North West route

The North West route runs from Cheshire in the south to Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria in the North.

Major stations across the route include Crewe, Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Victoria, Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton, Preston, and Carlisle. The route is home to the two Northern Powerhouse cities of Liverpool and Manchester, as well as the tourist destinations of Blackpool and the Lake District.

Across the route, the rail industry is working together more closely than ever to deliver what passengers really want – a reliable railway, timely information, clean stations and enough seats on trains.

The North West route is part of the North West and Central region.

Main railway lines:

  • the West Coast Main Line from crewe to Carlisle.
  • the pan railway from Manchester to Liverpool.

Safety

We work closely with local communities to promote safety by the railway. Find out more on our community safety page.

Projects in North West

Map of Transpennine route
Major investment to be made to the railway between York and Manchester via Leeds and Huddersfield. The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a multi-billion pound, transformative, long-term railway infrastructure programme that will improve connectivity in...
Oxford Road
Supporting more reliable, frequent and accessible train services throughout Greater Manchester Improving rail in Manchester The Grade II Listed Manchester Oxford Road Station is an important interchange for passengers travelling to and from Manchester city...
Greek-Street-roundabout
We’re replacing the bridge that takes the Greek Street roundabout, in Stockport, over the West Coast main line. Project timeline Preparation work began in 2024. On 31 March 2025, the Greek Street roundabout and nearby...
Ladies-Lane-Bridge-Aerial-Credit-Network-Rail-Air-Operations
We’re upgrading the railway between Wigan and Bolton. This involves electrifying the route and carrying out signalling improvements between Lostock Junction and Wigan North Western station.  Image credit: Network Rail Air Operations Project timeline The...
Salford-3D-visualisation-of-new-platform
We’re building an additional platform at Salford Crescent station, and working with Transport for Greater Manchester to upgrade Salford Central Project timeline Work at both stations started in early 2025. At Salford Crescent, the third...

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