Train services between Doncaster and Goole/Scunthorpe will be disrupted for longer than expected while a bridge renewal project takes place at Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

The line was expected to reopen tomorrow, Saturday, 22nd February, but the closure has been extended by another two days until Monday, 24th February to allow time for extra work to take place.

Normal services between Doncaster and Goole/Scunthorpe will therefore resume from the morning of Monday, 24th February.

The work has been necessary because the decking on a bridge at Marshgate Junction is nearing the end of its usable life.

If it hadn’t been replaced, the bridge would have soon become unfit for trains to use it.

Network Rail explored options other than closing the line but decided on the current approach because the beams being installed on the bridge require a large area of overhead power lines to be switched off while the work is in progress.

Train service changes

Saturday, 22nd February

• Northern’s amended timetable will be extended to also apply on Saturday.
• Services between Sheffield and Doncaster will be reduced.

Sunday, 23rd February

• Rail-replacement buses will operate between Doncaster and Goole.
• There are no Northern services to Scunthorpe on Sundays.

Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd February

• TransPennine Express (TPE) services between Doncaster and Scunthorpe will be replaced by a rail-replacement bus service.
• East Midlands Railway will accept TransPennine Express tickets except on the following services on Saturday, 22nd February
  • 1030 Cleethorpes to Leicester
  • 1035 Lincoln to Leicester
  • 1643 Leicester to Cleethorpes
  • 1739 Leicester to Lincoln

TransPennine Express will provide refunds on request for tickets purchased for travel from after 2.30 pm on Friday, 21st, and all day Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd February.

Network Rail will also take advantage of this week’s line closure to carry out other work, including:

• Upgrading two level crossings in Doncaster.
• Renewing a large amount of drainage in the Scunthorpe area.
• Renewing switch and crossing equipment at Kirton Lane level crossing.
• Installing troughs and cables between Ferriby and Gilberdyke.
• Updating signalling and telecommunications equipment along the line
• Carrying out various maintenance activities including upkeep of the track, vegetation clearance, and renewal of signalling cables.
• In East Yorkshire, work has started on a five-month project at Goole to solve flooding in the station subways at Goole by replacing the subway pumps.

“This vital work requires the electricity supply to the East Coast Main Line to be isolated for us to get the new bridge deck into place. By taking the option to extend this week’s package of work by a couple of days, we avoid having a full week’s closure of this section of the railway. We’re sorry to passengers whose journeys will be affected this weekend, but this is the least disruptive way of approaching this urgent repair.”

Sam MacDougall, Network Rail operations director