West Yorks TPE Diversions
Friday 26 June 2026
With the TransPennine line from Leeds to Huddersfield closed through Morley and Dewsbury, we’ve got a cracking opportunity to photograph diverted trains along a route that already has plenty of traffic.
The outing will take place on Friday 26th June 2026, exploring the Leeds to Mirfield diversionary route through the heart of West Yorkshire. This is a line that doesn’t usually get much spotlight, but for this window, it should offer a really varied and rewarding day’s photography, a proper mix of urban grit and rural Yorkshire railway atmosphere.
The diversion route runs south out of Leeds via the ex Midland Railway line through Holbeck, Hunslet and Stourton before opening out towards Methley Junction, where things turn more rural with views across the River Calder around Normanton. From there, we pick up the former Lancashire & Yorkshire metals through Wakefield Kirkgate, before threading through Horbury, Healey Mills and back towards the main line near Ravensthorpe/Mirfield.
What makes this especially appealing is the variety across the route, with three distinct sections:
Leeds – Methley Junction
Freight: Aire Valley stone, Stourton Freightliner flows, Midland Road workings.
Passenger: Northern locals (Leeds–Sheffield, Leeds–Knottingley)
Normanton – Turners Lane Junction (Wakefield)
Freight: Stourton and Wakefield Europort intermodal, Wilton–Knowsley bins
Passenger: Northern stopping services
Wakefield Kirkgate – Thornhill Junction
Freight: Drax biomass to Liverpool, Wilton–Knowsley bins, Calder Valley freights.
Passenger: Grand Central services (London–Bradford) plus Northern locals
Add in the diverted TransPennine workings and it should make for a busy, varied day, which feels like one of those slightly “under the radar” 1Z10 days that could turn into something special. There’ll be plenty of trains to work many compositions on a line full of history, it’s mid-summer too so plenty of daylight, sunrise and sunset is only for the brave.
The route itself is nicely linear, which gives us flexibility to move with the traffic or settle into key locations. As ever, we’ll firm up a starting point and rough plan closer to the time, depending on interest and timings. Both Leeds and Wakefield are easy to reach by rail and road, so access should be straightforward.
Let me know your thoughts and if you’re interested in joining.
Andrew Shenton