of England.

YORK, UK – Engineers have completed a major upgrade on the rail line between Leeds and York, installing 70 new signals and renewing 3km of track over a 32-day period. The project, centered on Church Fenton, also included the installation of 11 switches and crossings and a new passing loop designed to increase network capacity and reduce journey times.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project	Leeds-York Line Upgrade (Church Fenton Remodelling)
Related Investment	£100m in dedicated train diversionary routes
Key Stakeholders	Northern (Train Operator), Unnamed Engineering Teams
Core Assets Installed	70 signals, 3km track, 11 switches & crossings, 1 passing loop
Project Duration	32 days (covering the Christmas period and January)
Logistics Deployed	879 rail wagons, 45 engineering trains, 3 large cranes, 3 tamping trains
Passenger Mitigation	1,600 diverted train journeys; 1,400 rail replacement bus journeys

Operational & Technical Details

The core of the project involved remodelling the track layout through Church Fenton. This included the re-alignment of platforms 3 and 4 at the station. These changes are prerequisites for increasing the overall line speed in the future. Upgrades to overhead line equipment (OLE) were also performed to support a transition to a fully electrified, greener railway. A key technical addition is a new passing loop. This allows faster, direct services to overtake stopping trains, a critical enhancement for increasing timetable density and flexibility.

Market Impact Analysis

This upgrade directly addresses network capacity constraints between Leeds and York, two key economic hubs in the North of England. By enabling higher line speeds and allowing express services to bypass local trains, the project increases the total number of services the route can handle. This strengthens the business case for future timetable expansions. The investment is framed as an enabler for regional economic growth and a foundational step for subsequent major projects in the region, positioning the network for future passenger and freight demand.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What was the primary focus of this upgrade?

The work focused on remodelling track at Church Fenton, installing 70 new signals, 11 switches, and a passing loop to increase line speed and capacity between Leeds and York.

When was the work completed?

The upgrades were completed in January. The work was carried out over a 32-day period which began during the preceding Christmas holiday season.