Morley Station: Yorkshire railway station is rebuilt 75 metres away for the first time since it opened in 1848

Morley Station has been in the same location since it first opened in 1848, but will re-open next summer on a new site 75 metres away from the existing platforms.

Morley, which is on the Huddersfield Line, has suffered from accessibility issues for years and the redevelopment will allow for level access as well as provide capacity for longer trains on the route between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York to call there.

There will be a footbridge and lifts connecting the two platforms, and the relocation means that the track layout can be changed and overhead wires installed to increase electrification of the Transpennine route in future.

The current Morley Station will remain open while the new one is built, yet there will be a full section closure from December 31-January 2 to enable work to take place.

Network Rail’s eastern region managing director Rob McIntosh said:“A brand-new fully accessible station in Morley will reinvigorate rail in the area and unlock better connections to jobs, events, and opportunities between Manchester and York for many more people.

“It’s just one element of a massive, multi-billion-pound programme of improvements we’re delivering across the north to create a faster, greener railway that people can confidently rely on to get them where they need to be, on time.”

There will also be eight days of service changes between Saturday 4 and Sunday February 12, while major work to realign the track and install a new platform takes place.