Hope Valley Railway Upgrade offers better journeys between Manchester and Sheffield
Rail Minister Huw Merriman visited Dore & Totley station yesterday (Monday 8 April) to mark the completion of the new track layout at Dore junction and officially open the new and fully accessible platform at Dore & Totley station in Sheffield.
The new platform is linked to the existing platform by a fully accessible footbridge with lifts at both ends, and is the first time the station has had two platforms since the 1980s.
The visit also signifies the end of major works for the multi-million-pound Hope Valley Railway Upgrade programme, which began in Spring 2021 and has seen the VolkerRailStory joint venture deliver various improvements to the line between Manchester and Sheffield.
A 1km railway loop has been installed between Bamford and Hathersage, allowing faster services to overtake slower trains relieving an historic bottleneck.
Work undertaken on the recent closure of the line from 16 March to Sunday 24 March saw teams worked around the clock to implement the new signalling system and finalise track installation, ensuring the Dore South Curve extension was completed, doubling the number of tracks in and out of the station, along with finishing the new track in Grindleford and Bamford.
Graeme Whitehead, Senior Sponsor for the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade, said: “We’re delighted to be able to invite the Rail Minister to Dore & Totley to celebrate the completion of the programme. “The Hope Valley Railway Upgrade team worked tirelessly to deliver these upgrades, that will ensure improved rail services between Manchester and Sheffield.
James Goldsby, project director from VolkerRailStory said: "This is an amazing achievement and the culmination of three years of work by the VolkerRailStory joint venture. The work undertaken will now remove several bottlenecks for train operating companies between Manchester and Sheffield, providing passengers with a much improved service."
Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “I am delighted to be in Sheffield today to mark the completion of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade – another project delivered which demonstrates our continued commitment to improving transport in the North of England.
“This Government funded scheme means passengers will now benefit from improved reliability and accessibility when travelling between Sheffield and Manchester.”
