Better trains will be stopping at platforms in Kirklees next year.
It has been revealed that TransPennine Express (TPE) is taking over the Leeds to Manchester stopping service through Huddersfield in May 2018.
The move means the end of the dilapidated near 40-year-old Pacer trains for many.
TPE will take on the stopping service on top of its express service between the two cities.
Northern Rail will still operate through the district but only on the Calder Valley routes.
The change will mean most train journeys around Kirklees will be on TPE’s modern trains.
Only passengers at Dewsbury, Mirfield, Brighouse and Huddersfield will see the decrepit Pacers – first built in the early 1980s – as they travel to and from Calderdale.
Pacers – which are old Leyland buses mounted on train wheels – were only intended as a temporary stopgap to make up for a shortage of rolling stock, with a maximum lifespan of 20 years.
But there are still over 200 diesel-powered Pacer carriages shaking around northern and south-west England as well as in South Wales.
The move to TPE’s modern fleet is likely to bring increased capacity between key towns and cities in West Yorkshire.
The trains have more carriages and benefit from air conditioning, WiFi and a buffet service.
Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, said: “From May 2018, we will take over operation of local services between Huddersfield and Leeds/Manchester.
“Northern will continue to run local services between Leeds and Hebden Bridge serving intermediate stops including Mirfield.
“This will enable more direct connections and faster journeys to both Leeds and Manchester using our modern intercity trains with more carriages.
“Customers at stations including Mirfield, Slaithwaite and Marsden will benefit from the replacement of the existing older trains on their service from next year.”
A spokesman for Northern said: “We recently outlined our commitment to modernise stations and services across our network – this includes the route between Leeds and Hebden Bridge.
“We are in the process of refurbishing our trains and phasing out the Pacers, which will be removed by 2019 and replaced by 281 new, purpose built, carriages.
“Of course, this can’t happen overnight and our trains will be phased in and out of refurbishment in order to ensure minimum impact on our daily services.
“Further changes are on the way, but we ask that our customers bear with us whilst we continue to make the significant improvements to their stations and services, delivering a rail service fit for the 21st Century.”
