Swinton Rail Works to Disrupt Trains Over Two May Weekends

Passengers travelling through Swinton are being warned of disruption over the next two weekends as major railway improvement work enters its most intensive phase.

The project, which began in early April, will see significant engineering activity take place on the weekends of 9–10 May and 16–17 May, with changes to services required while teams carry out track renewals around the station.

The worksite stretches for around one kilometre either side of Swinton, with nearly half a kilometre of track being replaced to maintain the safe and reliable running of trains. The programme includes the installation of new track foundations, with specialist rail-mounted cranes and engineering trains being used throughout.

Delivered by CRSA, an alliance between Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, the project will involve:

• laying 420 metres of rail
• replacing three sets of points, allowing trains to switch between lines
• placing 2,500 tonnes of ballast for drainage and support
• installing 650 sleepers to secure the track

While preparatory work has taken place with minimal disruption since 4 April, the main phase requires extended access to the railway, resulting in altered services across the affected weekends.

Services operated by CrossCountry and Northern will be impacted, with the following changes in place:

CrossCountry:

• Trains will not call at Wakefield Westgate
• Services will be retimed between Sheffield and Leeds

Northern:

• Trains between Sheffield and Doncaster/Adwick will not call at Swinton
• Trains between Sheffield and Hull will start or terminate at Doncaster
• A reduced service will operate between Moorthorpe and Leeds
• Buses will replace trains between Sheffield and Moorthorpe/York

Karen Duffy, Network Rail operations director, said:

“Renewing the track at Swinton is vital for maintaining a safe and reliable railway. We’re sorry to passengers whose journeys are affected and we’re grateful for the patience of residents while we carry out these essential improvements.”

A spokesperson for CrossCountry and Northern said:

“We’re working closely with Network Rail while this essential work takes place at Swinton. We’re asking customers to check before they travel during the affected weekends, as some services will be diverted, retimed or replaced by buses. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while this vital work is carried out.”

Passengers are advised to check before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys while the work is completed.

Image: Network Rail