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Wednesday 15 Jan 2025

New home for historic plaque after £190m Crewe signal upgrades

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North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

An important piece of railway history has been donated to Crewe Heritage Trust following a multi-million-pound signalling upgrade on the West Coast Main Line.

This week, a historic plaque commemorating the 1913 Royal Visit to Crewe Works was handed over to the Trust by Network Rail after its former signal box home was decommissioned over Christmas as part of a £191m digital overhaul at one of Britain’s busiest railway junctions.

That saw control of all train movements at Basford Hall freight depot and the lines which serve it switched to the modern Manchester Rail Operating Control centre.

• Read more: New digital era for train traffic control through Crewe

The plaque will now find its permanent home at Crewe Heritage Centre which is sited on the original Crewe Works land.

Some block instruments from the old signalling boxes were also given to the Trust to commemorate their memory. 

Famously established in 1843, the Old Works as it is now known, was the original engineering facility for the railways in Crewe, producing some of the country’s best-known steam locomotives, and undergoing significant development over the years.

The 1913 Royal Visit to the works by King George V and Queen Mary was a huge moment for the town. The Royal couple were met at the train station by large crowds waving flags and streamers and the town was decorated with bunting and fairy lights. 

Jamie Morris, Network Rail programme manager, said: "We’re so happy to see the plaque and the block instruments find a new home at the Crewe Heritage Centre.

“When we removed the old signal boxes we wanted to preserve some of its history and the plaque is a cherished piece that highlights Crewe’s pivotal role in the development of the railway industry.

"This move ensures the legacy of Crewe’s railway history continues to be celebrated and remembered by future generations.”

Gordon Heddon, chair of Crewe Heritage Trust, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to accept this important item which represents yet another facet of Crewe’s significant industrial heritage.

"We look forward to putting it on public display at Crewe Heritage Centre in time for our new season opening on 20^th March.”

The move for the plaque to Crewe Heritage Centre coincides with the 200^th anniversary of the invention of the modern railway, when the first passenger train ran between Stockton and Darlington in 1825.

Events as part of Railway 200 will take place all year, not only looking at our long railway history, but also focusing on innovation and progress for the future.

For more information on the festivities throughout this year, you can visit https://railway200.co.uk/