Winsford is a stop on the West Coast Main Line in Cheshire between Crewe and Hartford.
LNWR 350 369 departs, bound for Liverpool
Information
Type:
National Rail
(West Coast Main Line)
Station code:
WSF
Opened:
1837
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by the Grand Junction Railway in 1837 as one of it's original stations. Later the station became part of the London North Western Railway. The station has been the scene of a number of accidents, two with major loss of life. Twenty four people died when two trains collided at Winsford in 1948. Eighteen died in an accident at the nearby Coppenhall Junction in 1962 in another collision.
The station is managed by London Northwestern Railway with hourly trains in each direction. The station has a staffed ticket office. Access between the platforms is via the footbridge or the road bridge which crosses the railway at the end of the platforms.
Ellesmere Port is the terminus of the Ellesmere Port branch of the Merseyrail Wirral Line in Cheshire. It is also the terminus of Northern trains from Helsby.
Merseyrail 508 125 stands at Ellesmere Port
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Merseyrail Wirral Line)
Station code:
ELP
Opened:
1863
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by the Birkenhead Railway on it's new line from Hooton to Helsby in 1863 as Whitby Locks though was renamed to it's current name three years later. It later became part of the LNWR who built an engine shed at Ellesmere Port though this was sold to the Manchester Ship Canal company in 1921 [1].
The line to Ellesmere Port was electrified in 1994 as part of the Merseyrail network. Services through to Helsby ceased though a limited service is operated by Northern from Helsby, twice a day. By comparison Merseyrail services to Liverpool are up to every thirty minutes! The original station building survives and has a staffed ticket office. Access between the platforms is via footbridge though Platform 1 sees the vast majority of services.
Footbridge
Station building
This train can go no further
Local attractions
508 125 prepares to return to Liverpool
[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Chester to Birkenhead (Middleton Press, 2012) Fig. 100
Warrington Bank Quay is a stop on the West Coast Main Line and local lines in Cheshire between Crewe and Wigan North Western.
An Avanti West Coast Pendolino departs north, the large Unilever factory is the station's backdrop
Information
Type:
National Rail
(West Coast Main Line)
Station code:
WBQ
Opened:
1868
Platforms:
4
The station was opened by the London North Western Railway in 1868. The station was originally just called Warrington but Bank Quay was added to the name after the opening of Warrington Central in 1873 [1]. The station was originally on two levels, the two existing island platforms on a high-level and three platforms (including a bay) on a low-level for St Helens Railway services. The low-level platforms were closed in 1963 though the lines remain open for freight.
The station has four platforms, two per island. One island has nineteenth century buildings with the other buildings from the 1950s. The station was refurbished in the late 2000s, including a new entrance hall and an extension to the car park. The station is managed by Avanti West Coast and also served by Northern and Transport for Wales.
A Transport for Wales 197 arrives
Island platform and canopies
View down the platform
A TfW 197 prepares to depart
A southbound Pendolino arrives
[1] Adrian Hartness, Crewe to Wigan (Middleton Press, 2017) Map. XIX
Overpool is a stop on the Ellesmere Port branch of the Merseyrail Wirral Line in Cheshire between Ellesmere Port and Little Sutton.
Merseyrail 508 128 arrives at Overpool
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Merseyrail Wirral Line Ellesmere Port Branch)
Station code:
OVE
Opened:
1988
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by British Rail in 1988 to serve new housing developments [1] on the line from Hooton to Helsby. In 1994 the line from Hooton was electrified as far as Ellesmere Port and through services to Liverpool began.
Access to the platforms is via ramps from the road level bridge which crosses the railway lines. Overpool is one of a small number of Merseyrail stations which are unstaffed. There is a half-hourly service in each direction.
View down the platform, facilities are fairly basic
Platform shelter
Another platform view
[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Chester to Birkenhead (Middleton Press, 2012) Fig. 98
Goostrey is a stop on the Crewe-Manchester Line in Cheshire between Holmes Chapel and Chelford.
Northern 323 235 departs for Manchester
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Crewe-Manchester Line)
Station code:
GTR
Opened:
1891
Platforms:
2
Although the line was built by the Manchester & Birmingham Railway in 1842, the then-owners the London & North Western Railway did not open a station at Goostrey until 1891. The station was a simple two platform affair with a small goods yard, this was closed in 1964 [1]. The line was an early part of the West Coast Main Line electrification and the wires went up in 1959. At Goostrey this meant some rebuilding of the bridge and the main station building to facilitate the electrical equipment.
The station is managed by Northern, who also operate an hourly service in each direction. Access between the platforms is via the road bridge.
Road bridge
BR era signage
Down the platform
Main station building, no longer in railway use
331 015 arrives with a Crewe bound service
[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Crewe to Manchester (Middleton Press, 2014) Map. IX
Crewe is a junction on the West Coast Main Line in Cheshire between Stafford and Winsford and the gateway to a number of destinations in the north west of England and Wales.
Northern 323 239 at Crewe
Information
Type:
National Rail (West Coast Main Line & Others)
Station code:
CRE
Opened:
1837
Platforms:
12
Crewe station was opened in 1837 by the Grand Junction Railway. This linked two existing railways and meant London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool were now connected by rail. Crewe station was at the centre of a wide array of railway related sites including Crewe Electric Depot and Crewe Works which manufactured many locomotives ranging from the BR 9F steam freight locomotives to the HST power cars.
Crewe has twelve platforms, some of which are a considerable length with also a number of bays. Services to the station are very varied and include WCML trains run by Avanti West Midlands (who manage the station) and London North Western Railway as well as local Northern and East Midlands Railway services plus Transport for Wales services to Chester and Wales. There are also Cross County and Caledonian Sleeper services, as well as freight and special workings.
The platforms are largely is covered by canopies though there are quite a few gaps and it looks a bit dilapidated. As with all larger stations there are also the usual collection of coffee shops and kiosks. Due to its location Crewe and the great variety of traffic the station has remained a popular destination for enthusiasts.
EMR 153 355 and LNWR 350 118 on two of Crewe's bay platforms
Nantwich is a stop on the Crewe-Shrewsbury part of the Welsh Marches Line in Cheshire between Crewe and Wrenbury.
Transport for Wales 175 009 at Nantwich
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Welsh Marches Line)
Station code:
NAN
Opened:
1858
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by the Crewe & Shrewsbury Railway in 1858 and later became part of the London & North Western Railway. In 1862 the Nantwich & Markey Drayton Railway reached the town turning the station into a junction, this became part of the Great Western Railway later on. Nantwich had GWR services heading though it, running over LNWR metals north of Nantwich. The Market Drayton line was closed in 1967.
The station is now unstaffed, the level crossings near the station are now monitored remotely from south Wales. Nantwich is now on the Welsh Marshes Line and is managed and served by Transport for Wales. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge on the road and level crossing at the end of the platforms.
Sandbach is a stop on the Crewe-Manchester Line in Cheshire between Crewe and Holmes Chapel.
DB 66 041 waits for a signal before continuing onto Crewe
Information
Type:
National Rail
(Crewe-Manchester Line)
Station code:
SDB
Opened:
1842
Platforms:
3
The station was opened by the Manchester & Birmingham Railway in 1842, four years later becoming part of the London North Western Railway. The station was also a junction for a branch line to Middlewich and Northwich though this became freight only in 1960. A North Staffordshire Railway line from Kidsgrove to Sandbach also existed though this closed completely in 1964.
The station had a number of private sidings including for lorry manufacturer Foden, these sidings were closed in the 1970s. The station was completely rebuilt during electrification of the line in the 1960s [1] and gained it's current flat roofed station buildings. The station has three platforms, platform three being bidirectional and tends to be only used in peak times. Access between the platforms is via a footbridge.
The station is managed by Northern trains who also operate all services which stop at the station.
Northern 319 367 arrives with a Crewe bound service
Main station building
Northern 323 328 departs for Manchester
View from the footbridge
A vintage sign on platform 2/3
[1] Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith, Crewe to Manchester (Middleton Press, 2014) p. 13
Alsager is a stop on the North Staffordshire Line in Cheshire between Crewe and Kidsgrove.
LNWR 350 106 departs heading North
Information
Type:
National Rail
(North Staffordshire Line)
Station code:
ASG
Opened:
1848
Platforms:
2
The station was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1848. It was renamed Alsager Rode Heath in 1889 but changed back to Alsager in 1923. The station retains it's station building though it is no longer in railway use. A signalbox was located next to the station building though was closed in 1985 and demolished [1]. The line through Alsager was electrified in 2003, the line can be used for diverted West Coast Main Line trains.
The station is now unstaffed with a couple of brick shelters. The station is managed by East Midlands Railway and served by themselves and LNWR. A level crossing is situated at one end of the platforms, access between the platforms is via the road.
View down the platform
LNWR 350 263 arrives with a South bound service
Platform shelter
Former station building
Level crossing
[1] Adrian Hartless, Lines North of Stoke (Middleton Press, 2019) Fig. 69
