A NEW era for railway travel has been sparked at a Tameside train station.
For Stalybridge has seen its first electric powered train pass through, as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) programme.
The line between Stalybridge and Manchester Victoria is the first to be fully electrified, with the remainder of the route between Manchester and York set to follow suit in the years ahead.
Rail company TransPennine Express (TPE) has confirmed its Nova 1 (Class 802) trains have started using the overhead line equipment on the Stalybridge route.
The Nova 1 – which has two modes so it can also run using diesel engines – made the maiden journey on Sunday, December 1 as it left at 9.45am bound for Newcastle.
It was the first TransPennine Express train to serve Stalybridge using a pantograph and the electric overhead wires.
The company says the completion of this phase of the Transpennine Route Upgrade means a larger part of its network can now be served by greener electric trains.
“This is an exciting time for the railway in the North as TRU continues to deliver benefits for TPE and customers,” said Chris Nutton, Major Projects & TRU Director at TransPennine Express.
“The use of our Nova 1 fleet in electric mode between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge gives our customers a taste of what is to come, as TRU continues to transform the railway between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.”
It follows the work done during a 26-day blockade between Stalybridge and Manchester, and multiple weekends in 2023 and 2024, during which the overhead line equipment was installed.
There have also been other enhancements along the line including speed increases as part of track upgrades at Miles Platting, a new higher-speed railway junction at Stalybridge, and 25 new signals which will allow for closer spacing of trains.
“This is another pivotal moment for TRU, bringing us one step closer to a fully electrified trans Pennine route,” added TRU’s Senior Sponsor, Ross Ashton.
“We’re delighted that after successful tests, TransPennine Express customers can now travel from Manchester Victoria towards Stalybridge on a cleaner, greener railway.”