Colwich Junction

File:Colwich, Norton Bridge & Stafford RJD 97.jpg

File:Colwich Junction - geograph.org.uk - 4751155.jpg

Situated on the Trent Valley Line section of the WCML between {{rws|Rugeley Trent Valley}} and Stafford, it accesses a twin track, electrified (25 kV AC overhead line) cut off line through to Stone, where it joins the North Staffordshire Railways main line (Stafford to Cheadle Hulme Junction via Stoke-on-Trent). This provides a shorter route to Manchester Piccadilly than using lines via Stafford or Crewe, although the route via Crewe and Wilmslow is technically a faster route due to fewer speed restrictions on the route.

South of the junction, the line is quadruple tracked towards {{rws|Nuneaton }} & Rugby but to the north both lines continue as double track only (though the WCML remains so only for two miles before quadrupling once more again on the approaches to Stafford). The main line dates from 1847 and was opened by the London and North Western Railway, whilst the branch towards Stone was opened by the NSR two years later.

Prior to June 2005, the junction was worked locally from a British Rail LMR Type 15 brick and timber electro-mechanical signal box, but this has since been closed and the lines in the area transferred to the control of the signalling centre at {{rws|Stoke-on-Trent}}.[http://www.signalbox.org/sectionc.php?year=2005 The Signal Box: Section C - 2005] www.signalbox.org; Retrieved 2015-02-28

At the start of 2024, a further £85 million was spent by Network Rail modernising and improving the route from Rugeley to Colwich which included 39 new signals, 124 new axle counters and moving signalling control to Rugby Rail operating centre - Colwich Workstation.[https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/major-signalling-upgrade-on-the-west-coast-main-line-over-three-days-in-january-to-kick-off-the-new-year Network Rail: Major signalling upgrade on the WCML]

There are currently no stations on the Colwich Junction to Stone line, local stopping services having been withdrawn by the LMS in January 1947. Although there were platforms on this line at Stone, they have been demolished. There was a station at Colwich itself, but this closed in 1958.{{sfnp|Quick|2009|p=132}}

The junction and associated lines have been progressively modernised and upgraded over the years. In the middle of the twentieth century substantial upgrades took place including electrification, with the 1955 Modernisation Plan.{{Cite journal |last=Evans |first=Andrew W. |date=1969 |title=Intercity Travel and the London Midland Electrification |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20052126 |journal=Journal of Transport Economics and Policy |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=69–95 |jstor=20052126 |issn=0022-5258}}{{cite book | last=Nock | first=O.S.| title= Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester| publisher=Ian Allan | location = London| year=1965|oclc=59003738}} Continuing improvements occurred as part of the West Coast Main Line route modernisation project. Virgin Trains took on the franchise to run train services on the routes through the junction in 1997 and asked for lines to be upgraded to allow for business growth.{{Cite web|title=UK West Coast Route Modernisation Project - SEBoK|url=https://www.sebokwiki.org/wiki/UK_West_Coast_Route_Modernisation_Project|access-date=2021-07-21|website=www.sebokwiki.org|archive-date=2021-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721152620/https://www.sebokwiki.org/wiki/UK_West_Coast_Route_Modernisation_Project|url-status=live}} The upgrade started in 1998 and was completed in 2009 but with major cost overruns and parliamentary scrutiny.{{Cite web|title=Transformation of the West Coast Mainline|url=https://bettertransport.org.uk/sites/default/files/research-files/Transformation-of-the-West-Coast-Mainline.pdf|url-status=live|website=Campaign for better transport|access-date=2021-07-21|archive-date=2021-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210704183406/https://bettertransport.org.uk/sites/default/files/research-files/Transformation-of-the-West-Coast-Mainline.pdf}}{{Cite web|title=The Modernisation of the West Coast Main Line - National Audit Office (NAO) Report|url=https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-modernisation-of-the-west-coast-main-line/|access-date=2021-07-21|website=National Audit Office|date=22 November 2006 |language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721150856/https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-modernisation-of-the-west-coast-main-line/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|title=West Coast Main Line - Railway Technology|url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/virgin/|access-date=2021-07-21|newspaper=Railway Technology|language=en-GB|archive-date=2011-08-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827004335/http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/virgin/|url-status=live}}

Since 2009 other major work has taken place such as a blockade over Christmas 2017.{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=R. E. |date=2018-02-06 |title=Yuletide activities: A comprehensive overview of Network Rail's Christmas engineering work |url=https://www.railengineer.co.uk/yuletide-activities-a-comprehensive-overview-of-network-rails-christmas-engineering-work/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Rail Engineer |language=en-GB}} This has included closure of footpath level crossings.{{Cite web |title=SCHEDULE 4 REPLACEMENT AND CLOSURE OF FOOTPATH LEVEL CROSSINGS |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1075/schedule/4/part/I/made/data.xht?view=snippet&wrap=true |website=UK Government}} In July 2023 progressive modernisation of the signal system took place in the Trent Valley area including Colwich Junction.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=Staffordshire: Trent Valley line upgrade to affect journeys 15–23 July |url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/06/staffordshire-trent-valley-line-upgrade-to-affect-journeys-15-23-july.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=RailAdvent |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Impressive time-lapse video released after Trent Valley line upgrades |url=https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/impressive-time-lapse-video-released-after-trent-valley-line-upgrades-complete |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Network Rail Media Centre |language=english}}

There was a rail accident here on Friday 19 September 1986, when two express passenger trains collided - see Colwich rail crash. In addition, the lines at the junction also had to be shut in 2009 after a light aircraft crashed at the site resulting in the death of two people.{{Cite news |last=Glendinning |first=Lee |date=2009-01-03 |title=Two die as plane crashes near railway lines causing travel disruption for thousands |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jan/02/plane-crash-west-coast-mainline |access-date=2023-09-07 |issn=0261-3077}}

• {{cite book | last=Nock | first=O.S.| title= Britain's new railway: Electrification of the London-Midland main lines from Euston to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester| publisher=Ian Allan | location = London| year=1965|oclc=59003738}}
• {{Cite book|last=Nock|first=O.S.|title=Electric Euston to Glasgow|publisher=Ian Allan|year=1974|isbn=978-0711005303}}
• {{Quick-Stations}}
• {{Cite web|date=February 2015|title=Network Rail A Guide to Overhead Electrification Revision 10|url=https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sitedocuments/Planning-and-Building-Control/Planning/nr_a_guide_to_overhead_electrification.pdf|website=Network Rail}}
• {{cite book |last1=Buck |first1=Martin |last2=Rawlinson |first2=Mark |year=2000 |title=Line By Line: The West Coast Main Line, London Euston to Glasgow Central |publisher=Swindon: Freightmaster Publishing |isbn=0-9537540-0-6}}
• {{cite journal |url=http://pcp.sagepub.com/content/181/6.toc |title=EUSTON MAIN LINE ELECTRIFICATION, A Technical Conference sponsored jointly by the British Railways Board and the Institutions of Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Locomotive, and Railway Signal Engineers, 25–26th October 1966 |publisher=Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMECH) |journal=Conference Proceedings |volume=181 |number=6 (Part 3F) |year=1966–67}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Brentnall |first1=E. G. |title=Signalling and telecommunications works on the Euston main line electrification |doi=10.1243/PIME_CONF_1966_181_108_02 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings |volume=181 |issue=36 |pages=65–86 |year=1966 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Butland |first1=A. N. |title=Civil engineering works of the Euston main line electrification scheme |doi=10.1243/PIME_CONF_1966_181_107_02 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings |volume=181 |issue=36 |pages=51–64 |year=1966 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Emerson |first1=A. H. |title=Electrification of the London Midland main line from Euston |doi=10.1243/PIME_CONF_1966_181_105_02 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Conference Proceedings |volume=181 |issue=36 |pages=17–50 |year=1966 }}

{{coord|52|47|17|N|1|58|45|W|region:GB|display=title}}

Category:Rail transport in Staffordshire

Category:Rail junctions in England

Category:Railway lines in the West Midlands (region)