IRR expertise vital to electrification success in Transpennine Route Upgrade
Photo: Systra
Expertise from the University of Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) has proved vital to the electrification of a key rail junction as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
This is a multi-billion-pound railway programme between York, Leeds and Manchester, to upgrade and electrify the route, connecting towns and cities across the North via more frequent, faster electric trains.
The overhead electric wires, which sit above the railway lines, carry electricity at 25,000 volts and will allow more environmentally friendly electric and hybrid trains to run at speeds of up to 125mph, meaning 30mph faster than they currently run. This will reduce journey times as well as cutting carbon emissions and improve air quality.
The IRR was selected to support the critical infrastructure project at the particularly complex location of Colton Junction on the East Coast Main Line. Working with Network Rail, Systra, Siemens Mobility, Murphy and Volker Rail, the aim was to redesign the legacy 1980s overhead catenary junction to a more robust tangentially wired solution.
The junction, where trains from Leeds join the East Coast Main Line towards York, is one of the busiest stretches of railway in the north and is far from any main station stops, meaning that trains are often travelling at their maximum speed of 125 mph when passing the junction in any direction.
As a result, the upgrade required a bespoke electrification design, and this is where the IRR’s expertise and in-house developed simulation software, PantoCat, was called upon.
PantoCat is a groundbreaking software which analyses pantograph-catenary interaction dynamics under realistic operating conditions. This advanced tool can three-dimensionally model multiple tracks with converging and diverging overhead wires and assess their performance with different train fleets and their distinct pantograph types and spacings.
The team at Huddersfield, led by Professor João Pombo, Associate Director of the IRR, undertook a process of modelling the overhead line equipment design to evaluate the suitability of different solutions. The junction was progressively assembled, with the final tangential wiring arrangement being installed earlier this year. More recently, the IRR team were on hand to witness the successful testing of the completed Colton Junction update.
The changes will mean that Colton Junction is the only electrified high-speed railway junction in the UK that is rated for train speeds of 125mph for both branches. Following final wiring and commissioning, the London branch has been in service since March 2025, and the first electric trains towards Leeds have been successfully running through the junction from August 2025.
Contribution to cutting-edge technology
Professor Pombo commented: “The successful completion of the Colton Junction electrification design and construction is a sound example of the excellent work the whole IRR team are doing to support the railway industry. We are proud to contribute to the development of cutting-edge technology that aligns with the industry's strategic drive to lower costs and accelerate rail decarbonisation. Our work not only supports these transformative goals but strengthens the competitiveness of rail transport as a sustainable alternative to road travel, bringing meaningful environmental gains to the UK transport network.”
Matthew Whittaker, OLE Senior Project Engineer at Network Rail, commented: “Modifying the existing electrification at Colton Junction marks a critical milestone for the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme. It enables the vital connection to the East Coast Main Line and the onward journey to York. This achievement was the result of a truly collaborative effort between design, construction teams, Network Rail, and the University of Huddersfield. Success wasn’t the work of any one party, but the shared commitment of all involved. Over two years of hard work culminated in this outcome, and special thanks go to the University, whose dedication and professionalism ensured the dynamic model achieved full compliance to standards.”
Integral to the delivery
David Vamplew, Head of OLE Projects at Siemens Mobility, commented: “Colton Junction had been identified as a critical area where existing basic designs would be difficult to implement. The University of Huddersfield was engaged to provide a detailed model of the junction allowing many different engineering solutions to be simulated. The University team were integral to the successful delivery of this package of works and their simulation greatly derisked the project.”
Stuart Bedda, Principal Electrification Engineer at Systra, commented: “Our overhead catenary designers have learned a great deal around multi-catenary and pantograph dynamic modelling with University of Huddersfield knowledge of possible overhead catenary solutions during the design development process. The approved and installed catenary design was testament to that collaboration.”
World-class centre
Since it was founded over a decade ago, the IRR has built up a reputation as a world-class centre for railway engineering research and innovation, working closely with industry and academic partners to deliver impactful research for a safer, more reliable and cost-efficient low-carbon railway.
Awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for innovations in research and development that have brought significant improvements to the railway industry, the Institute leads the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network’s (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock.
With a team of over 30 dedicated academic research staff, the IRR has received £14m of investment in state-of-the-art full-scale test facilities and has extensive capabilities in the simulation and testing of rail systems, with a focus on vehicle-track dynamics and pantograph-catenary interaction dynamics, combined with expertise in smart maintenance, traction and braking system optimisation and rail technology development.
Further Information
Photos credit: Systra/University of Huddersfield
Photo captions 1 and 3: Workers completing the tangential wiring at Colton Junction. Photo caption 2: The University of Huddersfield team (left to right) Professor João Pombo, Associate Director of the IRR, with Industrial Fellows José Rebelo, José Santos and Principal Research Fellow Dr Pedro Antunes.