This upcoming set of engineering works (Saturday 16 March to Sunday 24 March) will mark the full completion of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade, allowing the facilitation of longer trains with more seats for passengers and improved reliability of journeys between Manchester and Sheffield.

Upgrades include track installation and drainage work in the Dore & Totley area. The Dore South Curve extension is set to be completed, doubling the number of tracks in and out of the station to the east, whilst work on the new track in Grindleford will also be finalised.

Work will also take place to complete the new second platform at Dore & Totley station, which will be linked to the existing platform by an accessible footbridge with lifts once completed. The existing platform has been extended to accommodate longer trains, creating more seats for passengers.

The current platform at Dore & Totley station will become Platform 2, whilst the new, Manchester-bound platform will become Platform 1.

Following the recovery of redundant signalling equipment along the route, final commissioning of the upgraded cutting-edge signalling system will also take place, improving the reliability of services and signifying the completion of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade.

Ben Shaw, Sponsor for the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade, said: “The Hope Valley project team will be working around the clock to deliver this final stage of upgrades. We thank passengers and residents for their patience during the upgrade work.

“We’re looking forward to bringing passengers a faster, more reliable, accessible railway between Manchester and Sheffield and would like to thank customers for their patience.”

Jim Goldsby, project director from VolkerRailStory said: “Over the last three years, the project has achieved all the programme milestones, all whilst ensuring we give back to the local community by putting sustainability at the heart of our approach. Whilst this upcoming programme of works is critical, and a complex multidiscipline delivery that is essential for the wider Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, we have spent a year planning our approach in detail, and we are in a very good place to ensure completion by the end of March.”

Passengers are urged to check before they travel as these essential works mean services will be affected across the Hope Valley line and in the Sheffield area.

Passengers travelling to and from Dore & Totley between 25 March and 3 April with additional accessibility requirements should check travel arrangements on National Rail Enquiries website as alternative journeys via Sheffield may be required while work on the new lifts is completed.