Cheshire rail upgrades complete this August to improve future journeys

Major rail upgrades have been carried out this August to improve future journeys for passengers and freight through Cheshire.

Network Rail has invested in excess of £8.5m renewing tracks, points, bridges and platforms over the last three weeks.

The work took place during a rare 21-day closure of a 50-mile stretch of the West Coast Main Line through three counties, which enabled the massive renewal of a railway bridge in Stockport.

With no train traffic on the tracks, hundreds of railway workers from Network Rail and its supply chain were able to complete the essential infrastructure upgrades over a wide area.

In Cheshire the work included:

• New track, points and overhead lines in Macclesfield
• Switches and crossings renewals at Macclesfield station
• Track upgrades in Congleton
• Platform renewals and lighting improvements at Poynton station

Those projects were carried out between 2 and 22 August with trains running on the line again on Saturday 23 August.

Today (Tuesday 26 August) Network Rail has released footage of the upgrades which took place in Cheshire (footage attached as video downloads).

Darren Miller, Network Rail North West route infrastructure director, said: 

“I’d like to thank passengers for their patience this August while we’ve had the railway closed for an extended period for these essential railway improvements.

“Now they’re complete ,our multi-million-pound investment will improve future journeys through Cheshire and on the wider West Coast Main Line, keeping passenger and freight trains moving safely and smoothly on one of the busiest routes in the country.”

The work through Cheshire was part of a wider £43m investment to improve the West Coast Main Line throughout August.

Passengers are reminded they can plan their journeys in advance by visiting: 

www.nationalrail.co.uk.

To find out how Network Rail maintains and improves the railway you can visit: 

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/

Pictured - Switches and crossings renewal at Macclesfield station in August 2025.