Network Rail releases update on “wartime bomb” which caused disruption to Calderdale train passengers on Wednesday evening

In a statement, National rail said the disruption – which has now ended – was “caused by an earlier incident where an unexploded wartime bomb was discovered near the railway between Leeds and Selby/York.”

The incident occurred near Cross Gates station where there were reports of an explosive device at around 4.30pm on Wednesday evening (October 9). It was later confirmed by a specialist bomb disposal team that the device was not a bomb.

In a statement, Network Rail said: “Yesterday just after 4.30pm our teams responded to an incident by Cross Gates station following reports of a historic explosive device. Train services in the area were suspended and an exclusion zone implemented while Network Rail teams supported the relevant authorities to bring the incident to a safe close.

"A specialist bomb disposal team confirmed the device was not a bomb and the line re-opened at 8.20pm.”

National Rail reported the routes that faced disruption included: CrossCountry journeys between Plymouth/Bristol Temple Meads and Edinburgh, as well as Reading and York; Northern journeys between Halifax and Hull, and also between Blackpool North/Leeds and York; TransPennine Express journeys between Manchester Airport and Darlington/Saltburn, between Liverpool Lime Street and Hull/Newcastle, between Manchester Piccadilly/Leeds and Scarborough, between Manchester Victoria and Hull/Scarborough, and also between Huddersfield and Hull.

You can view the report of the incident on the National Rail website, which can be found here.