Monument record 2521/1/49 - Crewe Railway Station, Grand Junction Railway

<1> Ashmore, O, 1982, The Industrial Archaeology of North West England, p.38 (Book). SCH3181.

Crewe, one of the great railway towns, developed from rural townships after the Grand Junction Railway opened its engineering works in 1840-1843 at the meeting point of the Grand Junction Railway, the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, and Chester and Crewe Railway (all of which were absorbed into the London and North Western Railway in 1846). Crewe Station started as small building on Grand Junction Railway built in 1837-40 and rebuilt in 1845-46, 1867, 1895-1901, and enlarged 1903-06. The entrance on Nantwich Road is more recent. The station buildings are late nineteenth, early twentieth century with later alterations. There are two-storey buildings on platforms 1, 2,5 and 6; single-storey buildings on platforms 3 and 4. Buildings are of yellow brick with stone detailing and red brick decoration above windows and doors and below the parapet on upper storeys. There are moulded heads in keystones of arches on platforms 3,4 and 5. There are some iron window frames with semi-circular arched heads and fine bow windows on platforms 4 (Paddock Buffet) and 5. There is arcaded yellow-brick walling between platforms 2 and 3, platforms 3 and 4, and east of platform 6 that looks earlier than the station buildings.

<2> Holt, G.O., 1978, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 10, the North West, p.45-46 (Book). SCH107.

<3> National Railway Museum, Various, National Railway Museum Collections and Archive (Paper Archive). SCH8025.

Holds many photographs and drawings which depict the station and the wider railway infrastructure. Of particular note is the suspension footbridge which connected the station to the Crewe North Junction signal box and an 1848 lithograph of the early station.

<4> Nevell, M & George, D, 2014, A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Cheshire, p.71 (Book). SCH8021.

Begun by the Grand Junction Railway in 1837. The present station was developed by the LNWR between 1895-1906. It comprises two multi-storey brick buildings which enclose two though platforms with later canopies. The interior faces of the offies have patterned brickwork and double-bay windows for waiting and refreshment rooms.

<5> Ryan R & Jeuda B, 1987, Railway Postcard Scenes of Cheshire (Book). SCH8022.

Includes a number of photographs of Crewe station.

<6> Hewitt H J, 1972, The Building of Railways in Cheshire down to 1860, p.35 (Book). SCH3087.

Between 1837 and 1853 Crewe was no more than a wayside station. The growth of the town and the railway junction made necessary some extensive changes to the station. The exterior on Nantwich Road was unimpressive and the interior had been a group of terminals. In 1845-6 there were extensive changes and “better accommodation for ladies”. The proprietor of the adjacent Crewe Arms was allowed a room for the sale of refreshments and in 1858 refreshment rooms were provided. In the 1850s the station was described as “noble and handsome”. It had offices, waiting rooms and the platforms were covered by an ornamental roof.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Crewe (Maps and Plans). SCH4540.

Includes a detailed plan of the station and its facilities.

<8> Cheshire County Council, 2002, Cheshire Historic Towns Survey: Crewe & Nantwich Borough Part 1: Archaeological Assessments, Crewe p.19 (Report). SCH6691.

The first Crewe passenger and freight railway station was opened in 1837. This building was soon replaced by the 1845 structure, which had offices, waiting rooms and a covered platform,. This station was also found to be inadequate for the increasing amount of rail traffic, and in 1867 a new passenger and goods station was erected. During the early 1870s the ‘Leviathan’ steam shed was modernised, significantly increasing the locomotive handling capacity of the station. By 1873 the resources of the station were again being overwhelmed by the steadily increasing amount of passenger and freight traffic. To alleviate this overcrowding, fifty acres of sidings were constructed to the south of the station. Further investment between 1878 and 1901 increased the station complex to 223 acres. Between 1903 and 1906 the capacity of the station was doubled by the addition of two new platforms (see 9).

<9> Chaloner W H, 1950, The Social and Economic Development of Crewe 1780-1923, p.81-2 (Book). SCH8024.

<10> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 129/2, 1840 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Depicts the early Grand Junction Railway through station.