Rail disruption to start 2025 as vital engineering works will see Sheffield services scrapped and amended

Network Rail have urged passengers to check before travelling in case of any delays or changes to the normal timetables.

Jason Hamilton, route director for Network Rail, said: “I would like to thank passengers for their patience while we deliver these vital track upgrades. This once-in-a-50-year intervention on a critical rail artery which sees hundreds of trains every day will bring better journeys across the North and to London.”

The vital works will be carried out on tracks between Sheffield Midlands Station in the city centre, and Dore & Totley station from January 6, 2025, to January 10, 2025.

East Midlands Railway (EMR), who operate Sheffield Station, have said the tracks between the two local hubs date back to 1976 and they require “a large amount of maintenance”.

Philippa Cresswell, Customer Service Director at East Midlands Railway, said: "We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused while these vital improvements take place between Monday 6 – Friday 10 January 2025.

"We urge all customers to plan ahead and check their journey details before setting off. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated as we work towards a better, more efficient railway network for everyone."

Three operators have announced services through Sheffield will be affected.

EMR’s regular Sheffield to London St Pancras service will be reduced to one per hour. The service will run a diversionary route via Beighton, but will still stop in Chesterfield.

However, the second hourly service will start further down the line in Derby - not in Sheffield.

Similarly, EMR services running between Liverpool and Nottingham will not stop in Sheffield or Chesterfield during the works. They will instead make additional stops in the Peak District and North Derbyshire at: Ilkeston, Langley Mill, Alfreton, Dronfield, Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope, Edale, and Chinley.

Northern services between Sheffield and Manchester will also be affected during the engineering works.

Trains will now only run between Manchester Piccadilly and New Mills Central. Replacement buses will run between New Mills Central and Chinley and between Grindleford and Sheffield - customers are told they should use EMR services between Chinley and Grindleford.

The TransPennine Express (TPE) services between Liverpool and Cleethorpes are another serving Sheffield to be heavily affected.

It is reported the trains will run between Cleethorpes and Doncaster only.

A heavily amended servoce will run between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield - alternating each hour between diverted trains and replacement bus services.

TPE trains will also run between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road.

For any additional information about the engineering works and affected services, head to the National Rail website.