As part of a £45m project, during the August bank holiday weekend signals over a key section of the West Coast main line through Cheshire between Prestbury, Macclesfield, and Congleton were upgraded.

The project started in July 2021, and the latest stage saw control of 56 signals was transferred to a state-of-the-art Rail Operating Centre in Manchester, with power sources and electrical cabling upgraded, and two catenaries carrying 25,000-volt overhead lines were repositioned to provide better vision of the new signals for train drivers.

The final switchover came when operation of Macclesfield Signal Box signalled its last train train on the evening of Friday, 26th August.

You can find out more information how Network Rail upgrades its signalling here: www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/signalling/Rail

Ian Robinson, project manager for Network Rail, said: “This once in a generation overhaul of Macclesfield’s signalling system has brought this key section of the West Coast main line up to the most modern standards. The £45m investment will future proof journeys and create a more reliable railway for passengers and freight services.

“I would like to thank local people and passengers for their patience while we carried out this essential work to
Gus Dunster, executive director of operations and safety at Avanti West Coast, said:

“We’re excited the upgrades to the signalling system are now complete and would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while Network Rail carried out these works. Modernising the signals on a key section of our Manchester route is an important milestone for the railway and will help to make journeys on the West Coast main line more reliable for decades to come.”

John Robson, CrossCountry’s West Midlands and North West regional director, said: “Futureproofing this busy part of the West Coast main line has been essential to ensure a safer and more reliable railway. We’d like to thank our customers for being patient while this important modernisation took place.”

Chris Jackson, regional director for Northern, said: “We welcome the completion of these works and the improvement to reliability they will bring for customers travelling on our Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent services.

“It is always important to invest in rail infrastructure to ensure we can keep the region moving, getting people from where they are, to where they want to be.”