TRU July 2023

This video covers three trips in nice weather - Piccadilly to Leeds non-stop, York to Huddersfield via the stopping service through Mirfield Loop and finally Victoria to Stalybridge. I can’t tell you everything because some things haven’t completed public consultation but just about everything published and what has been done so far is there. Class 185s are the traction in all cases because that’s all I sign these days but they provide an interesting soundtrack.
Addendum.
There’s no C in Dukinfield! Thanks Hamshackleton.

[@adamhafiddin9564]

Probably the only cab ride channel out here with not only show the ride but also tell anything related thoughout the journey

[@doncoffey5820]

Cheers Adam, it’s the stuff I’d be telling you about if you were with me in the cab 👍

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for todays video. Very entertaining and informative to view. Enjoy the weekend Don, and see you on the next! Cheers Don!😊

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it Martin. 👍

[@rightsaiddobs]

Nice and interesting Don, thanks again for all you do to educate us.

[@doncoffey5820]

My pleasure 👍

[@YsanneOshea]

I really enjoyed watching this. Brings back happy memories staring out the back windows of slammers and 450's on the way home!

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@johnthompson5034]

Great stuff yet again Don. I started watching this a couple of weeks ago when only a slightly grainy 1080p encoding was available. When I returned today to watch the rest I was really impressed by the improvement at 1440p and above.

[@doncoffey5820]

Oh good I’m glad it got better. I was really fed up when the quality dropped.

[@raysmith114]

Thanks a lot Don. Another superb and highly informative video. Much appreciated.

[@doncoffey5820]

Very welcome Ray 👍

[@duainesimpson274]

Absolute Marvellous.. Masterpiece 🏆💯😃

[@doncoffey5820]

Thank you so much 😀

[@EM-yk1dw]

Great film again Don, very interesting to see the TRU upgrade progress.

[@doncoffey5820]

Good to see you EM 👍

[@jeremywilcox]

one is ever hopefull to live to see all these changes (am 81). Thanks Don.

[@doncoffey5820]

You and me both! I’m catching up with you Jeremy.

[@leonhovell2747]

Hi Don al the way from Australia been watching your program for a while love it brings me back to the old foot plate back in South Africa in the late 70s when working on the 6e1 electric units in Jhb thank you Leon

[@doncoffey5820]

That sounds like an interesting experience as well Leon. Thanks for watching and enjoy yourself over there.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Looking forward to this

[@hughacollins1]

How strange! Watching this great video on 30 November I saw 16:43 on the Leeds station clock at exactly 16:43 in real time! Wonderful video as always Don - thank you

[@doncoffey5820]

I always keep perfect time when I’m driving 😉

[@stuartsamuel8791]

excellent video. Thank you.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks 👍

[@georgeholmes1837]

Great Don a very informative video. Many thanks.

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it George.

[@mrdickywaters]

thanks once again Don all the best to you x

[@doncoffey5820]

You are very welcome 👍

[@robertjohnmottershead1165]

Thanks Don what a excellent video so informative. When it is all finished it will be so different once again Don thank you .

[@doncoffey5820]

Good to see you Robert. There isn’t a fixed date because not all of the public consultations and planning applications are complete.

[@ASPERKID22]

Victoria is personally my favorite train station in the Uk

[@MrJaroff]

Love these videos

[@mattsmith4605]

I had to Google TRU! Love your videos, takes me back to sitting at the front of a DMU, if you were lucky the driver would have the partition blind up. Great to see after all these years 4 track running restored beyond Huddersfield. It saddens me watching these videos you can see how great the railways used to be.

[@doncoffey5820]

Can only agree Matt but they are gradually restoring the railway. It is a delight to see the progress.

[@williamparker3765]

Many thanks Don for another good video, and so much information on the improvements. I'm sure we all look forward to it coming to fruition, but I would say in more than a few years time. Sorry to see that we are back to the scrolling information.

[@doncoffey5820]

I haven’t used the static captions for ages William. I got loads of complaints because you can’t always see them against certain backgrounds.

[@breeze1472]

Great video and very informative,there`s a lot of upgrades to be done

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes but they’re getting on with it thank goodness. It’s been off and on for years.

[@tomward3656]

Don't blame Don because it isn't in 4k its KZbins fault. Another excellent video highlighting the ongoing improvements. Thank you Don.

[@doncoffey5820]

I’m told that it will right itself in a few days but thanks for the support 👍

[@BevMattocks]

So interesting, Don - all the info about the upgrades. Thank you for taking the time to include all of this. I still can't get my head round 'up' and 'down' lines, though, why one is 'up' but then becomes a 'down' line, etc etc.

[@doncoffey5820]

Ups and Downs can be very confusing for us too Bev but as a general rule, Up north to south is towards London or east to west, the hypothetical centre of the country. Imagine London was on top of cone then everything to the capital is up but also imagine the entire length of the country had a raised spine right down the middle then everything would travelling sideways would go up to the middle.

[@donovanemery597]

You could imagine running services from Stalybridge to Alderley Edge in the future

[@doncoffey5820]

Possibly if there is demand for it.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Another great informative video, even better at 'flyer' timings across the Pennines! I believe TRU project has confirmed that a third track will be reinstated at least part of the way between Huddersfield and Marsden, to act as a relief line or 'crawler lane' for (what's hoped will be) more freight traffic to be pathed up the long incline and overtaken while on the move by passenger trains. As you say, the whole project is long overdue. Time to stop all the hot air and paperwork, and just get it all done as soon as possible.

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, that’s my understanding too Tim. However I believe it’s early days in terms of the public consultations and the TWAOs so information tends to be vague.

[@johnowen3891]

Yet another excellent video of the upgrades of the railways in your neck of the woods, which has been a long time coming particularly the route over the Pennines. You never here about this sort work nationally but lets hope they will continue these improvements at a pace in your area. I'm sure there are a lots of lost lines that would be beneficial if they were restored as the cities and towns grow but the powers in charge seem to be only interested mega projects to boost their egos. I look forward to your future videos on the Trans Pennines Upgrades. I did notice that some of the bridges, particularly the much older arched type, there doesn't appear to be a lot of clearance to accommodate the OHL. Would these have to be replaced or the track level dropped to accommodate OHL. Also I did notice in quite a number of places 2 pieces of short rail in the 4 foot supported by white bags, are they there for a specific reason, my brain hurts trying to work this out. Keep the videos coming, take care and stay safe.

[@doncoffey5820]

To be fair, the government are spending a fortune on upgrades at a time when I wouldn’t have been surprised to see them cut. I’m delighted they are going ahead. They rails have been dropped for renewal and the bags are full of very heavy fittings. There was an accident where a piece of rail cocked up and speared a train so the use the badges to keep them in place.

[@ANMOLMehta-lf8cq]

Hey Don, thanks for sharing this video. It couldn't have been more better than putting three train journeys into one video. When is your next video scheduled to be released?

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it. I try and do one a month as nothing delays me 👍

[@ADAMEDWARDS17]

Very informative. Looking forward to a Hope Valley line improvements video next so we can see the works at Bamford and Dore.

[@doncoffey5820]

Coming soon Adam. We’ll be covering the Cleethorpes run soon.

[@chriscoyle1221]

This takes me back to May 2000 when I was sat up on the platform of the emissions stack of Thornhill Power Station waiting on test to finish and watching the trains passing along that line. You can just about see the top of the stack on the right poking above the trees at 1:56:38.

[@doncoffey5820]

I’ve seen it Chris. It’s a busy stretch there as you get the Transpennine line and Wakefield to Calder Valley.

[@blindpeteoz5673]

👍

[@Innerspace100]

It baffles me to see level foot crossings on a railway line where trains come thundering past at 200 km/h. We have some lines here in Norway with that speed, and there isn't a single level crossing of any description on them. Seeing it on the British network is just insane. :O

[@doncoffey5820]

It’s very old and at the time of building, the crossings and rights of way had to be maintained by law. Now with few exceptions, they must keep access or provide an alternative.

[@hectorririnui9943]

BLOODY AWESOME . I RECONISE SOME OF THE PLACES. CHOICE

[@doncoffey5820]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hamshackleton]

Don - there s no 'C' in Dukinfield! 🙂 Nice informative vid on the updates and changes.

[@doncoffey5820]

Oh damn! I’ll put a correction in the description. Thanks for reminding me 👍

[@markgr1nyer]

Just watching the return portion, I love the sound of the 185 on full power. With the turbo whine it just sounds so powerful. Almost reminds me of a HST (only almost lol). When is TRU due to be finished?

[@doncoffey5820]

It isn’t fixed Graham because some of the public consultations aren’t complete.

[@rickstravelrides]

Wow, mega wow Don. The Transpennine route upgrade is massive to say the least and for high speed running as well. Very unusual for train not to call at Huddersfield but why did it by pass it?

[@doncoffey5820]

Because we were running late we got a not to stop order to get us back on time and to not delay the following service.

[@44662dc]

Another super video Don most enjoyable. Can I ask you do Drivers get any pre warning of a D.S.D activation. You certainly need to be on your toes with the time allowance.

[@doncoffey5820]

It sounds for about 3-4 seconds after no inputs to the controls. If we miss it the brakes apply and won’t release until we come to a standstill.

[@Un-Grand-Central]

the wires are now installed up to atalybridge and i belive a bit beyond now but im not sure anybody uses them yet

[@doncoffey5820]

Not only that but they’re energised and tested.

[@jamesfrancis3483]

Excellent video! (as usual of course) Good to see some progress on the TRU is being made. I have a signalling question... on approach to Church Fenton Junction there's no approach control or flashing yellows for the diverging route, so the driver has no way of knowing whether they'll be routed towards Leeds or Castleford until they see the signal. If the route was set for Castleford (when the intended route is towards Leeds), how would the driver know he was being wrong-routed in limited visibility? Is it just a case of reaching the signal, seeing that none of the feathers are lit and hitting the emergency brake then calling the signaller when they've passed the junction?

[@doncoffey5820]

Good question James. The short answer is - you don’t so we know which way we’re booked and in poor visibility we need to be prepared to stop. Furthermore, we can get in the bad books for taking it so it pays to be alert. It’s an example of not needing to be slowed where the junction is within 10mph of the main line. Have a look at the junction 101 video.

[@Thomas1980]

Super wonderful Video! Greetings

[@doncoffey5820]

Thank you very much Thomas.

[@stephen4912]

Fab video bit of a mix there great just wondering have u gt a Liverpool to cleethorpes planned etc

[@doncoffey5820]

It’s on the cards Stephen. Should be this year.

[@philipalldred333]

Well thanks Don for an eye opening experience of a Victorian railway being upgraded 21st century usage. are the tunnels high enough for the wiring or will the track bed have to be lowered, there is a heck of a lot of work to complete before electric trains are using the route. is there a proposed open date for completion or is it in the lap of the gods. thanks again Don

[@doncoffey5820]

Good to see you Phillip. There are various ways of getting wires through a tunnel and dropping the deck is on. They can also modify the tunnel or in some cases, they fill it in and re bore it. Shallow tunnels can be opened up and the re covered if needed. The date isn’t known accurately because the consultations and planning applications are not complete in some locations.

[@bertrandmooney]

Another superb video! Could you please explain the abbreviation "VMS" - referring to signals whilst running through Motley Tunnel at 1.56.38 please? MTIA

[@doncoffey5820]

Hi, it stands for Vehicle Management Systems. It the same company that did the traffic flow signals on the M6 Toll road 👍

[@CNR5154]

Just catching up with your latest video. Excellent as always! Im curious about the W12 gauge being wider to accommodate refrigerated containers. I thought they were the standard 2.4m like all others, only the height is/can be different?

[@doncoffey5820]

Same width but I believe the fridge sits up top so they need a bit more height.

[@corybrayshaw9927]

Feels so strange to see overhead wires at Stalybridge

[@doncoffey5820]

It does and it will when they shortly extend over the Pennines.

[@yorkshirepullman4584]

What was the actual time taken from Piccadilly to Leeds? Must have been one of the fastest passenger journeys achieved

[@doncoffey5820]

It was quite good wasn’t it. About 40 minutes instead of a booked hour. I would have been in quicker if I hadn’t been waiting for a platform.

[@raymondsingleton-mcguire7006]

Hi Don. Love your vids. Just a tech question, but just past Micklefield Station at 1:02:10hr you refer to the direction of travel as being on the 'up hull' line when in fact the train is travelling to {and nearer to Leeds}. At this point should it not in fact be the 'up leeds!'. Or if we are still in the Hull 'up' and 'down' region then the other track which is heading towards Hull be refered to as the 'up hull' and the track that the train is travelling on which is away fom Hull be called the 'down hull!'. Let me know Raymond

[@doncoffey5820]

Hi Raymond. It is explained in some of the videos but basically, towards London OR towards a hypothetical centre line down the country is up so that train is heading up towards Manchester and not Hull. Now line names are another matter and it’s where route knowledge comes in. The whole line to Hull from Leeds is the Hull line so it was indeed on the Up Hull. It can be very confusing at times!

[@tm4609]

Question about the whistle board at 17:53. I was under the impression that across all routes in the UK that all trains must use both warning horn tones at these boards. I would assume that there is an exception here as there in no nearby road to be confused with road traffic horns. Really enjoyed the video!

[@doncoffey5820]

Quite the opposite in fact. The Rule Book states only the low tone for whistle boards. Some drivers use both but not me.

[@paulsmith4709]

Don have you got one for the Up line for the same journey this is a great visual for our Team meetings on TRU

[@doncoffey5820]

Contact me on messenger Paul 👍

[@briangreco1]

Here's an Argentinian amused by your videos! It would be an honor to do the subtitles in spanish for your videos if you're good with that! Cheers mate!

[@doncoffey5820]

I wouldn’t know how to arrange that but thanks for the offer.

[@Transpennine]

Hi don, When is are the upgrades scheduled to be complete? Also is there anywhere where I can look at updates of the upgrades? Also What about Manchester Victoria - Stalybridge, how about the upgrades on that Section

[@doncoffey5820]

The Victoria to Staly is covered in the video. Parts of the route are still under public consultation or TWAO so they have to be sorted first. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpennine_Route_Upgrade thetrupgrade.co.uk

[@irgary93]

Whats going to happen when they start the reconstruction of the Marsh Lane viaduct and the Kirkgate viaduct because to will cause a lot of disruption and cut north and LNER from the Neville hill depot?

[@doncoffey5820]

It will all be planned by now. They’ll work their way through it.

[@andyguy0610]

Don, something I have always wondered, we have some fantastic scenery in this country, do train drivers get to enjoy any of it? You are constantly being vigilant , looking for signals, track side workers etc

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes Andy. I pinch myself some days. There are times when you have to snap to but when out in the country on clear signals it’s possible to take it in.

[@barrydwyer]

Map at 1:37 appears to show route from Victoria, rather than Piccadilly.

[@doncoffey5820]

It’s an error Barry. I’ll put a correction in the description 👍

[@raymondflanagan9355]

Where the new depot at Hillhouse is. Was that not the location of old sidings?

[@doncoffey5820]

That’s it Raymond. There was an old depot and yard there and they recently found remains there.

[@neilevans6331]

london to disneyland paris train journal

[@doncoffey5820]

Is this an advert by any chance Neil!

[@raymondflanagan9355]

I think there was talk about reopening the old Standege tunnels for 4 track running. Do you know if this is still the case? Thanks

[@doncoffey5820]

They talked about using the two single bores while they put wires through the twin bore but I’m inclined to think they’ll just shut it.

[@joebloggs396]

I wonder if an upgrade to Hull will be done this century

[@doncoffey5820]

It was certainly on the cards to Selby but then Mr Grayling heard they could manage with bi modes.

[@stephenkettle7733]

Do you know why there’s so many pairs of 60ft rails in the 4ft? Are they IBJ’s?😊

[@doncoffey5820]

It’s where they store them but it happens less and less now we’re moving to LWR.

[@Lodgejohn2]

Replacing what Beeching took away at Mirfield.

[@doncoffey5820]

Yes, there was a lot lost and while he took too much away, something had to be done because we simply weren’t using the railway.

[@1IpswichTown]

Can someone please explain something to me. I was told by a freight company that I need a full driving licence to be a train driver. I think it was GBRF. I don't understand why because driving on the road to driving a train are 2 very different things. It seems a bit bizarre and needy to me.

[@doncoffey5820]

You don’t. Some companies might insist it is necessary as they leave vehicles at various locations for getting about but it isn’t required as such to drive a train.

[@Umiamz]

Great content but sadly not 4K as the title screen suggests.

[@doncoffey5820]

Have another look. It’s definitely there in 4K.

[@petersimons5675]

Looking forward to this