Monument record 15289/5 - Wheelock and Sandbach Station - North Staffordshire Railway, Sandbach Branch

<1> Christiansen, R & Miller, R W, 1971, The North Staffordshire Railway, p.229, 306 (Book). SCH9046.

The construction of the North Staffordshire Railway’s Sandbach branch was facilitated by the North Staffordshire Railway (Harecastle and Sandbach) Act 1846. Construction was authorised to begin on the 26th June 1846, with goods services beginning on the 21st January 1852. However, passenger services didn’t begin until the 3rd July 1893. Freight traffic continued over the line until 1964 and the line was finally closed and lifted in 1971.

<2> Jeuda B, 2012, The North Staffordshire Railway in LMS Days: Volume 2, p.33-4 (Book). SCH9047.

The short 6.5 mile line from Lawton Junction to Ettiley Heath was opened as a goods traffic only line in 1852 and extended to join the London and North Western Railway at Sandbach in 1866. The passenger service was withdrawn by the railway’s then operator, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, from the 28th July 1930. This station was opened in July 1893 as the terminus of a service from Harecastle.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ7459, 1875-1876 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

The station is not depicted on this map.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ7459, 1898 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

This map depicts Wheelock and Sandbach Station. The railway line now has a second track from the station to the south-east. There are platforms with small platform shelters for each track with a footbridge connecting them. A signal box is located on the southern platform at its eastern end. The station building is not located in the pre-existing railway cutting, along with the platforms, but is located on its southern side adjacent to Crewe Road and the bridge which crosses the cutting.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ7459, 1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

A further building with an E shaped plan has been built to the east of the station building.

<6> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 06/07/2021 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The ticket office is still extant and in use as a garage, as is the E shaped building to the west.