Media centre

Tuesday 21 Feb 2023

Train delays as engineers race to fix overhead lines in Cheshire

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Passengers are being warned of disruption between Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester after overhead power cables were damaged in Cheshire.

Network Rail has apologised to passengers affected as engineers work as fast as they can to repair the 25,000-volt overhead lines in Cheadle Hulme.

Around 30m of electric cable - which powers trains from up above – and some of the railway line itself, was damaged earlier today.

The scale of the repairs mean trains can’t run on the route affected for the rest of today (Tuesday 21 February).

People are being urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.

Rail replacement buses are in place to keep passengers on the move between Prestbury, Adlington, Poynton and Bramhall, Cheadle and Wilmslow. 

CrossCountry services between Birmingham and Manchester are not serving Macclesfield or Stoke-on-Trent.

Avanti West Coast services between Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston are being diverted around the area affected meaning longer journey times.

Services between Stockport and Hazel Grove are likely to be delayed in the Stockport area due to congestion.

Kara Wood, Network Rail’s North West route head of performance, said: “I’m really sorry we’re unable to give passengers the service they expect and deserve today. Our engineers are working as fast as they can to fix the fault with the overhead electric cables in Cheadle Hulme.

“As this will run for the rest of today and overnight, I’d urge anyone travelling today to check with National Rail Enquiries or their train operator before they set off for the latest information.”

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: “We are sorry for the disruption this has caused our passengers and want to thank everyone for their patience. Rail replacement buses will be in operation and some train services will be diverted, please check your journey before you travel.”  

Nick Chadwick, CrossCountry regional director for the West Midlands and North West, said: “We’re sorry to customers who have been affected by the cable damage today. As a result, CrossCountry services between Birmingham and Manchester are currently unable to call at Macclesfield and Stoke-on-Trent. We advise customers to check before they travel and to expect short-term cancellations and delays for the rest of the day as work takes place to resolve this.”

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “While Network Rail repair the overhead cables, our trains to and from Manchester will be diverted and unable to call at Stockport. We strongly advise customers making journeys on our Manchester route today (21 February) to check before they travel. We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and remind them if they’re delayed by 15 minutes or more to claim delay compensation.”

For more information on how Network Rail fixes faults with the overhead electric cables, visit: www.networkrail.co.uk/delays-explained/overhead-line-equipment-failures/