View source for Crewe railway station

{{Short description|Principal railway station in Cheshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox station
| name               = Crewe
| symbol_location    = gb
| symbol             = rail
| image              = Crewe railway station MMB 02 350259.jpg
| caption            = A view of platforms 5 and 6, with two fast lines in the middle; an electric multiple unit is on platform 5 (July 2013)
| borough            = [[Crewe]], [[Cheshire East]],
| country            = England
| coordinates        = {{coord|53.089|-2.433|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name          = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|Grid reference]]
| grid_position      = {{gbmapscaled|SJ710547|25|SJ710547}}
| manager            = [[Avanti West Coast]]
| platforms          = 12
| tracks             = 14
| code               = CRE
| classification     = [[United Kingdom railway station categories|DfT category]] B
| years              = 4 July 1837
| events             = Opened
| years1             = 1867
| events1            = Rebuilt
| years2             = 1903-1907
| events2            = Platforms lengthened
| years3             = 1984-1985
| events3            = Remodelled<ref name="CrewetoManchesterpart3">{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=E.M. |title=Manchester to Crewe part three: Stockport & Wilmslow|publisher=E.M. Johnson |date=2022 |isbn=9781399922586 |location=Burnage |page=147}}</ref>
| mpassengers        = <!--{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2017/18 |passengers={{increase}} 3.147 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.551 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2018/19 |passengers={{increase}} 3.305 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 1.508 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{increase}} 3.401 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 1.408 million}}-->
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.746 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 0.198 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 2.717 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.802 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 2.923 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.073 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 3.143 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.326 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2024/25 |passengers={{increase}} 3.390 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.428 million}}
| footnotes          = Passenger statistics from the [[Office of Rail and Road]]
| mapframe           = yes
| mapframe-zoom      = 12
| embedded           = {{Infobox designation list|embed=yes
| designation1        = Grade II
| designation1_feature = 1867 buildings at Crewe Railway Station
| designation1_date   = 30 August 2016
| designation1_number = 1436435<ref name="Listing"/>
}}
}}
'''Crewe railway station''' serves the railway town of [[Crewe]], in [[Cheshire]], England. It opened in 1837 and is one of the most historically significant [[railway station]]s in the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Opening of the Grand Junction Railway  |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000183/18370705/014/0003 |newspaper=London Evening Standard |location=England |date=5 July 1837 |access-date=7 June 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=guardian>[https://www.theguardian.com/Columnists/Column/0,,1658974,00.html Guardian newspaper article, ''The beauty of Crewe'' (6 December 2005).] Retrieval Date: 10 August 2007.</ref>

It is a major junction on the [[West Coast Main Line]] and serves as a rail gateway for [[North West England]]. It is {{convert|158|mi|km|0}} north of {{rws|London Euston}} and {{convert|243|mi|km|0}} south of {{rws|Glasgow Central}}. It is located at the point where the lines to {{rws|Manchester Piccadilly}} and [[North Wales Main Line|North Wales]] diverge from this route; it is the last major station before the branch to {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} diverges. It is also served by lines to {{rws|Stoke-on-Trent}} and {{rws|Shrewsbury}}.

Crewe station has twelve platforms and a modern passenger entrance containing a bookshop and ticket office. Passengers access the platforms via a footbridge, stairs and lifts. The platform buildings, which date from the 19th century, contain two bookshops, bars, buffets and waiting rooms. The last major expenditure on the station took place in 1984-1985 when the track layout was remodelled and the station facilities were updated.<ref name="CrewetoManchesterpart3" />

==History==

===Early years===
[[File:Crewe station early image.png|thumb|left|Early image of the original Crewe station ''c''. 1840.]]

Crewe's location was chosen after [[Winsford]], {{convert|7|mi|km|1|spell=in}} to the north, had rejected an earlier proposal, as had local landowners in neighbouring [[Nantwich]], {{convert|4|mi|km|1|spell=in}} away.<ref>{{cite news|title=Crewe History|url=http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/crewe-history-5627039|access-date=28 March 2016|work=Crewe Chronicle|date=29 July 2008}}</ref>

Crewe was the first station to have its own adjacent railway hotel, the [[Crewe Arms Hotel]], built in 1838, and still in use.<ref>{{cite news|title=Crewe station gets its first-ever official ghost tour|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/stoke/hi/things_to_do/newsid_9345000/9345473.stm|access-date=28 March 2016|work=BBC News|date=7 January 2011}}</ref> It was the first to be completely rebuilt owing to the need for expansion. It was also the first to have completely independent rail lines built around it to ease traffic congestion.

The station opened on 4 July 1837 on the [[Grand Junction Railway]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Drake |first=James |date=1838 |title=Drake's Road Book of the Grand Junction Railway (1838) |publisher=Moorland Reprints |isbn=0903485257}}</ref>{{rp|46}} The purpose was to link the four largest cities of England by joining the existing [[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]] with the projected [[London & Birmingham Railway]]. The first long-distance railway in the world, it ran from [[Birmingham Curzon Street railway station (1838-1966)|Curzon Street railway station]] in [[Birmingham]] to [[Dallam, Warrington|Dallam]] in [[Warrington]], Cheshire, where it made an end-on junction with the Warrington and Newton Railway, a branch of the L&M.

The station was built in the township of Crewe, which formed part of the [[Ancient parishes of Cheshire|ancient parish of Barthomley]]. The township later became a [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in its own right and, later still, was renamed ''Crewe Green'' to avoid confusion with the town of Crewe, which was adjacent to it. The station was at the point where the line crossed the [[turnpike trust|turnpike road]] linking the Trent and Mersey, and the Shropshire Union Canals. Since the land was bought from the [[Earl of Crewe]], whose mansion stood nearby and it was located in the township of Crewe, the station was called ''Crewe''. The railway station gave its name to the town of Crewe that was actually situated in the [[Ancient parishes of Cheshire|ancient parish of Coppenhall]]. In 1936, the railway station was transferred from the civil parish of Crewe to the then municipal borough of the same name.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Chambers|2007|pp=76, 94}}; {{Harvtxt|Dunn|1987|p=26}}; {{Harvtxt|Ollerhead|2008|pp=7, 10, 16}}. {{cite web|url=http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/chs/crewe1.html|title=Crewe (near Wybunbury)|publisher=GENUKI (UK & Ireland Genealogy)|access-date=3 February 2009}}. The unusual relationship between the town of Crewe and the civil parish of Crewe, mediated by the railway station, is described in the following riddle: "The place which is Crewe is not Crewe, and the place which is not Crewe is Crewe."{{Harvtxt|Curran|Gilsenan|Owen|Owen|1984|p=2}}.</ref>

As soon as the station opened, the [[Chester and Crewe Railway]] was formed to build a branch line to [[Chester]]; this company was absorbed by the GJR shortly before it opened to traffic in 1840. A locomotive depot was built to serve the Chester line and to provide banking engines to assist trains southwards from Crewe up the Madeley Incline, a modest gradient which was a challenge to the small engines of the day.

By 1841, the Chester line was seen as a starting point for a new trunk line to the port of [[Holyhead]], to provide the fastest route to Ireland, and the importance of Crewe as a junction station began to be established. This was given further endorsement when the [[Manchester and Birmingham Railway]], a separate undertaking which had hoped to build a wholly independent line linking the two cities, shorter than the GJR, decided that it would be uneconomical to compete with that line over the greater part of its length: it decided to divert its own line to meet the GJR at Crewe. Teething squabbles between the companies delayed the running of through services for a while and the M&B had to build a temporary station of their own; part of this survives today as an isolated platform next to the North Junction, at the start of the line to Manchester.

In 1842, the GJR decided to move its locomotive works from Edge Hill in [[Liverpool]] to Crewe, siting the works to the north of the junction between the Warrington and Chester lines. To house the workforce and company management, the town of Crewe was built by the company to the north of the works.

===London & North Western Railway===
In 1846, the GJR merged with the London and Birmingham to form the [[London and North Western Railway]] Company which, until its demise in 1923, was the largest company in the world. The new company extended the existing lines to Holyhead, the Warrington line to Lancaster and Carlisle, and the Manchester line to Leeds; it built the new [[Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway]] to Shrewsbury to join the joint GWR owned [[Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway]], which provided connections to [[South Wales]]. The [[North Staffordshire Railway]] built a line from [[Stoke-on-Trent]], joining the LNWR from the South East. Crewe was the centre of a wide-ranging railway network, and freight-handling facilities grew up to the south of the station.

To cope with the increase of traffic, the station was rebuilt in 1867 (according to WH Chaloner); the buildings facing each other on the present platforms 5 and 6 date from this time and were built under the supervision of [[William Baker (engineer)|William Baker]].<ref name="Listing"/> The listing by English Heritage describes them as: <blockquote>mirrored design with bowed projections for the platform inspectors' offices, the 'greybeard' keystones and vivid polychromy ... one of the best pieces of mid-C19 platform architecture designed anywhere on the LNWR network, and as rare surviving examples nationally of buildings of a major junction station of this period.</blockquote>

At the same time, the works was redeveloped and enlarged, and the town also enlarged under the leadership of [[John Ramsbottom (engineer)|John Ramsbottom]], a Todmorden man who had become locomotive superintendent. Locomotive construction, hitherto divided with Wolverton (on the London and Birmingham Railway) was concentrated at Crewe. Ramsbottom also built a steelworks, the first in the world to make large-scale use of the [[Bessemer process]], as only the LNWR required enough steel to keep a Bessemer plant continuously occupied. He also introduced mass-production techniques, whereby as many parts as possible were identical between one engine and another.

[[File:Crewe station around 1900.jpg|thumb|left|Crewe station around 1900]]

Ramsbottom retired in 1871 and was succeeded by the legendary [[Francis Webb (engineer)|Frank Webb]], a colourful and controversial figure who was known as ''The Uncrowned King of Crewe''.

By the 1890s, a survey revealed 1,000 trains passing within a 24-hour period. Half of these were freight trains which did not need to call at the station, so the company decided to build a separate four-track railway line passing to the west of the station, joining the existing lines beyond the north and south junctions, burrowing beneath them and avoiding them completely. Plans for the "independent lines" were approved in 1895 and construction lasted from 1896<ref>{{cite news  |title=Railway Extensions at Crewe |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000327/18960318/004/0002 |newspaper=Derby Daily Telegraph |location=England |date=18 March 1896 |access-date=5 December 2016 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref> to 1901. Over 1,000 labourers were employed on what was known as the "big dig" at a cost about £500,000<ref>WH Challoner's Social & Economic Development of Crewe 1780-1923 {{full citation needed|date=June 2015}}</ref> ({{Inflation|UK|500000|1901|r=-4|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} This undertaking also included a [[marshalling yard]] to the south of the station at [[Basford Hall Yard|Basford Hall]], a revolutionary ''[[Transshipment point|tranship shed]]'' which allowed fast transfer of freight from wagons to road vehicles under cover. The station was enlarged between 1903<ref>{{cite news |title=Extending Crewe station |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000206/19030526/026/0006 |newspaper=Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser |location=England |date=26 May 1903 |access-date=5 December 2016 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription  }}</ref> and 1907, by providing eight through platforms each {{convert|1/4|mi|km|1|spell=in}} long. The cost of the improvements was £1,000,000<ref>{{cite news |title=Crewe' Million Pound Station |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000711/19070603/050/0002 |newspaper=Lancashire Evening Post |location=England |date=3 June 1907 |access-date=5 December 2016 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ({{Inflation|UK|1000000|1907|r=-4|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}

===London, Midland and Scottish Railway===
[[File:Crewe 2 railway station 2098335 a4ad7b49.jpg|thumb|right|View northward on platform 4 in 1962, with an [[British Rail Class 40|English-Electric Type 4]] to the left and a [[LMS Jubilee Class|6P ''Jubilee'']] to the right]]
[[File:Crewe 3 railway station 2105664 536de3ec.jpg|thumb|right|View northward from the footbridge at the north end of the station in 1958]]

In 1923, the LNWR became part of the [[London, Midland & Scottish Railway]] group; Crewe remained the major centre for locomotive construction. In 1938-39, the signal boxes at North and South Junctions were completely reconstructed as massive concrete structures to withstand air raids and remained in use until the resignalling project in 1985. The North Junction signal box can now be visited as part of the [[Crewe Heritage Centre]]. Although the railway station is virtually synonymous with the town of Crewe, it was not actually incorporated within the borders of the borough of Crewe until the late 1930s, as it lies about {{convert|1|mi|km|1}} to the south-east of the actual town centre.

Train operation at Crewe changed little in over fifty years, with the exception of two new signal boxes and associated greatly improved colour light signalling, track circuiting and electrically operated track points. The trains did become longer and heavier and were hauled by larger engines, which required increased supplies of water to be taken on board before departure, but the number of passenger trains using Crewe station and the method of operation did not vary greatly despite the passage of two world wars. Trains continued to divide at Crewe with the front portion for Manchester and the rear for Liverpool. The [[station pilot]] engine always had a pair of restaurant cars in a bay platform ready to attach to a morning service to London. Always there were extra coaches waiting to be attached to overcrowded trains. In addition to passengers there were vast quantities of mail, parcels and even live animals and birds of all descriptions transported in specially designed transit crates. When necessary the station staff had to feed and water these special passengers, which travelled in copious luggage vans.

===British Railways===
[[Image:Crewe station platform12.jpg|250px|left|thumb|In the early 1900s, the station gained an extra six platforms to cope with traffic. However, as part of a major resignalling project in 1985, five of these platforms were taken out of use, with only platform 12 (pictured) remaining.]]

In 1948, the LMS was nationalised as [[British Rail]]ways, [[London Midland Region of British Railways|London Midland Region]]. Nationalisation greatly facilitated the modernisation of British Railways and, after a false start developing new improved steam engines, electrification came, along with diesel power and fixed-formation air-braked trains. These changes had a significant effect on Crewe station. Notably, the variation in station use caused firstly by the [[West Coast Main Line#Modernisation by British Rail|electrification in stages of the West Coast Main Line]] between 1959 and 1974, and secondly by the general end of steam traction on Britain's railways.

Following the completion of electrification in 1974, trains did not need to change locomotives at Crewe, except for the London to Chester and Holyhead service. Many locomotive hauled trains were replaced by electric or diesel multiple unit trains, with much faster turn-round times. Additionally, two local branch lines had closed, which resulted in fewer trains terminating at Crewe. However, compensating for the decline of local passenger traffic, the reduction in mail and parcels traffic and the total elimination of livestock carriage, came the great increase in inter-city passenger traffic and the need for even faster, smoother and more efficient handling of passenger trains.

In 1963, the architects to the London Midland Region of British Railways provided a [[Porte-cochère]] at the passenger entrance on Nantwich Road. It was constructed of eight laminated wood [[Hyperbolic paraboloid]] shells.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lawrence |first=David |date=2018 |title=British Rail Architecture 1948-97 |publisher=Crecy Publishing Ltd |page=73 |isbn=9780860936855 }}</ref> This was replaced between 1983 and 1985 with the current steel structure.

[[File:Crewe railway station, main entrance (1).JPG|thumb|The main entrance to Crewe station, dating from the 1980s refurbishment]]

In 1985, in a £14.3 million scheme, the track layout was modernised and simplified, eliminating many points and crossings and allowing {{convert|80|mph|abbr=on}} running<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Crewe: the seven-week shutdown|first=Peter|last=Kelly|magazine=[[RAIL (magazine)|Rail Enthusiast]]|publisher=EMAP National Publications|date=August 1984|pages=23–24|issn=0262-561X|oclc=49957965}}</ref> over the North Junction. At the same time all but one of the six 1902 extension platforms were taken out of use. Four [[British Rail Class 40|Class 40]] locomotives were reallocated to this work in 1985, and were renumbered as [[British Rail Class 97#97405–97408|97405–97408]] for the engineering duties.

===Present day===
In 2007, [[Network Rail]] published a proposal to replace the existing Crewe station with a new station located approximately {{convert|1|mi|km|1}} to the south. A ''Crewe Town'' station was also proposed nearer the town centre on the Chester line, with a shuttle service to the new main station.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7485745.stm | work=BBC News |title=Station could be moved |date=2 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crewe.tv/2008/07/basford-switch-looking-favourite.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-07-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208165115/http://www.crewe.tv/2008/07/basford-switch-looking-favourite.html |archive-date=8 December 2015}}</ref> In 2009, the station was identified as one of the ten worst [[United Kingdom railway station categories|category B]] interchange stations for mystery shopper assessment of fabric and environment.<ref>{{cite news |title=£50m revamp for 'worst stations' |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8363621.stm |date=17 November 2009 |access-date=17 November 2009}}</ref>

The proposal to move the station was abandoned in 2010 and the current building was renovated instead.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Cuts-derail-plan-163-2m-station-facelift/article-2307470-detail/article.html |title=Crewe station revamp scrapped by coalition Government |first=Emma |last=King |newspaper=The Sentinel |date=15 June 2010 |access-date=13 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621010344/http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Cuts-derail-plan-163-2m-station-facelift/article-2307470-detail/article.html |archive-date=21 June 2010}}</ref> [[Cheshire East Council]] implemented a regeneration master plan for Crewe, which included the station.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/economic_development_services/crewe_vision.aspx |publisher=Cheshire East Council |location=Sandbach |title=Crewe Vision |access-date=12 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913092404/http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/economic_development_services/crewe_vision.aspx |archive-date=13 September 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2011, [[Cheshire East Council]] purchased the former [[Royal Mail]] depot and Weston House for £2.75 million.<ref name="Sentinel">{{cite web|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/pound-6-5m-plan-Crewe-Railway-Station-track/story-19637263-detail/story.html|title=£6.5m plan for Crewe Railway Station on track|work=[[Stoke Sentinel]]|date=9 August 2013|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-date=3 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703152345/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/pound-6-5m-plan-Crewe-Railway-Station-track/story-19637263-detail/story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The council demolished the two buildings and created a new entrance to the station,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/cheshire_east_news.aspx |title=''Cheshire East News'' (September 2012); downloaded from |access-date=9 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309153221/http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/cheshire_east_news.aspx |archive-date=9 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-19784394|work=BBC News|title=Crewe railway station revamp to get under way|date=1 October 2012|access-date=9 December 2012}}</ref> as well as a 244 space car park and a secure bike parking structure, at a cost of £7 million.<ref name="Chronicle">{{cite web |url=http://www.creweguardian.co.uk/news/11314670.New___7million_railway_exchange_unveiled_in_town/?ref=rss|title=New £7million railway exchange unveiled in town|work=[[Crewe Chronicle]]|last=Wilson|first=James|date=2 July 2014|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref> The construction work was undertaken by [[Balfour Beatty]].<ref name="Chronicle"/> The new entrance has step-free access and connects passengers to the station through an underground walkway. There is a ticket vending machine at this entrance, as well as unstaffed ticket barriers.

[[File:Crewe station- new Weston Road entrance (geograph 4093745).jpg|thumb|The Weston Road entrance, added in 2014]]

In August 2016, the station buildings of 1867 were added to the [[National Heritage List for England]] as a [[Grade II listed building]]. The structures included in the listing comprise two station buildings on separate platforms and two screen walls, one to the east and the other to the west of the station.<ref name="Listing">{{National Heritage List for England|num= 1436435|desc= 1867 buildings at Crewe railway station|access-date= 26 August 2016|mode=cs2}}</ref>

With seven [[train operating companies]] calling, Crewe is tied with {{rws|Doncaster}}, {{rws|Edinburgh Waverley}}, {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} and {{rws|Liverpool South Parkway}} for the highest number calling at a UK station.

===Accidents and incidents===
On 7 November 1980, two freight trains collided at Crewe station.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jonhson |first=E.M. |title=Manchester to Crewe part three Sockport &Wilmslow|publisher=E.M. Johnson |date=2022 |isbn=9781399922586 |location=Burnage |page=150}}</ref>

==Future==
In January 2013, it was announced that the existing Crewe station would be a stop on the western branch of the planned [[High Speed 2|HS2]] high-speed rail route.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21221828|work=BBC News|title=HS2: High-speed rail route phase two details announced|date=28 January 2013|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref>

A new platform would be built on the Manchester independent lines to the west of the station, meaning that services will not have to cross the [[West Coast Main Line]] from Manchester Piccadilly or the [[Welsh Marches Line|Marches Line]] to South Wales.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operations-hs2-phase-2a-information-papers |title=Policy paper. Operations: HS2 Phase 2a information papers |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=12 January 2018 |website=Department for Transport |publisher=UK Government |access-date=7 June 2018 }}</ref>

Following the Crewe Hub consultation, which ran from July to October 2017, it was planned that five to seven trains per hour would stop at Crewe; plans for a new service to Manchester via Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield was also proposed. This would have been made possible by extending the existing platform 5 to 400 metres, allowing services to split and serve these additional destinations. It was also planned that a new transfer deck would be built; this would have allowed passengers to change between the proposed new Manchester independent lines platform and the existing Crewe station.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/business-culture/transfer-deck-to-be-built-over-crewe-station/10029023.article |title=Transfer deck to be built over Crewe station |last=Smale |first=Katherine |date=13 March 2018 |magazine=New Civil Engineer |access-date=7 June 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/687000/crewe-hub-consultation-response-web.pdf |title=Crewe Hub. Consultation Response |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 2018 |website=Department for Transport |publisher=UK Government |access-date=7 June 2018 }}</ref>

However, on 4 October 2023, Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]] announced the cancellation of this Phase 2a of the HS2 development at the [[Conservative Party Conference (UK)|Conservative Party Conference]].<ref name=guardian-20231004>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/04/we-feel-forgotten-anger-in-crewe-at-scaling-back-of-hs2 |title='We feel forgotten': anger in Crewe at scaling back of HS2 |last=Pidd |first=Helen |newspaper=The Guardian |date=4 October 2023 |access-date=4 October 2023}}</ref>

From May 2026, [[Transport for Wales]] plan to extend their existing Crewe to [[Chester railway station|Chester]] shuttle to [[Wrexham General railway station|Wrexham General]].<ref>{{cite web | title=£2.1bn Network North Wales plan announced | date=30 May 2025 | url=https://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2025/05/2-1bn-network-north-wales-plan-announced/ }}</ref>

From Summer 2026, there are plans to increase connectivity from Crewe. [[West Midlands Trains]]<ref name="c051">{{cite web | title=Destination Manchester | website=London Northwestern Railway | url=https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/whats-new/manchester | access-date=2025-12-05}}</ref> announced plans to extend the existing hourly service between Crewe and [[Stafford railway station|Stafford]] via [[Stoke-on-Trent railway station|Stoke-on-Trent]]. Northbound services are proposed to continue to [[Manchester Airport railway station|Manchester Airport]] via [[Wilmslow railway station|Wilmslow]] and [[Styal railway station|Styal]], whilst southbound services would extend to [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] via [[Willenhall railway station|Willenhall]] and [[Darlaston railway station|Darlaston]].

From June 2026, [[Lumo (train operating company)|Lumo]] plan to launch five trains a day to London Euston southbound and Preston northbound, with four continuing to [[Stirling railway station (Scotland)|Stirling]].<ref name="p610">{{cite web | title=Announcement of new rail service between Stirling and London welcomed | website=Stirling Council | date=2025-06-02 | url=https://www.stirling.gov.uk/news/announcement-of-new-rail-service-between-stirling-and-london-welcomed/ | access-date=2025-12-05}}</ref> Of which, Crewe will be served by two southbound services and three northbound services. This would be the 8th train operating company serving the station, thereby overtaking both Doncaster, Edinburgh Waverley, Liverpool Lime Street and Liverpool South Parkway as the station with the most train operating companies served.

==Layout==
{{original research|section|date=November 2025|reason=Platform use is unsourced and trivial}}
[[Image:Crewe station platform 5.JPG|thumb|left|Platforms five and six are used primarily for express traffic along the West Coast Main Line]]
[[Image:Rth Crewe A-G 30.08.05R edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|Crewe station looking north-east, showing the six converging railway routes]]

<div style="float:left;">{{Crewe railway station schematic}}</div>
{{Clear}}

Platform use:
* Platform 1 - Northern Trains stopping services to and from Manchester Piccadilly; CrossCountry services to Manchester Piccadilly; occasionally Avanti West Coast northbound services to Manchester Piccadilly and southbound services to London Euston.
* Platform 2 - East Midlands Railway services
* Platform 3 - London Northwestern Railway services via Stoke-on-Trent
* Platform 4 - Extra capacity.
* Platform 5 - Avanti West Coast northbound services to Manchester Piccadilly and southbound to Birmingham New Street and London Euston; West Midlands Trains services to Birmingham New Street; Transport for Wales services to Cardiff; CrossCountry services to Bournemouth.
* Platform 6 - Transport for Wales services northbound to Manchester Piccadilly and southbound to Cardiff and beyond; West Midlands Trains services to Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street. Some Avanti West Coast northbound services to Preston and Glasgow Central and southbound to London Euston also use this platform.
* Platform 7 - Extra capacity.
* Platform 8 - Transport for Wales stopping services to and from Shrewsbury.
* Platform 9 - Transport for Wales services to Chester and Holyhead.
* Platform 10 - Extra capacity.
* Platform 11 - Avanti West Coast northbound services to Blackpool, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Chester and North Wales. London Northwestern Railway northbound services to Liverpool Lime Street.
* Platform 12 - London Northwestern Railway services to London Euston via Rugeley Trent Valley; usually used for railtours.

== Services ==
The general off-peak service in trains per hour/day is as follows:

[[Avanti West Coast]]<ref name="AvantiDec24">{{cite web |url=https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/-/media/avanti-timetables/2024/december-2024-timetable-book-final.pdf |title=Scheduled timetable book for 15 December 2024 to 17 May 2025 |publisher=Avanti West Coast}}</ref>
* 4 trains per hour (tph) to {{rws|London Euston}}
** 1 tph runs via {{rws|Birmingham New Street}}
* 1 tph to {{stn|Manchester Piccadilly}}, via {{rws|Stockport}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}}, via {{rws|Runcorn}}
* 1 tph to {{rws|Chester}}, with some services continuing to {{rws|Holyhead}}, {{rws|Bangor}} or {{rws|Wrexham General}}
* 1 train every 2 hours to {{rws|Edinburgh Waverley||Edinburgh}}, via {{rws|Preston}} 
* 1 train every 2 hours to {{rws|Glasgow Central}}, via Preston

[[London Northwestern Railway]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/times?station=Crewe&crs=CRE|title=Train timetables and schedules – Crewe|publisher=London Northwestern Railway|location=[[London]]}}</ref>

* 1 train per hour (tph) to London Euston, via {{rws|Nuneaton}}
* 2 tph to Birmingham New Street, via {{stn|Wolverhampton}}
* 2 tph to Liverpool Lime Street, via Runcorn
* 1 tph to {{stn|Stafford}}, via {{stn|Stoke-on-Trent}}

[[Northern Trains]]<ref>{{NRtimes|December 2022|93}}</ref>
* 2 trains per hour to Manchester Piccadilly — one via Stockport and one via {{stn|Manchester Airport}}

[[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]]<ref>{{NRtimes|December 2022|77 & 131}}</ref>
* 1 train per hour (tph) to Manchester Piccadilly, via Stockport
* 1 tph to Chester
* 1 tph to {{rws|Cardiff Central}}, with some services continuing to {{rws|Milford Haven}}, {{rws|Fishguard Harbour}} or {{rws|Carmarthen}}
* 1 train every 2 hours to {{rws|Shrewsbury}}

[[East Midlands Railway]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/timetables?station=Crewe|title=Train timetables – Crewe|website=East Midlands Railway}}</ref>
* 1 tph to {{rws|Lincoln Central}}, via {{rws|Derby}} and {{rws|Newark Castle}}

[[Caledonian Sleeper]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sleeper.scot/timetables/|title=Caledonian Sleeper Timetable|website=[[Caledonian Sleeper]]|location=[[Inverness]]|publisher=[[Scottish Rail Holdings]]}}</ref>
* 1 tpd to {{rws|Aberdeen}}/{{rws|Inverness}}/{{rws|Fort William}}, dividing at {{rws|Edinburgh Waverley}}
* 1 tpd to London Euston, which is set-down only and not for boarding passengers.

[[CrossCountry]]<ref>{{cite web | title=Updated UK Train Timetables and Schedules &#124; CrossCountry | url=https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/train-timetables }}</ref>
* 1 tpd to {{rws|Bournemouth}}, via Birmingham New Street
* 1 tpd to Manchester Piccadilly

{{adjacent stations|noclear=y
  |system1=National Rail
  |note-row1={{s-rail-national|previous=Wilmslow|rowsmid=2|next=Shrewsbury|toc=Transport for Wales|route=[[Welsh Marches Line]] }}
{{s-rail-national|next=Nantwich|hidemid=yes|toc=}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Chester|toc=Transport for Wales|route=[[North Wales Coast Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|next=Sandbach|toc=Northern|route=[[Crewe–Manchester line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|next=Alsager|toc=East Midlands Railway|route=[[Crewe–Derby line]]}}
    |line6=London Northwestern Railway|type6=London - Crewe|right6=Stafford
    |line7=London Northwestern Railway|type7=Stafford - Crewe|right7=Alsager
    |line8=London Northwestern Railway|type8=Birmingham - Liverpool|left8=Winsford|right8=Stafford
|note-row9={{s-rail-national|previous=Chester|next=Stafford|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[North Wales Main Line]]}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Wilmslow|next=Stafford|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[West Coast Main Line|WCML]] Manchester – Crewe – London}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Hartford|next=Milton Keynes Central|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[West Coast Main Line|WCML]] Liverpool – London|rowsmid=2|rows2=2}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Runcorn|next=Milton Keynes Central|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[West Coast Main Line|WCML]] Liverpool – London|hidemid=yes|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Warrington Bank Quay|next=Stafford|toc=Avanti West Coast|route=[[West Coast Main Line|WCML]] Edinburgh/Glasgow/Blackpool – Birmingham – London}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Stockport|next=Stafford|toc=CrossCountry|route=CrossCountry Network|status=|notemid=Limited Service|rowsmid=2|rows2=2}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Manchester Piccadilly|next=Stafford|toc=CrossCountry|route=CrossCountry Network|status=|notemid=Limited Service|hidemid=yes|hide2=yes}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Preston|rows1=2|rowsmid=2|next=Watford Junction|note2=<small>Northbound only</small>|toc=Caledonian Sleeper|route=Highland Sleeper}}
{{s-rail-national|hide1=yes|hidemid=yes|next=London Euston|toc=}}
{{historical rail insert}}
{{rail line |previous={{stnlnk|Worleston}}<br /><small>Line open, station closed</small> |route=[[London & North Western Railway]]<br /><small>[[Chester and Crewe Railway]]</small> |col={{LNWR colour}} }}
{{rail line |previous={{stnlnk|Minshull Vernon}}<br /><small>Line open, station closed</small> |next={{stnlnk|Basford}}<br /><small>Line open, station closed</small> |route=[[London & North Western Railway]]<br /><small>[[Grand Junction Railway]]</small> |col={{LNWR colour}} }}
{{rail line two routes |next={{stnlnk|Gresty}}<br /><small>Line open, station closed</small> |route1=[[London & North Western Railway]]<br /><small>[[Shrewsbury and Crewe Railway]]</small> |route2=[[Great Western Railway]]<br /><small>[[Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway]]</small> |col1={{LNWR colour}} |col2={{GWR colour}} }}
{{rail line |next={{stnlnk|Radway Green and Barthomley}}<br /><small>Line open, station closed</small> |route=[[North Staffordshire Railway]]<br /><small>Crewe to Derby line</small> |col={{NSR colour}} }}
{{s-note|text=Future services}}
{{s-rail-national|previous=Wilmslow|next=Alsager|toc=London Northwestern Railway|route=Manchester Airport - Birmingham New Street}}
{{rail line two to one|previous1={{rws|Nuneaton}}|previous2={{rws|London Euston}}|next={{rws|Preston}} |route=[[Lumo (train operating company)|Lumo]]<br>[[West Coast Main Line|London to Stirling]] |col={{ECT colour}} }}
{{rail line|next=[[Birmingham Interchange]] <br>or [[Birmingham Curzon Street railway station|Birmingham Curzon Street]]|previous=[[Manchester Airport High Speed station|Manchester Airport High Speed]]|route=Scrapped<br /><small>[[High Speed 2]]</small> |col={{temporary rail colour}} }}
{{rail line|previous={{rws|Warrington Bank Quay}}|next={{rws|Birmingham Curzon Street}} <br>or {{rws|Birmingham Interchange}}|route=TBA<br><small>[[Northern Powerhouse Rail]]-[[High Speed 2]] Link</small>|col={{temporary rail colour}} }}
}}

==See also==
{{portal|Cheshire}}
* [[Listed buildings in Crewe]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{citation|last=Chambers|first=S|year=2007|title=Crewe: A history|publisher=Phillimore|location=Chichester, Sussex|isbn=978-1-86077-472-0}}
* {{citation|last1=Curran|first1=H |last2=Gilsenan|first2=M |last3=Owen|first3=B |last4=Owen|first4=J |year=1984|title=Change at Crewe|publisher=Cheshire Libraries and Museums|location=Chester}}
* {{citation|last=Dunn |first=F. I. |year=1987|title=The ancient parishes, townships and chapelries of Cheshire|publisher=Cheshire Record Office and Cheshire Diocesan Record Office|location=Chester|isbn=0-906758-14-9}}
* {{citation|last=Langston|first=K|year=2006|title=Made in Crewe: 150 years of engineering excellence|publisher=Mortons Media Group|location=Horncastle, Lincolnshire|isbn=978-0-9552868-0-3}}
* {{citation|last=Ollerhead|first=P|year=2008|title=Crewe: History and guide|publisher=Tempus Publishing|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire|isbn=978-0-7524-4654-7}}
* {{citation|last=Youngs |first=F. A. |year=1991 |title=Guide to the local administrative units of England. (Volume 1: Northern England) |location=London |publisher=Royal Historical Society |isbn=0-86193-127-0}}
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|title=Stafford to Chester|first1=Vic|last1=Mitchell|first2=Keith|last2=Smith|at=figs. 48-67|publisher=Middleton Press|location=West Sussex|year=2012|isbn=9781908174345|oclc=830024480}}
* {{cite book|title=Shrewsbury to Crewe|first1=Vic|last1=Mitchell|first2=Keith|last2=Smith|at=figs. 94-112|publisher=Middleton Press|location=West Sussex|year=2013|isbn=9781908174482|oclc=880765045}}
* {{cite book|title=Crewe to Manchester|first1=Vic|last1=Mitchell|first2=Keith|last2=Smith|at=figs. 1-9|publisher=Middleton Press|location=West Sussex|year=2014|isbn=9781908174574|oclc=892047119}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Crewe railway station}}
{{stn art lnk|CRE|CW26HR}}

{{Major railway stations in Britain}}
{{Cheshire railway stations}}
{{Railway stations served by Avanti West Coast}}
{{Railway stations served by West Midlands Trains}}
{{Railway stations served by Transport for Wales}}
{{Railway stations served by East Midlands Railway}}
{{Railway stations served by Caledonian Sleeper}}
{{Railway stations served by Northern Trains}}
{{Railway stations served by CrossCountry}}

[[Category:Railway stations in Cheshire]]
[[Category:DfT Category B stations]]
[[Category:Former London and North Western Railway stations]]
[[Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1837]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Caledonian Sleeper]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by CrossCountry]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by East Midlands Railway]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Northern]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Transport for Wales Rail]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by Avanti West Coast]]
[[Category:Railway stations served by West Midlands Trains]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Crewe]]
[[Category:John Cunningham railway stations]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Stations on the West Coast Main Line]]