Are you travelling to Manchester over February half-term? Plan ahead as engineering work means no direct EMR trains to the city
- No EMR services will run North of Sheffield between Saturday 14 and Sunday 22 February
- Customers can still travel to Manchester but journeys will look different and take longer
- EMR customers advised to travel via Chesterfield where a rail replacement bus will take them to Manchester
East Midlands Railway (EMR) is advising customers planning to travel to Manchester between Saturday 14 and Sunday 22 February to plan their journey in advance and check before they travel.
Network Rail will be investing nearly eight million pounds (£7.9m) to improve tracks, points and signalling systems on the southern approach to Manchester Piccadilly station which date back to the 1980s.
Teams will replace 11 sets of points, renew timber sleepers with modern, concrete equivalents and bring lineside equipment bang up to date across six lines to improve future journeys for passengers and freight.
Investment in this critical stretch of track can help reduce the disrupt of all trains running in and out of Manchester.
The works will mean changes to services from the south and east of the city and there will be no direct EMR trains into Manchester during this period.
Customers can still get to Manchester, but journeys will look different and may take longer than usual.
Amended services throughout the week:
Monday to Friday
All EMR trains will terminate at Sheffield.
Customers travelling north can:
Change at Chesterfield for a rail replacement bus to Manchester - one bus per hour, timed to link with train arrivals.
From Sheffield, travel north on TransPennine Express or Northern services to Stockport, then take a rail replacement bus to Manchester Piccadilly.
There will be an early morning and a late evening train between Nottingham and Hazel Grove, stopping at all smaller stations.
Saturdays
The pattern is broadly the same as weekdays, with some changes to timings.
Sundays
No EMR services between Manchester and Sheffield.
Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at East Midlands Railway, said: "We know this vital engineering work will involve significant changes for customers travelling to Manchester over the February half-term.
"However, you can still make your journey, but it will look different and take longer than usual - so please plan ahead and check before you travel."
Customers are encouraged to check the latest timetable information and journey options at Piccadilly corridor renewal: No trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 February | EMR