This Easter weekend (Friday 18th to Sunday 20th April) sees more trackwork taking place on the South Yorkshire Supertram. The main work will be taking place around Hillsborough Interchange but as the weekend progresses its also planned that more work will be completed further along Middlewood Road towards the Yellow route terminus at Middlewood. In this article we take a look at some of the work, courtesy of Stuart Cooke, being undertaken at Hillsborough on day one of the weekend.
As a result of these works – which should provide smoother and more reliable journeys on the network – both the Blue and Yellow routes are operating revised services. For the Blue route that means services from Halfway are being terminated at Shalesmoor. The Yellow route is slightly more complicated as its Cathedral that is the terminus for journeys from Meadowhall except early mornings, evenings and on Sunday 20th April when they also get extended through to Shalesmoor.
As is normal replacement bus services are running, although this are subject to diversion because of the trackworks. Full Details of the changes can be seen at https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/en-GB/supertram/hillsborough-works-18-20-april-2025.
The works take place at Hillsborough on Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th April with works also happening on Middlewood Road on Sunday 20th April. Normal services are due to recommence on Monday 21st April.
Early morning on 18th April and work is already well underway outside Hillsborough Interchange. The citybound track is being worked on here with contractors removing the old rails ahead of their replacement. This is right outside the entrance to the bus station – showing just why bus services are also on diversion.
A close-up view of the work compound seeing where old track has already been removed from the grooves.
Another look at the work taking place with new rails waiting to be laid and the split between old and new seen in the centre of the shot. In the background we see the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a grade II listed building. The church is a relatively new addition to the Hillsborough area as it was only opened on 25th March 1936 with Archbishop of Liverpool, Richard Downey, visiting for the occasion.
Overnight on 18th/19th April and attention turned towards the concrete trackbed at Hillsborough Corner which has seemed to require attention for some time. In this view we see contractors with cutting equipment starting this work. (All Photographs by Stuart Cooke, 18th April 2025)