Stafford–Manchester line
The Stafford–Manchester line is a major railway line branching from the West Coast Main Line serving Stafford, Stone, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, Congleton, Macclesfield, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport and Manchester.
History
The line was completed in 1848. It incorporated the main line of the North Staffordshire Railway, from the junction with the London and North Western Railway at, via its principal station at, to. It then made a running junction, again with the LNWR, which had its own station at Macclesfield Hibel Road that was closed by British Railways in 1960.The North Staffordshire Railway became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923.
The line was electrified at 25 kV AC, using overhead wires, under British Railways' 1955 Modernisation Plan.
Services
Avanti West Coast
Avanti West Coast operates inter-city services between and, via the Colwich spur. Some services between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly travel along the Stone to Colwich line, thereby by-passing.CrossCountry
CrossCountry operates services between Manchester Piccadilly and, which continue either to or. Between Cheadle Hulme, where it joins the Crewe–Manchester line, and Manchester Piccadilly, the line forms part of Network Rail Route 20.London Northwestern Railway
Local services between Stafford, and, are operated by West Midlands Trains; they are branded London Northwestern Railway. Services continue to.Between 2004 and 2008, there was no stopping service on the route, with a replacement bus service taking its place. However and stations are still without a train service, although they were never officially closed and are still served by rail-replacement bus services. also lost its services at the same time but was formally closed in December 2017, after 13 years without a rail service.