A new, state-of-the-art £46.5 million facility built to keep trains running smoothly for passengers has officially opened in Yorkshire. The 175-year-old Hillhouse Sidings in Huddersfield has been transformed into a modern Light Maintenance Depot as a key component of the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU).
The site, now known as Hillhouse Light Maintenance Depot, was officially opened by Northern railway at an event earlier this week. Northern staff are now working 24 hours a day to maintain, repair, and clean trains at the site, with the majority of the work taking place overnight to ensure services are ready for the following day.
Future-Proofing Services Across the North
The new depot is a significant boost to rail infrastructure, featuring five lines with modern maintenance facilities that can accommodate up to 24 carriages. Engineers will initially focus on maintaining diesel trains on two lines. Over the coming years, the remaining three lines will be completed, future-proofing the facility for the introduction of electric and bi-mode services.
Rob Warnes, Northern’s strategic development director, said: “We’re delighted this depot is now open, following years of hard work and millions of pounds of investment. It will play a vital role in ensuring services are in an excellent condition and run smoothly for passengers along the upgraded Transpennine Route.”
Paul Sumner, senior sponsor for the TRU, said: “The opening of Hillhouse Light Maintenance Depot is another fantastic milestone for the TRU. By transforming this site into a modern, state-of-the-art facility, we’re helping to ensure trains are kept in the best possible condition for passengers across the North. This depot will not only support more reliable services today, but it’s also future-proofed for electric and bi-mode trains, making it a key part of building a greener, faster and more dependable railway for years to come.”
Wider TRU Progress
The TRU is transforming the 76-mile railway to enable faster, more frequent, and more reliable services between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York.
Progress on the wider project is also advancing rapidly. Huddersfield station itself reopened to customers earlier this week, featuring three rebuilt and extended platforms. While this section is open, phase two of the upgrades continues behind a sectioned-off area. When the remaining platform, canopy, and track work is finished in early 2027, the station will be able to accommodate longer trains with more seats, leading to more comfortable journeys for customers.
Northern, which operates 2,650 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England, advises passengers using Huddersfield station to check the latest information before travelling.
