Greek Street bridge - out with the old, now it’s in with the new in Stockport

A 67-year-old railway bridge carrying a roundabout over the West Coast Main Line in Stockport has been successfully removed in the first week of its major £20m replacement.

Network Rail is ten days into a 21-day railway closure for the huge civil engineering project to transform transport in the town.

Around 100 engineers per day are working around the clock to rebuild the Greek Street bridge.

One week into the highly anticipated project, 200 old concrete beams have been cut out and removed from the site by Network Rail’s contractor, Murphy. 

Lifted by two huge cranes, with a combined capacity of 1300 tonnes, the redundant bridge beams were carefully placed to the ground and taken off site by a fleet of 67 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). 

With a 60m cavernous gap where the old bridge used to be, the team can now prepare to install the new bridge this week.

The new bridge structure is made up of 51 parts* which will be moved into their final position by the two crawler cranes, which have a maximum hoisting height of 196m.

Today, Network Rail has released footage of the first week of work, showing the impressive scale of the task at hand.

William Brandon, Network Rail’s project manager, said: 

“After years of planning it is fantastic to see the work at Greek Street get off to such a good start. The team on site are doing a great job, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the new bridge installed within the next two weeks.

“Once the railway reopens, journeys for passengers will be safer and more reliable for the next 120 years. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the West Coast Main Line for future generations. 

“I’m very grateful to passengers and the Stockport community for their patience during this essential work. I’d advise everyone to continue to plan their journeys carefully on the National Rail Enquiries website. We’ve done everything we can to create the best possible alternative travel plan.”

Stephen Harnett, Murphy’s project manager, said: 

“At Murphy our aim is to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure, so we are proud to be delivering this critical work with Network Rail. The project is a real team effort and we are all united in our commitment to improving the transportation network for the local community and the wider North West. We look forward to seeing the new bridge in use again very soon.”

Lisa Magee, Avanti West Coast station manager at Stockport, said:

“It’s great to see the work to Greek Street bridge is progressing nicely, as the project reaches this latest milestone. We’d like to thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding while the West Coast Main Line is closed and remind those who are making journeys up to and including 22 August to plan ahead, check the National Rail website before travelling, and leave plenty of time.”

Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member of Parks, Highways and Transport Services, said: 

"We’re continuing to work closely with our partners to support our local residents and businesses every step of the way as Network Rail delivers the essential improvements Stockport needs.

“I want to thank residents and businesses for their continued patience and resilience - we know it hasn’t been easy, but the way people have responded to the disruption so far really shows the strength of our community."

The original bridge, which was constructed in 1958 needs to be replaced with a modern structure which will last for up to 120 years.

The effects of the closure are far-reaching because of the critical location of the bridge. During the closure, there are no train services on the line between Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester Piccadilly, and no train services on other lines into Stockport. Where possible, services are being diverted around Stockport.

With tracks clear of most train traffic along approximately 50 miles of the West Coast Main Line between Staffordshire and Stockport, it provides a perfect opportunity for Network Rail and its contractors to access the railway for dozens of additional railway upgrades."

The railway will reopen on the morning of 23rd August 2025.

Passengers are advised to plan their journeys on the National Rail Enquiries website in the meantime. 

Pictured - The Murphy Team lifting out a beam part.